Inaugural address of the mayor, with the annual report of the officers of the city of Quincy for the year 1952, Part 1

Author: Quincy (Mass.)
Publication date: 1952
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 96

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منه

THOMAS CRANE PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1641 0096 9920 2

THOMAS CRANE

PUBLIC LIBRARY QUINCY, MASS.

CITY APPROPRIATION

Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2016 with funding from Boston Public Library

https://archive.org/details/inauguraladdress 1952quin

1625 QUINCY 1952

1952 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE CITY OF QUINCY, MASSACHUSETTS

3406100

City of Quinry

Massachusetts

165

162

4 MANET

1799

QUINCYS 1888

ANNUAL CITY REPORT

Q.R 352 1952

Qu4

1952

This annual report is prepared under the direction of the city manager.

Credit : Pictures marked "QPL" are by courtesy of the Quincy Patriot Ledger

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page No.

Section One -- HISTORIC QUINCY

THE CITY COUNCIL 6

THE MAYOR 7

PREFACE

DIRECTORY OF CITY OFFICIALS

THE CITY MANAGER SPEAKS 11

THE QUINCY STORY OF OFF-STREET PARKING

Section Two-MUNICIPAL DEPARTMENTS 10

CITY CLERK 18

PLANNING BOARD 18

LEGAL DEPARTMENT 18

PURCHASING DEPARTMENT

LICENSE COMMISSION

CIVIL DEFENSE 18

BOARD OF ASSESSORS 20

THE TREASURER AND COLLECTOR 20

WELFARE DEPARTMENT 20

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS SERVICES 22

POLICE DEPARTMENT 22

FIRE DEPARTMENT

HEALTH DEPARTMENT 24

QUINCY CITY HOSPITAL

PERSONNEL DEPARTMENT 26

THOMAS CRANE PUBLIC LIBRARY 26

PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT 26

CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS

FORESTRY DIVISION

SANITARY DIVISION

HIGHWAY DIVISION

WATER DIVISION

SEWER DIVISION

CEMETERY DIVISION

ENGINEERING DIVISION

BUILDING INSPECTION 30

WIRE INSPECTION 30

SEALER OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES 30

PARK DEPARTMENT 30

RECREATION COMMISSION 33

SCHOOL DEPARTMENT

RETIREMENT BOARD 38

QUINCY HOUSING AUTHORITY 38

DEPARTMENT OF HISTORICAL PLACES 41

STATE AND PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION 41

Section Three-FINANCIAL STATISTICS 41

COLLECTOR OF TAXES 15

THE CITY TREASURER 47

THE AUDITOR AND DIRECTOR OF FINANCE 57

1625 - QUINCY, MASSACHUSETTS - 1952

The Quincy of History

1614: explored by Capt. John Smith

1621: visited by Capt. Myles Standish 1625: settled by Capt. Wollaston's men 1640: incorporated as part of Braintree 1792: incorporated as a separate town 1888: chartered by the State as a city

The Quincy of Joday

Population : 83,835, by 1950 Federal census

Assessed valuation of property : $152,987,550 Population of retail trading area: 300,000 Retail sales volume for 1952: $120,000,000 Eight miles from center of downtown Boston Atlantic Ocean in front. Blue Hills in back

Native Sons of Quincy

John Adams, second president of the United States

John Quincy Adams, sixth president of the United States John Hancock, signer of the Declaration of Independence

Quincy's first predominant industry centered around her granite quarries. Quincy built America's first railroad to transport Quiney granite to build Bunker Hill monument. Quincy today is a clean, fast growing city of fine homes, good government and diversified industries, the most important of which is the great Fore River shipyard. Here Quincy brain and Quincy brawn built ships that played an important part in winning two world wars and in keeping the American merchant marine sailing the seven seas

Annual Report

THIS IS HOW YOUR TAX DOLLAR WAS SPENT IN 1952

8 3

GENERAL GOVERNMENT

.040

PEST CONTROL

MISCELLANEOUS

090

.160

PUBLIC SAFETY

COLLECTOR

.085

.160

STATE-COUNTY

SOCIAL SERVICE

.290

.155

.020

EDUCATION

PUBLIC WORKS

PUBLIC SERVICE

Section One

HISTORIC QUINCY

THE CITY COUNCIL

THE CITY COUNCIL SHAPES THE OVERALL POLICY FOR THE MUNICIPALITY AND MAKES ALL APPROPRIATIONS

FRONT Row, left to right, Mayor David S. McIntosh and Coun- cillor Carl W. Anderson, vice chairman. REAR Row, left to right, Councillors Frank N. Orcutt, Amelio Della Chiesa, Edna B. Austin, David J. Crowley and Alfred G. Helfrich. (Q. P. L. Foto;

City of Quincy

THE MAYOR OF QUINCY

HON. DAVID S. MCINTOSH

Former City Councilor

Former State Representative

Former State Senator Mayor 1952-1953

Annual Report

PREFACE

The words, pictures and figures in this annual report tell the story of Quincy's municipal government in 1952.

This historic city is faced with the same municipal problem that confronts other communities throughout the country-the problem of preserving a fair and just balance between what citizens want in the form of municipal service and what they can afford to pay for. The problem is complicated by the fact that a dollar will not buy, in either services or commodities, as much as it used to buy.

Honest, efficient goverment is the best agency for preserving this delicate balance between what taxpayers want and what they can afford. There has been no challenge of the integrity of Quincy's municipal government for many years. Its efficiency is indicated by the fact that its tax rate, municipal services and employees' salaries compare very favorably with those in other communities.

In 1952 Quincy made notable progress in its school construction program, completed a major public housing development and began the first phase of the hospital expansion program

During the year Quincy became nationally recognized for its notable achievements in off street parking.

Notwithstanding these major public improvements and the rising costs of rendering public service, Quincy ended the year with a sub- stantial reserve that will be a factor in shaping up a 1953 budget that will allow a cut in the tax rate.

DIRECTORY

BOARD OF APPEALS, ZONING

HESLIP E. SUTHERLAND, Chairman THOMAS II. FALLON WALTER H. HOLLAND Alternates GUY L. HARDEN JOHN H. FAI.LON WILLIAM H. COUCH

COMIC BOOK BOARD OF REVIEW

REV. JOSEPH D. PARKMAN, Chairman IDA G. GLASSER KATHERINE I. QUINN

BOARD OF MANAGERS OF HISTORICAL PLACES

WILLIAM C. EDWARDS, Chairman

GEORGE L. ANDERSON MIRS. GEORGE H. BONSALL LAWRENCE W. LYONS MRS. MAURICE P. SPILLANE

BOARD OF LICENSE COMMISSIONERS

THOMAS F. GORMAN, Chairman, er-officio DR. RICHARD M. ASH, er-officio JOSEPH F. HUGHES, ex-officio, diseased HATTIEMAY THOMAS ex-officio ALRICK A. WEIDMAN, er-officio

BOARD OF HOSPITAL MANAGERS

J. BROOKS KEYES, Chairman GUY L. HART Z. CRANSTON SMITII PAUL E. HURLEY GEORGE W. ARBUCKLE

QUINCY HOUSING AUTHORITY

LOUIS A. GEORGE, Chairman MATTIIEW CUSHING REV. VICTOR V. SAWYER GERALD J. HURLEY J. GIRARD WHITE, resigned DANIEL J. DACEY FRANK C. HENDRY, Executive Director, deceased J. GIRARD WHITE, Director

PARK BOARD

J. ERNEST COLLINS, Chairman WILLIAM J. MITCHELL KENNETH P. FALLON, JR.

RETIREMENT BOARD GEORGE H. BONSALL, Chairman ALEXANDER SMITHI, er-officio LEON E. RAICHE

RECREATION COMMISSION

J. ERNEST COLLINS, Chairman GILBERT L. CROFTS

KENNETH P. FALLON, JJR. KATHERINE G. MCCOY WILLIAM J. MITCHELL JOSEPH E. MCDERMOTT WALLACE ROCKWELL

REGISTRARS OF VOTERS

MARY E. HURNEY WILLIAM F. MAHAR HATTIEMAY THOMAS CHARLES H. THORNER

PLANNING BOARD

WALTER A. SCHMITZ, Chairman FRED E. BERGFORS, SR. C. FRANCIS N. ROBERTS ERNEST N. GELOTTE ROBERT A. ZOTTOLI WILLIAM G. FARRAR, Director

THOMAS CRANE LIBRARY TRUSTEES

L. PAUL MARINI, Chairman JAMES S. COLLINS GEORGIANA C. LANE D. FOSTER TAYLOR HENRIETTA C. THOMAS CLARA THOMPSON GALEN C. HILL, Librarian, deceased GERTRUDE F. CALLAHAN, Librarian

10 .. . City of Quincy

1640 ANTES

5791

192

QUINCY . 1888

WM. J. DEEGAN, JR. CITY MANAGER

City of Quincy Massachusetts

To the Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council City of Quincy, Massachusetts

Madam Councillor and Gentlemen:

Attached is the annual report of the financial and administrative activities of the City of Quincy for the fiscal year 1952. This is the third annual report made under the Council-Manager form of government and it is with pride that I present a summary of the more important achievements of the past three years and point to the civic status of our City today.

The factual material supporting this report has been condensed and presented in graphic form where possible and the detail of financial, legislative and administrative activi- ties filed for reference.

It is my firm belief that the past three years under this form of government have repre- sented a period of outstanding growth and development in the history of the City of Quincy. Statistical data reveals a most remarkable expansion and diversification of our commercial and industrial economy and a most substantial increase in our annual average family income. Many new and different job opportunities have become available to our citizens. Annual industrial wages and retail trade volume have increased to a remarkable degree and the increase has generally exceeded that of our sister cities and towns in the Commonwealth and in New England.

During this same period your City Government has made excellent progress in modernizing governmental operations, in providing more and better public services and facilities and at the same time lowering unit costs. The City Auditor in his 1952 report revealed that the 1952 surplus of $1,007, 493.54 was the highest in the City's history. This surplus is certain to make possible a tax rate reduction in 1953.

Quincy is enjoying an unprecedented era of prosperity and popularity which attests to the thoughtful and aggressive leadership it has enjoyed during these past three years both in its City Council and its civic organizations.

Our record of achievement and our continued progress is conclusive evidence of the cooperative spirit which has been developed between the City Council, the Chamber of Commerce, the merchants and industrialists, organized labor, city employees and the citizens. Much has been accomplished but much remains to be done. The preservation of this cooperative attitude is essential if we are to successfully meet the con- petitive challenges that lie ahead.

In submitting this report may I express my personal appreciation to the Members of the City Council, to His Honor the Mayor, to the loyal and devoted city employees and to the citizens who have contributed so willingly and freely of their time for the leadership and cooperation which has made this record possible.

Respectfully submitted,

Wm. J. Deegan, Jr. City Manager

Annual Report

. . 13

QUINCY LEADS THE FIELD IN OFF-STREET PARKING

Parking program started a quarter of a century ago and rapidly expanded during past few years has centered national attention on the City of Presidents and serves as a model which other municipalities are trying to follow.

This fine aerial picture was taken by Ronald Marden

Quincy Center Showing Parking in Heart of Shopping Center

This birdseye view graphically tells The Quincy Story of off-street parking; Parkingway, original city parking area, is in lower left quadrant; New Haven tracks on the left; Hancock street, main retail artery, runs from upper left to center right: recently pur- chased East Hancock parking area, to be developed in 1953, is in upper right center; First Parish Church, Library, Court House in upper left.

. . City of Quincy

THE QUINCY STORY OF OFF-STREET PARKING

By the end of 1952 Quincy's program of off-street parking had begun to attract national recognition. Municipal officials, business men and chamber of Commerce representatives in distant cities, facing the same problems this historic city faced and, it was increasingly apparent, was solving, were asking for details of the Quincy Story.

Quincey's problem was simply that of a thousand American cities: how to keep that ever-growing Frankenstein created by the gasoline age, Traffic Congestion, from sucking the life blood out of the local retail industry, eating away assessed valu- ations of shopping districts, drying up tax revenue and shifting an even greater por- tion of the tax load onto the tired should- ers of home owners.

Quincy, other cities were hearing, was solving that problem by the creation of off-street parking.

Qniney's off-street parking program started back in 1931 when the city began purchasing Edwards Meadows, a swampy. muddy marshland in back of the big de- partment stores on the West side of Han- cock street. By 1950 Parkingway, as it is now known, was completed and con- structed at a total cost of $822,872, exclu- sive of interest; and 560 metered parking stalls were in operation.

The increase in business and in as- sessed valuation in retail property adja- cent to Parkingway resulted in the city's acquisition of land on the East side of Hancock street which, later enlarged by an additional taking, will provide for 470 metered parking stalls. It is planned to construct this new parking lot this year.

Purchase by the city of the depot property from the New Haven rai road provided space for an additional 180 metered parking stalls, part of which were in operation by the end of the year.

Thus far Quincy has spent approxi- mately $1,400,000 for off-street parking. Meter receipts this year from all meters were $92,139.12; costs of maintenance, op- erating and policing were $39,087.67.

Assessed valuations of property adja- cent to Parkingway climbed from $5,408,- 875 in 1941 to $8,841,400 in 1951. From 1940 to 1952 Quincy retail sales went from $35,000,000 to $120,000,000. Typical of the increases in personnel, resulting from in- creased sales attributable to parking, one store jumped from 82 to 167 employes; another from 25 to 50 and another from 35 to 90.

The branch of one big chain store lo- eated in Quincy stepped up its personnel from 22 to 50 after off-street parking had been created here; a branch of the same chain located in another Massachusetts city which is handicapped by traffic con- gestion and inadequate off street parking, dropped off from 50 to 22 during the same period.

The latest chapter of the Quincy Story was written late in 1952 when the city council appropriated money to hire special counsel to prepare legislation which, if enacted, will allow all cities and towns in Massachusetts to finance off street park- ing facilities with revenue bonds. Use of such bonds will allow municipalities to acquire, develop and maintain such facili- ties without increasing their tax rates or their bonded indebtedness, since meter re- ceipts meet debt service charges.

Anna Report .

. . 13

METER RECEIPTS MORE THAN OFF-SET COSTS OF MAINTAINING CITY PARKING FACILITIES

ITY OF QUI -Y - DAL METERS

City Employee Leo Amet, left, collects "take" from Quincy Center parking meter. Total receipte for 1952, more than $92,000, left a big surplus after off-setting some $39,000 costs of maintenance, policing and operation of park- ing areas ... Under enabling act sponsored by Quincy, now pending in the state legislature, Massachusetts communities would be able to acquire and develop parking facilities through revenue bonds secured by meter recipts with- out adding to the tax rate or bonded indebted- ness of a municipality.

Quincy depot and adjacent property purchased by Quincy from the New Haven railroad is being converted into a park- ing area pending adop- tion of plans for per- manent development of the site. Interim plan calls for installation of both hourly and all-day meters to accommodate both shoppers and com- muters. This area will provide room for about 300 metered parking stalls and will add sub- stantially to total meter "take".

14 . City of Quincy

QUINCY APPROVES THE CREATION OF NEW FAMILY UNITS

It is a proud moment, fraught with high hopes, in the lives of this handsome young col when they file their intentions of marriage with Mrs. Hattiemay Thomas, city clerk.

Upon such family units as this couple have pledged themselves to establish depends the future destiny of Quincy, of Massachusetts, of America, of civilization itself.

Annual Report . . . 15

Section Jwo

MUNICIPAL DEPARTMENTS

THE MAYOR OF QUINCY IS A LEADER IN HUMANITARIAN AND PHILANTHROPIC CAUSES

MAYOR DAVID S. McINTOSH, in this fine character study by Quincy Patriot Ledger Photo- grapher Laban H. Whittaker, Jr., is assisted by these two charming youngsters, Judith Treacy and Neil Fuhnine, in signing the proclamation for Cerebral Palsy Month. Perhaps even more important and more significant than his official functions are the powers of the mayor, by virture of his office, to lead Quincy citizens in movements designed to ease the suffering of the afflicted and to determine and eradicate the canse of afflic- tions.

(Q. P. L. Foto)

Annual Report . . . 17

CITY CLERK

VITAL STATISTICS

Births

2325

Marriages

1000

Deaths

943

LICENSES

Fishing 1073

Hunting 535

Sporting 341

Minor fishing

Female fishing

166

Resident alien fishing

Citizens trapping

Duplicates

Military or naval sporting licenses

Non-resident fishing

Minor trapping

Non-resident hunting

Total

9925

DOG LICENSES

Males

1844

Females

175

Females spayed

1182

Kennels

Transfers

Total 3216

PLANNING BOARD

The Quincy Planuing Board, enjoying in 1952 its first full year in its reorganized form with strengthened powers and a full-time planning director, was in a posi- tion to render valuable advice and exert definite in- fluence in the future development of the city's unde- veloped areas.

One of the most important single accomplishments of the board during 1952 was the devision of the sub)- division regulations. The board must approve all new subdivisions. The new regulations protect the city and residents from an undesirable type of development; and, most important, places the burden of the costs of utili- ties on the developer rather than on the general tax- payer.

Much of the board's work in 1952 was concentrated in two general areas in which remain considerable un- developed land. They are, one, the North Commons, Adams street, Furnace Brook Parkway area; and, two, the big Breakneck Hill area in West Quincy. Three subdivisions in these areas were approved, one was given preliminary approval; aud two large tracts of city- owned land were sold under restrictions designed by the Planning Board in the interests of the city.

Studies of potential school sites and of the effects and implications of the proposed Southeast Expressway took up much of the board's time. The board recom- inended that Quarry street rather than Adams street would be a more appropriate access to the Expressway.

The board's activities in 1952, listed by type of study, are as follows: street acceptance, 22; street abandonments, 1; re-zoning, 1; offers for city owned land, 30; subdivision approvals, 7 final and 2 prelimi- mary; and studies involving the East Hancock parking lot, the Southeast Expressway, city-wide school needs, proposed auction of city-owned land, revised subdivision regulations and fire station needs at Germantown.

LEGAL DEPARTMENT

During the year City Solicitor Arthur I. Burgess retired and he was succeeded by George W. Arbuckle. Douglas A. Randall continued as assistant city solicitor.

In 1952 the work load of the department continued heavy, as it has been since the department was placed on a full-time basis under Plan E.

Major projects handled by the department in- ended the litigation of land damage cases arising out of takings for the East Side parking area and the re- codifieation and publication of the city's revised ordi- nances, done by contract. The law department suc- cessfully defended the board of regsitrars resulting from the board's action in disallowing a petition to place the question of the adoption of Plan A on the municipal ballot in 1951. The legal department also defended the city council in a tax payers' suit brought to compel the council to appropriate an alleged $61,000 in the school budget.

Miscellaneous activities ineluded : handling 74 claims arising out of accidents involving city owned vehicles; handling 53 claims arising out of alleged street de- fects; handling 14 claims arising out of blasting opera- tions; four cases tried before the State Appellate Tax board, and the like.

During the year 123 council orders were drafted by the department and 39 written opinions were rendered.

PURCHASING DEPARTMENT

Purchase orders issued

13,625

1951 16,310

Dollar value, purchase ord- ers

$3,111,624.00

$2,283,345.00 199

Coutraets issued

205

Dollar value, contracts

$1.595,416.00

$1,771,708.00

Requisitions 10 933

25,776

Savings to the city, estimat- ed

$244,147.00

$310,000.00

Savings perceut, based on

total P. O. 7.84

13.57

Total department expenses

$22.833.28

$25,501.57

LICENSE COMMISSION

Type of license

Collections

Common vietuallers

$ 870.00 640.00

Gas, garage, repair shop, denatured alcohol, inflamin.

3,338.00

Motor, parking

2.590.00

Amusement, publie halls

380.00

Junk shops, second hand

200.00

Bowling, pool, billiards 1,615.00

Liquor 70,625.00

Miscellaneous

3,030,40

Total $83,288.40

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL DEFENSE

AUXILIARY POLICE

The division of auxiliary police numbers some 230 trained men. Of these approximately 130 are in the re- serve group; these have received basic training but do not feel that they have time necessary for active routiue. The 100 men in the active group spend a designated num-

18 . . City of Quincy

Lord's Day

1952

MAN AT WORK

One Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words

This fine picture of a young man at productive work in electronics tells the story of modern Quincy. The sturdy old New England city whose early settlers wrought mightily in the founding of the new nation is not content to rest on its proud historic past. This employe of the National Capacitor Company, one of many new small business concerns established here during the past few years, is symbolic of modern Quincy. New business means new jobs, new payrolls, new family units-PROGRESS.

Annual Report . .

ber of hours on assigned duty and attend monthly group training meetings. The active auxiliaries have devoted a great deal of service to the city that extends beyond the basic needs of civil defense.

The active auxiliary police patrolled the quarry area during the summer; supplemented the regular of- fieers on week-end evenings in traffic control. From: December 11 through Christmas the auxiliary police aided in the direction of traffic in the shopping area, averaging from 10 to 20 men an evening.

On Dec. 14 some 60 auxiliaries participated in the Christmas Parade; and on Dee. 21 some 75 auxiliaries assisted regular police in handling the Christmas Carol 1 romenade.

AUXILIARY FIREMEN

The auxiliary fire department numbers 250 men, of which 130 have remained active and are fully trained. These men, trained by regular officers of the Quincy Fire department, have the same basic training new career fire fighters now receive. They have been assigned to report with their groups to the fire station nearest their homes in cases of emergency. These men periodically serve on duty side by side with regular members of the fire department.

RADIATION DETECTION

The radiation detection team is building around a nucleus group of well trained members. The group has two detection instruments at its disposal, one of which is state-owned. Noting the satisfactory achievements of the Quincy detection team, the state civil defense authorities has asked it to form the nucleus of a South Shore inter-community detection group. The function of this group, were an emergency to arise, would be to make a preliminary survey of the entire South Shore following an enemy attack.

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Inaugural address of the mayor, with the annual report of the officers of the city of Quincy for the year 1952, Part 1

Author: Quincy (Mass.) Publication date: 1952 Publisher: Number of Pages: 96

Author: Quincy (Mass.)
Publication date: 1952
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 96