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FOUNDED 1842.
A CITY 1872. STREN &TH
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Accession No. 8660
Shelf No.
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(1879)
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FOUNDED 1812.
A CITY 1872. IONAL. STRENGTH
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Gift of Received Can 1551
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CITY OF SOMERVILLE
ANNUAL REPORTS.
GIVES
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FOUNDED 1842.
1872.
A CITY STRENGTH
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ESTABLISH
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SOMERVILLE, MASS. : SOMERVILLE JOURNAL PRINT. 1880.
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569 1879
ADDRESS OF MAYOR BRUCE.
INAUGURAL ADDRESS
OF HON. GEORGE A. BRUCE.
DELIVERED JAN. 6, 1879.
GENTLEMEN OF THE CITY COUNCIL :
I SHALL claim your attention for only a few moments, to present a brief statement of the condition of the city in its various depart- ments, and some suggestions in regard to their management dur- ing the year, which, if they are wise, it will be your pleasure to follow ; and if they fail to meet your approbation, it will be your duty to disregard them.
During the past year our city, through the favor of a kind Prov- idence, has been free from disasters of an unusual nature, and the general health of our people has been good. The death rate has decreased below that of any year since the organization of the city ; but among those whom the Great Reaper has stricken down, was one who has filled a large part in our municipal history, - a man of large brain, of quick and broad sympathies, of great per- sonal magnetism and power, who had been honored by us in every way it was possible for his fellow-citizens to bestow honor, who had filled every office in the gift of the people, and who, on the change of the government from a town to a city, was unanimously elected our first mayor. It will be gratifying to know that the city will soon be in possession of a portrait of the late Hon. George O. Brastow, a gift to it from a number of our citizens.
FINANCES.
The financial condition of the city on the thirty-first day of December, the close of the fiscal year, was as follows : -
Funded Debt .
. $1,596,854 00
Temporary Loans . .
205,000 00
Other Liabilities
7,999 04
Total Debt
. $1,809,853 04
6
The funded debt is classified as follows :
City Debt
· $1,261.854 00
Water Loan
335,000 00
Total
$1,596.854 00
The net debt of the city, including the water loan, is $1,388,- 694.43, and is ascertained as follows : -
Gross City Debt
. $1.809,853 04
Less Sinking Funds
$144,963 84
Less uncollected Taxes and Assessments, and cash on hand
276,194 77
421,158 61
Net City Debt
$1,388,694 12
The Gross City Debt, Dec. 31, 1877, was as follows
. $1,886,674 63
The Gross City Debt, Dec. 31, 1878
1,809,853 04
Showing a diminution of
$76,821 59
Net City Debt, Dec. 31, 1877. . $1.460,266 55
Net City Debt, Dec. 31, 1878 .
1,388,694 43
Showing a diminution of .
$71,572 12
The sum levied by taxation for the year 1878 was less than the sum levied the previous year by $62,229.04, and there was saved to the city from the various appropriations, by the economical man- agement of the past city government, the further sum of $20,000. The taxes for 1878 amounted to $409,497.10 ; and of this large amount, it is worthy of notice and remembrance by every citizen that the City Council had the control and expenditure of only $126,800. And as in times of business depression and a high rate of taxation, the action of the city government is closely watched and readily criticised by the tax-payers, I would call their especial attention to the following analysis of the appropriations for the past year, which will show the amount and purposes for which the same were raised : -
Appropriations, 1878, which the City Council was obliged by law to make, and over which it had no control : -
Library
$1,200 00
Interest
· 84,500 00
School Contingent
10,000 00
7
School Fuel
$3,000 00
School-house Repairs .
5,000 00
Reduction of Funded Debt
10,000 00
School Teachers' Salaries .
63,500 00
Sinking Funding Contributions
45,880 62
Support of Poor
12,900 00
Water Maintenance
13,750 00
State Tax
15,440 00
County of Middlesex .
11,153 27
Sum added by Assessors (overlay and abatement) .
6,373 21
Total
. $282,597 10
Appropriations, 1878, under control of committees of the City Council : -
Central Hill Improvement .
$2,000
Fire Department
20,000
Health Department
2,800
Highways .
28,000
Miscellaneous
8.000
Police .
23,100
Police Station Incidentals .
2,500
Public Park Maintenance
2,000
Salaries
17,800
Sewers
7,000
Sidewalks .
5,000
Soldiers' Relief
800
Street Lights
7,000
Total
$126,800
This classification is absolutely correct, with the exception of $1,200 to the public library, and about $4,000 included in the appropriation for water maintenance, the remainder of that appro- priation being for interest on the water bonds. It will thus be seen that all the departments under the control of the City Council have been carried on during the past year for appropriations that amounted to the sum of $126,800, only $44,300 more than the appropriations for the schools ; and adding the excess of expendi- tures over appropriations for schools, and deducting the savings on the appropriations under control of the City Council, it makes the actual expenditures for all city purposes, as above stated, about $36,000 above the cost of the schools alone.
· This statement, I think, will make it clear to every citizen within
S
what limits it is possible for us to economize, and where the responsibility rests for every item in our annual appropriations.
And though the levy for taxes was the last year reduced by the sum of $62,292.04, yet, without going into a minute explanation, I think a still further reduction can be made the prosent year of $10,000, and with a lessened State and county tax, which can be reckoned upon with considerable certainty, of probably fifty odd thousand dollars, which will make our total tax for the year about $350,000, a sum less by $160,000 than the amount raised but four years ago, when no contributions were made to the sinking funds towards the payment of the funded debt.
I think a comparison with other cities will show that Somerville has taken the lead in the way of reducing her annual expenditures and the payment of her obligations. Our credit is all that can be desired ; and if we but continue for a few years as we have begun, our taxes will no longer be felt as a burden, and our vacant lands will be sought after by those who desire a home in the most beautiful and healthiful of the suburbs of our New England metropolis.
It is worthy of notice and commendation that the good judgment of past city governments has placed our bonded debt on a short term, so that the whole of it will mature within six years. The annual saving to the city, on interest account, by refunding the same at the rate of five per cent, will result as follows : -
YEAR.
AMOUNT.
1879
$1,349 27
1880 .
1.897 50
1881 .
2,787 50
1882 .
2,737 50
1884
6,697 50
1885 .
1,092 50
Total
. $15,507 77
And even if the rate of interest before the maturity of the last of these bonds should he higher, which is not probable, it can be so arranged that the greater part of these can be taken by the Sink- ing Fund Commissioners at that rate, and this large saving of inter- est be made available to the city.
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WATER WORKS.
In this connection, also, I desire to call your attention to the Somerville Water Works. The Mystic water was introduced into our city in 1869, under a contract made with the city of Charles- town, at a time when we were under a town government, and its population was much less than it now is. The terms of the con- tract were, it is claimed, and without doubt justly, as favorable as could then be made. By the rapid increase in our population, and the consequent increase of water-takers, the contract has come to be a very profitable one to the city of Boston, the legal successor to Charlestown by annexation, and a very inequitable one to the city of Somerville. The following table shows the net receipts to Charlestown and Boston, for their supply of water to us : -
YEAR.
AMOUNT.
1869
$5,586 73
1870
11,211 40
1871
17,023 74
1872
21,220 11
1873
25,698 11
1874
30,494 48
1875
38,038 70
1876
39,320 47
1877
39.411 22
1878 (to May 1)
35,999 50
From these figures it appears that the net receipts to the party furnishing the water have increased nearly four times in the short space of eight years, reckoning from 1870, when the laying of the pipes was substantially completed. The largest sum received by Somerville, any one year, was $10,735.90, in 1877. It is not necessary here to enter into an extended argument to show in what way and to what extent the terms of the contract have grown to be exceedingly profitable to Boston and oppressive to us. It results from facts which neither party apprehended at the time it was made. I have reason to believe that if the matter is properly pressed upon the attention of the Boston Water Board, a modifica- tion of the contract will be conceded to us that will result in a large saving, possibly to such an extent as will make our water works self-sustaining, which would in effect relieve us of our whole water debt, amounting to $335,000. To bring about this result I would
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recommend that the subject be placed in the hands of a special committee at as early a date as possible. To my mind this is one of the most important matters that can engage the attention of the city government the present year ; and if we fail in our reasonable expectations in the way I have indicated, the question of a new and independent supply of water will be forced upon us or our successors.
HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
As I took occasion a year ago to express the opinion that the city had made a mistake in voting to accept the Health Act passed by the General Court in 1877, I desire now to say that the expe- rience of the past year has led me to an entirely different opinion from the one then expressed. The Board of Health has been in successful operation since its organization in the early part of the year; and beside relieving the City Council of a large amount of work, I am satisfied it has accomplished more in the way of abat- ing a large number of nuisances than it would have been possible to accomplish under the old law. It has also commenced a sys- tematic examination of house drainage throughout the city, and to enforce wholesome rules and regulations in all cases of contagious diseases. Without attempting to assign the cause, it is a matter of congratulation that during the last three years, the death-rate among us has been gradually diminishing The following is the number of deaths in our city since its organization : -
RATE PER THOUSAND.
1872
400
24.30
1873
425
21.70
1874
490
.
22.96
1875
501
22 86
1876
444
20 18
1877
441
19 15
1878
385
16 21
As the population of the city is larger than at any previous time, it is only reasonable to conclude from the above figures that the great work done in previous years, in abating nuisances that had long been the cause of an unenvied notoriety to our city, and the greater care exercised during the past year, have been among the causes that have contributed to this happy result. Somerville now ranks, if not the first, among the first of the cities of the
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Commonwealth, in point of healthfulness. The rate is lower than the lowest given in the report of the State Board of Health for 1877.
PUBLIC LIBRARY.
One of the wisest acts that has been done in our city was the establishment of the public library. It was founded in 1873, and each year has been growing in public favor and usefulness. It had its beginning in a small way, and under the careful and wise management of its various boards of trustees, with but little expense to the city, has grown to be respectable in size, and honor- able to the city from the character of the books that compose it. To my mind, it is doing a work that can be accomplished in no other way, - a work supplemental to that of our schools, and in every way as useful. The number of books given out during the past year was 61,076, and the number of new names registered was 1,058. The fact is, that if there is any institution in the city that meets a public want, it is the public library. The room in which it is located is entirely inadequate. It is so crowded during the evenings that not only is it an impossibility for one to examine the valuable and costly books of reference, but inconvenience of select- ing books is so great, that many go away and give up entirely the . object for which they came. It is almost a waste of words to say that a city of the size of our own can well afford to furnish books for its citizens, as well as a suitable place for their delivery ; indeed, it would be better to say it cannot afford to refuse such necessities. I would suggest and recommend that an extension be built the present year to the east end of the City Hall, one story in height, which will give the needed room for several years to come. This addition can be made at an expense of $1,350. I hardly think the objection can be raised of marring the symmetry or beauty of the present City Hall. A new building for a public library will be one of the demands in the near future that will have to be met, unless some one of our generous and public-spirited fellow-citizens shall claim for himself the privilege of connecting his name with a bene- faction that will serve to keep it in pleasant and enduring remem- brance among the generations of the reading public that shall come after him.
BRIDGES.
During the early part of last year a special committee was appointed for the purpose of securing new bridges over the rail-
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road tracks on Washington, Medford, and School Streets. The committee, by constantly pressing the matter upon the attention of the Fitchburg Railroad Company, succeeded in effecting an arrangement with that corporation, by which a new and substan- tial iron bridge fifty-five feet in width has replaced the narrow and shabby structure that had so long been a just cause of complaint to the owners of property on Washington Street, and to our citi- zens generally. The same corporation has also during the past year improved very materially the Prospect Street bridge and its approaches. It is but just to say that the president of the road met the committee in a fair spirit, and fulfilled his agreement with them to their entire satisfaction. This has resulted in an improve-
ment of no small magnitude to our city, almost opening anew one of our finest avenues, leading directly from Union to Harvard Square. Through the same committee an agreement has been made with the Lowell Railroad Company for the building of a new iron bridge over its track on Medford Street, which will be built early the coming spring ; and it is hoped that before this city gov- ernment shall close its labors a new bridge can be built at School Street, which will be of but slight cost to the city.
SUITS AT LAW.
There are still remaining a large number of cases on the dockets of the various courts, to which the city is a party. Most of them relate to street and the public park betterments. It is hoped and expected that they will be brought to a final settlement the present year. A suit has been brought involving the legality of the assessments, and until this is determined no trials can be had by a jury to determine the question whether the assessments are just and equitably laid. It is believed that a verdict by a jury in two or three cases will furnish a basis for the settlement of all; and these being once removed, our expenses for legal services will naturally fall to a comparatively small sum, as the number of suits for personal injuries and other causes are few.
I have now spoken upon all the special subjects that have occurred to me to which I would draw your attention. There are others which will arise during the year ; and as they come, it will be for us to meet and to solve them. I have carefully watched thie workings of all the departments during the past year, and I think
13
they have been prudently and wisely managed. The fire depart- ment was called upon to meet an unusual emergency at the great fire last summer ; and I have never heard but one opinion, and that was that great credit was due to it for the skilful manner in which it was handled, and for the untiring fidelity with which all its members kept to their post of duty during the many hours, I might say days, they were called upon to labor to prevent the spreading of the conflagration and to save property. The police force has been partially reorganized, and its numbers reduced, but its strength and efficiency is still equal to the task of preserving the reputation of the city for order and quietness. The chief has co-operated in every way in making the expenses of his depart- ment as small as possible, and in enforcing the ordinances of the city, as well as the laws of the Commonwealth. There has scarcely been a crime committed in the city where the offender has not been convicted and received his sentence. I would neither recommend an increase nor decrease of the present force.
It is hardly necessary to say that, as a rule, the streets of the city are in good condition. This is a fact that comes under the observation of every one, and no little credit is due to the superin- tendent and the committee under which the work has been per- formed.
You will commence the labors of the year with no unfinished work bequeathed to you from the past city government. The work required of each member is light as compared with that of former years, yet it is none the less important. The prosperity of cities and towns in a great measure is dependent upon the manner in which they are governed, but not entirely so. There is also a duty resting upon the citizens as well as on the government. There are many things that give a beauty and charm to a place and add value to its property, which can only be accomplished through pri- vate taste and enterprise. There are large sections of our city, and some of the most beautiful parts of it, where the value of estates would be increased very perceptibly, if the owners would only be to the slight expense of placing shade trees on the line of the sidewalks. The city has no authority to expend money for such a purpose ; and as it has not, I would urge upon the citizens gen- erally the importance of providing continuous lines of shade trees along every street. The marked contrast between the older sections of the city and those that have been recently built upon is such, that
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I am surprised the subject should not have been brought home to the attention of every householder.
Gentlemen of the City Council, the honor of sharing in the gov- ernment of a city consists in the manner in which your work is performed. There is, of course, a certain distinction in being selected by your fellow-citizens to any position of public trust ; but a high-minded man will find his chief reward in the satisfaction that will surely come to him who follows continuously a line of conduct that will tend to promote the best interests of the city. I have all faith that this City Council will meet the reasonable expectations of those who sent us here, and that its record will be such as will tend to promote the permanent prosperity of our flourishing municipality .
TREASURER'S
EIGHTH ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
FINANCIAL CONDITION
OF THE
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
IN BOARD OF MAYOR AND ALDERMEN, Feb. 3, 1880.
The Report of the City Treasurer and Collector of Taxes for the year 1879 was received, accepted, and referred to the Committee on Finance, and seut down for concurrence.
CHARLES E. GILMAN, Clerk.
Concurred in.
IN COMMON COUNCIL, Feb. 3, 1880. DOUGLAS FRAZAR, Clerk.
IN COMMITTEE ON FINANCE, Feb. 14, 1880.
To the City Council of the City of Somerville :
The Committee on Finance, to whom was referred the Annual Report of the City Treasurer for the year ending December 31, 1879, have carefully examined the same, comparing it with the books, warrants and vouchers in the Treasurer's office. They find the Report perfectly correct, and an exact statement of the moneys received and disbursed during the year, and showing the financial condition of the city at the date of the Report.
The records and books of the Treasurer's office are models of neatness and accuracy, and his system of accounts is excellent.
The Committee recommend the acceptance of the Report.
MALCOM B. COLE, Chairman.
IN BOARD OF MAYOR AND ALDERMEN, March 2, 1880.
Accepted and sent down for concurrence.
CHARLES E. GILMAN, Clerk.
Concurred in.
IN COMMON COUNCIL, March 3, 1880. DOUGLAS FRAZAR, Clerk.
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CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
TREASURER'S OFFICE, Feb. 3, 1880.
To the Honorable, the Mayor, and the City Council of the City of Somerville :
GENTLEMEN, - The undersigned presents herewith his Eighth Annual Report as treasurer of this city.
The value of the public property, as appears by the books, is $1,121,400.
The funded debt, Dec. 31, 1878, was $1,596,854. Of this sum $69,854 matured during the past year. New bonds were issued by authority of the City Council for $58,000, and sold to the Com- missioners of the Sinking Funds, and the remaining $11,854 was provided for by transfer from the credit balance of Excess and Deficiency account of 1878, $2,170.24, and from unappropriated funds in the treasury, $9,683.76 ; leaving the funded debt, Dec. 31, 1879, $1,585,000.
The unfunded liabilities are, temporary loans (money borrowed to pay current expenses in anticipation of the collection of taxes, assessments, etc ), $210,000 ; sundry persons, $1,243.86; and the credit balances of the following-named accounts, subject to withdrawal from the treasury : Sewers (Beacon and Elm Street sewer), $6,413.52 ; Public Library, $38.64 ; and Public Park (con- tingent upon the collection of the park betterment assessments), $31,611.11, - a total of $249,307.13.
The assets available for the payment of the unfunded liabilities are : Taxes, $150,162.01 ; Real Estate Liens, $18,822.21; Sewer assessments, $11,252.94 ; Sidewalk assessments, $2,039.67 ; Water Service assessments, $296.52; Highway Betterment assessments, $5,480.55 ; Public Park betterment assessments, $29,067.84 ; State of Massachusetts on State Aid account, $4,303 ; on Support of Soldiers and Sailors account, $625 ; and on Indigent Soldiers and Sailors account, $302.50; and Cash, $5,757.07, -a total of $228,109.31.
18
Total of unfunded liabilities, Total of available assets,
$249,307 13
228,109 31
Excess of liabilities over assets,
$21,197 82
The tax levy for 1879 was on a valuation of $18,950,100 at $18 on a thousand, and 5,726 polls at $2 each, and was for.
Appropriations for current expenses, $328,875 00
State of Massachusetts for State tax, 7.720 00
County of Middlesex for County tax, 11,153 27
Overlay and Abatement account to meet abatements on taxes, 4,805 53
Amounting to
$352,553 80
The aggregate expenses for the year (current expenses, State and County taxes, and abatements on taxes and assessments) exceeded the amount of the tax levy and the sum to the credit of Excess and Deficiency account, Dec. 31, 1878 (after deducting the $2,170.24 appropriated to the reduction of the funded debt, as before stated), the sum of $21,197.82. the deficit already noted, and which must by law be provided for by taxation the present year.
The financial condition of the city, aside from the public property, is : -
Funded debt,
$1,585,000 00 249,307 13
Unfunded liabilities,
Gross debt,
$1,834,307 13
Available assets,
228,109 31
Debt less available assets,
$1,606,197 82
The amount of the sinking funds, taken from the report of the commissioners, is 198,025 60
And leaves net,
$1,408,172 22
Or, if the park betterment assessments (credited Public Park account and contingent, mainly upon the results of suits at law), be accounted, amounting to 31,611 11
Will leave the net debt, Dec. 31, 1879,
$1,376,561 11
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The gross cash receipts for the year, including the balance from the year 1878, were $1,306,017 97
And the gross cash disbursements, 1,300,260 90
Leaving the sum of $5,757 07 in the treasury at the close of the year.
Respectfully submitted,
AARON SARGENT,
Treasurer.
APPENDIX TO TREASURER'S REPORT.
Table A. PUBLIC PROPERTY, DEC. 31, 1879.
Central Hill Land (12 acres, 27,920
feet),
$100,000 00
City Hall,
$10,000 00
Furniture,
3,000 00
13,000 00
Public Library,
8,500 00
Furniture,
500 00
Steam Fire Engine and appa- ratus, 4,000 00
Steam Fire Engine Hose Car-
riage and apparatus, 2,000 00
High School House,
$40,000 00
Furniture,
3,500 00
Philosophical apparatus,
500 00
44,000 00
Prescott School House Land (21,444
feet) and Building,
$40,000 00
Furniture,
2,000 00
42,000 00
Luther V. Bell School House Land (23,396 feet) and Building, Furniture,
$40,000 00
3,000 00
43,000 00
Amount carried forward,
$267,000 00
Steam Fire Engine House,
$10,000 00
16,500 00
21
Amount brought forward, Forster School House Land (32,693 feet) and Building, Furniture,
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