Report of the city of Somerville 1891, Part 1

Author: Somerville (Mass.)
Publication date: 1891
Publisher: Somerville, Mass.
Number of Pages: 448


USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1891 > Part 1


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IVES


FREED


OM


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NAL


1842


DINAN


ER


TABLIS


CITY 1872. STRENGTI


CITY OF SOMERVILLE


ANNUAL REPORTS


1891


GIVES


N


SOMERVILLE


FREEL


ONAL


MUNICIPAL


FOUNDED 1842


1872.


A CITY


STRENG


ED


ESTABLISI


GTH


SOMERVILLE JOURNAL PRINT.


1892.


CITY GOVERNMENT AND OFFICERS FOR 1891.


MAYOR. CHARLES G. POPE.


BOARD OF ALDERMEN. ALVANO T. NICKERSON, President.


WARD ONE.


CHARLES B. SANBORN CLARENCE H. WILLEY


4 Austin Street. 11 Flint Street.


WARD TWO.


ALLEN F. CARPENTER JEREMIAH J. LYONS


.


10 Park Street. 46 Highland Avenue.


WARD THREE.


ALVANO T. NICKERSON CHARLES B. OSGOOD


.


.


.


334 Broadway. 71 Gilman Street. .


WARD FOUR.


ALBERT W. EDMANDS WILLIAM A. HUNNEWELL ·


.


155 Summer Street. 9 Mason Avenue.


CLERK.


GEORGE I. VINCENT.


4


ANNUAL REPORTS.


COMMON COUNCIL. FRANK E. DICKERMAN, President.


WARD ONE.


EDRIC ELDRIDGE


88 Pearl Street. ·


GEORGE W. PRICHARD


Mystic Street.


S. WALKER JANES


142 Washington Street.


ISAIAH H. WILEY


5 Webster Street.


WARD TWO.


FRANK E. FITTS


17 Pleasant Avenue.


FRANKLIN J. HAMBLIN


30 Walnut Street.


WARREN J. ROBINSON


17 Vinal Avenue.


JAMES W. BEAN


40 Columbus Avenue.


WARD THREE.


WILLIAM L. BARBER


FRANK E. DICKERMAN


THOMAS S. WENTWORTH


STILLMAN G. SMITH


36 Marshall Street. 85 Central Street. 350 Broadway. 37 Sewall Street.


WARD FOUR.


NEWELL F. CASWELL


SOLOMON S. HIGGINS


FRANKLIN F. PHILLIPS


CHARLES A. G. WINTHER


43 Cedar Street. 158 Summer Street. 211 Holland Street. 408 Highland Avenue.


CLERK. CHARLES S. ROBERTSON.


JOINT STANDING COMMITTEES OF THE CITY COUNCIL.


ACCOUNTS. - Aldermen Hunnewell, Osgood ; Councilmen Ham- blin, Wiley, Robinson.


CITY ENGINEERING. - Aldermen Carpenter, Edmands; Council- men Prichard, Higgins, Smith.


5


CITY GOVERNMENT AND OFFICERS FOR 1891.


CLAIMS. - His Honor the Mayor; Alderman Nickerson; the President of the Common Council ; Councilmen Winther, Bean.


FINANCE. - His Honor the Mayor ; Aldermen Edmands, Osgood ; the President of the Common Council ; Councilmen Janes, Fitts, Barber, Phillips.


FIRE DEPARTMENT. - Aldermen Sanborn, Edmands ; Councilmen Phillips, Bean, Smith.


FUEL AND STREET LIGHTS. - Aldermen Hunnewell, Osgood ; Councilmen Robinson, Wentworth, Wiley.


HIGHWAYS. - Aldermen Carpenter, Willey ; Councilmen Barber, Winther, Janes.


LEGISLATIVE MATTERS. - His Honor the Mayor; Alderman Lyons ; the President of the Common Council ; Councilmen Phillips, Hamblin.


ORDINANCES. - Aldermen Lyons, Hunnewell; Councilmen Fitts, Caswell, Wentworth.


PRINTING. - Aldermen Willey, Nickerson ; Councilmen Robinson, Smith, Caswell.


PUBLIC GROUNDS. - Aldermen Osgood, Willey ; Councilmen Win- ther, Bean, Prichard.


PUBLIC PROPERTY. - Aldermen Nickerson, Lyons; Councilmen Eldridge, Caswell, Wentworth.


SOLDIERS' RELIEF. - Aldermen Sanborn, Edmands ; Councilmen Eldridge, Higgins, Barber.


WATER. - Aldermen Lyons, Willey ; the President of the Common Council; Councilmen Higgins, Hamblin.


COMMITTEES OF THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN.


STANDING COMMITTEES.


ELECTIONS. - Aldermen Lyons, Nickerson.


ENROLLED ORDINANCES. - Aldermen Hunnewell, Willey.


LICENSES. - Aldermen Willey, Hunnewell.


POLICE. - His Honor the Mayor ; Aldermen Nickerson, Carpenter. SEWERS. - Aldermen Edmands, Sanborn, Osgood.


STATE AID. - Aldermen Osgood, Carpenter, Sanborn, Hunnewell.


.


6


ANNUAL REPORTS.


SPECIAL COMMITTEE.


BUILDING PERMITS. - Aldermen Carpenter, Sanborn.


STANDING COMMITTEES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL. ELECTIONS AND RETURNS. - Councilmen Fitts, Smith, Eldridge. ENROLLED ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS. - Councilmen Robin- son, Higgins, Wiley.


SCHOOL COMMITTEE.


CHARLES G. POPE, Mayor, Chairman, ex officio. FRANK E. DICKERMAN, President of the Common Council, ex officio. (Term, three years.) WARD ONE. S. NEWTON CUTLER (elected 1888). HORACE C. WHITE, M. D. (elected 1889). SANFORD HANSCOM, M. D. (elected 1890). WARD TWO.


ALPHONSO H. CARVILL, M. D. (elected 1888). JAMES F. BEARD (elected 1889). THOMAS M. DURELL, M. D. (elected 1890). WARD THREE.


NORMAN W. BINGHAM (elected 1888). QUINCY E. DICKERMAN (elected 1889). HELEN J. SANBORN (elected 1890). WARD FOUR. GILES W. BRYANT, M. D. (elected 1889). MARTIN W. CARR (elected 1890). ADDIE B. UPHAM (elected 1888).


CLARENCE E. MELENEY, Superintendent and Secretary.


7


CITY GOVERNMENT AND OFFICERS FOR 1891.


ASSESSORS.


(Term, three years.)


BENJAMIN F. THOMPSON (term expires 1893). GEORGE W. HADLEY (term expires 1894). SAMUEL T. RICHARDS (term expires 1892).


ASSISTANT ASSESSORS.


(Term, one year.)


WARD ONE. JOSHUA H. DAVIS.


WARD TWO.


WILLIAM A. FLAHERTY.


WARD THREE.


EDGAR T. MAYHEW.


WARD FOUR. HARRY A. TRUE.


BOARD OF HEALTH.


(Term : Physician, three years ; other members, two years.)


J. FRANK WELLINGTON (term expires 1893), Chairman. CHARLES H. CRANE (term expires 1892). ALVAH B. DEARBORN, M. D. (term expires 1892). Clerk, WILLIAM P. MITCHELL. Inspector, CALEB A. PAGE.


8


ANNUAL REPORTS.


OVERSEERS OF THE POOR. Office, Police Building, Bow Street. CHARLES G. POPE, Mayor, Chairman, ex officio. (Term, four years.) CHARLES G. BRETT (term expires 1803). EDWARD B. WEST (term expires 1891).


DANIEL C. STILLSON (term expires 1892). NATHAN H. REED (term expires 1894). Agent, CHARLES C. FOLSOM. Secretary, FRANK W. KAAN.


SOMERVILLE MYSTIC WATER BOARD. Office, Prospect Street, corner Somerville Avenue. (Term, three years.) GEORGE D. WEMYSS (term expires 1894), 5 Austin Street. ALBION A. PERRY (term expires 1893), 366 Broadway. GEORGE A. KIMBALL (term expires 1892), 21 Prospect Hill Avenue. NATHANIEL DENNETT, Supt. Water Works. FRANK E. MERRILL, Clerk.


REGISTRARS OF VOTERS. (Term: City Clerk, one year ; other members, three years.) CROMWELL G. ROWELL (term expires 1894), Chairman. CHARLES P. LINCOLN (term expires 1892). WILLIAM B. HAWES (term expires 1893). GEORGE I. VINCENT, City Clerk.


TRUSTEES OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY. (Term, three years.) CHARLES S. LINCOLN, Chairman (term expires 1894). WILLIAM E. WELD, Secretary (term expires 1893)


9


CITY GOVERNMENT AND OFFICERS FOR 1891.


GEORGE A. BRUCE (term expires 1892). JAMES E. WHITAKER (term expires 1893). JOHN B. VIALL (term expires 1893). J. HENRY FLITNER (term expires 1892). CHRISTOPHER E. RYMES (term expires 1894). ELIJAH C. CLARK (term expires 1892). CHARLES H. BROWN (term expires 1894). Librarian, HARRIET A. ADAMS.


CITY' CLERK AND CLERK OF BOARD OF ALDERMEN. GEORGE I. VINCENT.


CITY TREASURER AND COLLECTOR OF TAXES. JOHN F. COLE.


MESSENGER TO CITY COUNCIL. JAIRUS MANN.


CITY SOLICITOR. SELWYN Z. BOWMAN.


CITY AUDITOR.


CHARLES S. ROBERTSON.


CITY ENGINEER. HORACE L. EATON.


SUPERINTENDENT OF STREETS.


THOMAS H. EAMES.


10


ANNUAL REPORTS.


SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND LIGHTS. THOMAS R. ROULSTONE.


CHIEF OF POLICE. MELVILLE C. PARKHURST.


CHIEF ENGINEER OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. JAMES R. HOPKINS.


INSPECTOR OF BUILDINGS. JAMES R. HOPKINS to May 13. THOMAS R. ROULSTONE from May 13.


SUPERINTENDENT OF TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE LINES.


JAMES R. HOPKINS.


CITY PHYSICIAN. ALVAH B. DEARBORN, M. D.


INSPECTOR OF MILK AND VINEGAR. THOMAS CUNNINGHAM.


INSPECTOR OF PROVISIONS AND OF ANIMALS INTENDED FOR SLAUGHTER. D. WARNER DANFORTH.


CLERK OF ASSESSORS AND COMMITTEES.


WILLIAM P. MITCHELL.


11


CITY GOVERNMENT AND OFFICERS FOR 1891.


ASSISTANT CLERK OF ASSESSORS AND COMMITTEES. ALBERT B. FALES.


Suitable Person to Cause to be Properly Interred the Bodies of Honorably Discharged Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines, Under Chapter 395, Acts of 1889. JESSE J. UNDERHILL.


CONSTABLES.


JAIRUS MANN.


WILLIAM D. HAYDEN.


ROBERT R. PERRY.


SAMUEL R. Dow.


CHARLES C. FOLSOM.


JOSEPH J. GILES.


EDWARD MCGARR.


GEORGE CULLIS.


CHRISTOPHER C. CAVANAGH.


DENNIS KELLEY.


EUGENE A. CARTER.


FIELD DRIVERS.


CHRISTOPHER C. CAVANAGH.


GEORGE H. CARLETON.


JOHN E. FULLER.


JACOB W. SKINNER.


CHARLES S. THRASHER.


GEORGE W. BEAN.


CHARLES L. ELLIS. JOHN G. KNIGHT.


THEODORE E. HERON.


FENCE VIEWERS.


CHARLES A. PEARSON. LAMBERT M. MAYNARD.


POUND KEEPER. CHARLES A. SMALL.


SEALER OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES. AMMIEL COLMAN, 34 Marshall Street.


12


ANNUAL REPORTS.


MEASURER OF WOOD AND BARK. SAMUEL T. LITTLEFIELD.


MEASURER OF GRAIN. JOHN CRAIG.


WEIGHERS OF COAL.


JOHN CRAIG. GEORGE K. WALCOTT.


CHARLES H. TUCKER.


D. WARNER DANFORTH. THADDEUS HARRINGTON. C. C. WOOLEY. G. E. SLACK.


WEIGHERS OF HAY AND STRAW.


JOHN CRAIG. THADDEUS HARRINGTON.


CHARLES A. TUCKER. C. C. WOOLEY.


G. E. SLACK.


WEIGHERS OF BEEF.


D. WARNER DANFORTH. CHARLES H. TUCKER.


C. C. WOOLEY.


THADDEUS HARRINGTON.


GEORGE K. WALCOTT.


G. E. SLACK.


WEIGHERS OF BOILERS AND HEAVY MACHINERY.


THADDEUS HARRINGTON. CHARLES H. TUCKER. GEORGE K. WALCOTT. C. C. WOOLEY.


G. E. SLACK.


13


CITY GOVERNMENT AND OFFICERS FOR 1891.


UNDERTAKERS.


WILLIAM A. FLAHERTY.


EDWARD H. MARSH.


THOMAS J. BARKER.


ALFRED E. MANN.


PATRICK RAFFERTY.


HORACE D. RUNEY.


WILLIAM A. FRINK.


POLICE DEPARTMENT.


MELVILLE C. PARKHURST, Chief.


ROBERT R. PERRY, Captain.


SAMUEL R. Dow, Sergeant.


EDWARD McGARR, Sergeant.


CHRIS. C. CAVANAGH, Sergeant.


JOHN E. FULLER.


PHINEAS W. SKINNER.


ALBION L. STAPLES.


SAMUEL A. BROWN.


JUDSON W. OLIVER.


JOHN HAFFORD.


GEORGE W. BEAN.


MYRON H. KINSLEY.


GEORGE L. SMITH.


GEORGE A. BODGE.


EDWARD M. CARTER.


DENNIS KELLEY.


JOHN F. JOHNSON.


GEORGE H. CARLETON.


EUGENE A. CARTER.


HUBERT H. MILLER.


EDWARD E. HAMBLEN.


FRANCIS A. PERKINS.


CHARLES L. ELLIS.


CHARLES S. THRASHER.


CHARLES E. WOODMAN.


WILLIAM H. JOHNSON.


ARTHUR E. KEATING.


JOHN G. KNIGHT. JACOB W. SKINNER.


STEPHEN S. SMITH.


PATRICK H. RAFFERTY.


THEODORE E. HERON. MELVILLE C. PARKHURST, Lock-up Keeper.


L.


MAYOR'S INAUGURAL ADDRESS.


CITY OF SOMERVILLE.


IN BOARD OF MAYOR AND ALDERMEN, January 14, 1891.


ORDERED, That the committee on printing be and is hereby authorized and instructed to have printed, for public use, six hundred copies of the address delivered by his Honor the Mayor at the inauguration of the present City Govern- ment, the expense incurred to be charged to Printing and Stationery account.


Read twice and adopted, and sent down for concurrence.


GEORGE I. VINCENT, Clerk.


IN COMMON COUNCIL, January 14, 1891. Read twice and adopted in concurrence. CHARLES S. ROBERTSON, Clerk.


Approved : January 19, 1891.


CHARLES G. POPE, Mayor.


INAUGURAL ADDRESS OF HON. CHARLES G. POPE,


DELIVERED JAN. 5, 1891.


GENTLEMEN OF THE CITY COUNCIL : -


To-day begins the city's twentieth year. Fortunate in its situa- tion and in the variety of its surface, in its nearness to the metropolis of the Commonwealth and the abundant means it possesses of com- municating with it, in the advantages offered by its schools and churches to those seeking homes, in the character of its citizens and their opinions on some of the questions which are of vital importance to any community, and in the generally careful and judicious manage- ment of its affairs, its growth during the period of its existence has been something more than ordinary.


Starting with a population of about 16,000, to day we number more than 40,000. During the past five years more than 1,800 per- mits to build houses have been issued, of which number 507 were issued in 1890. In 1871, the last year of the town, the assessed value of taxable property was $15,775,000, and in May last it was $32,557,500.


In 1872, the first year of the city, there were fifty-two schools and sixty-five teachers ; to-day there 128 schools and 158 teachers. In 1872 there were eleven organized religious societies within our corporate limits ; to-day there are twenty-seven.


To the management of the affairs of a municipality such as the foregoing suggests we are called by the suffrages of our fellow- citizens. Coming with the best intentions for faithful service, as our immediate predecessors and those before them have done, let us strive to avoid their errors, if they made any, and to imitate their example in whatever they have shown to be right.


In the hope of aiding you to properly begin the labors before you, I invite your attention to a statement of the condition of the various


18


ANNUAL REPORTS.


departments of the city and to such suggestions as I may think best to make.


And first, with reference to the


FINANCES.


From the last annual report it appears that the funded debt of the city January 1st, 1890, was as follows : -


Funded Debt, City Loan $618,000


Funded Debt, Water Loan 334,500


Total Funded Debt $952,500


The debt was increased during the year as follows : -


For the cost of a new schoolhouse in Ward Two (Pros- pect Hill District) $50,000


For the cost of a new schoolhouse in Ward Three ( Jaques street ) 35,000


For the cost of Highland Schoolhouse addition 15,000


For the cost of extension and improvement of the water works 50,000


Total increase $150.000


The debt was decreased during the year by the payment from the tax levy of the following : -


City Loan Bonds


$40,000


Water Loan Bonds 5,000


Total decrease


$45,000


Leaving the Funded Debt January 1, 1891, $1,057,500, classified as follows, viz. : -


City Loan Bonds bearing interest at 4 per cent. . $478,000


66 66 66


66 200,000


Water Loan Bonds


" 4 66 242,000


66


66


"5 66


127,500


66 66


66


66


10,000


Total


$1,057,500


The bonds above mentioned were authorized to be issued Octo- ber 1, 1890, but owing to the unfavorable condition of the market have not yet been sold.


The above represents the net indebtedness of the city ; the un- funded liabilities for temporary loans, etc., being equalled by its


19


MAYOR'S INAUGURAL ADDRESS.


assets, which consist of uncollected taxes, sewer and sidewalk assess. ments, etc.


The following tables are respectfully presented for future refer- ence : -


YEAR.


Amount of Funded Debt.


Increase of Funded Debt.


Reduction of Funded Debt by Contribution Sinking Funds.


to


Reduction of Funded Debt by Annual Payments.


Tax Rate per $1,000 of Valua- tion.


Town .


$593,349


1872


643,354


$50,005


1873


809,354


166,000


1874


1,419,854


610,500


1875


1,571,854


152,000


1876


1,606,854


45,000


$45,130 62


$10,000


$2 07


1877


1,606,854


10,000


48,828 58


10,000


2 30


1878


1.596,854


51,004 64


10,000


2 91


1879


1,585,000


53,061 76


11,854


3 42


1880


1,585,000


55,739 35


2 72


1881


1,585,000


58,498 64


2 59


1882


1,585,000


61,390 59


2 65


1883


1,585,000


64,479 01


2 70


1884


1,585,000


67,719 33


2 78


1885


*1,525,000


71,305 66


2 87


1886


1,525,000


66,894 23


2 57


1887


1,525,000


70,252 88


2 56


1888


*860,500


25,000


37,000


1 28


1889


952,500


130,000


38,000


1 27


1890


1,057,500


150,000


45,000


1 38


* Sinking funds applied.


YEAR.


VALUATION.


TAX LEVY.


RATE.


1872


$22,755,325


$274,374 45


$13 00


1873


29,643,100


389,214 48


12 80


1874


30,837,700


473,235 50


15 00


1875


31,317,000


518,161 40


16 20


1876


26,573,400


504,745 24


18 60


1877


25,479,400


471,789 14


18 10


1878


20,976,900


409,497 10


19 00


1879


18,950,100


352,553 80


18 00


1880


20,458,100


402,927 71


19 10


1881


22,569,100


452,945 45


19 50


1882


23,162,200


425,721 16


17 80


1883


23,812,900


411,645 43


16 70


1884


24,331,100


418,750 26


16 60


1885


24,878,400


428,605 44


16 60


1886


26,003,200


416,987 28


15 40


1887


27,471,800


424,309 14


14 80


1888


28,765,400


421,458 60


14 00


1889


30,004,600


440,324 40


14 00


1890


32,557,500


447,704 00


14 00


20


ANNUAL REPORTS.


To provide for the payment of the current expenses, State and County taxes, and debt requirements for the past year, the annual tax levy was made as follows : -


Real estate, valuation -$29,981,700


Personal property, valuation 2,575,800


Total valuation $32,557,500


A rate of $14.00 on $1,000 valuation, with 10,948 polls assessed at $2.00, and six ( women ) at 50 cents, gives the total amount of the tax levy .


$477,704


The appropriations provided for by the tax levy were as fol- lows : -


CURRENT EXPENSES.


Fire Department


$32,900 00


Health Department .


6,000 00


Highways


45,000 00


Indigent Soldiers and Sailors


900 00


Miscellaneous


6,500 00


Police


32,000 00


Police Station Incidentals


2,600 00


Public Library


3,000 00


Public Grounds


6,000 00


Printing and Stationery


5,000 00


Relief and Burial of Indigent Soldiers and Sailors, 4,000 00


Salaries


28,000 00


School Contingent


20,500 00


School Fuel .


7,000 00


Schoolhouse Incidentals


16,000 00


School Teachers' Salaries


43,500 00


Sewers


10,000 00


Sidewalks


10,000 00


Street Lights


22,000 00


Support of Poor


12,000 00


Steam Fire-engine and Equipments 4,600 00


Watering Streets


4,000 00


Water Maintenance


18,000 00


Total


-$339,500 00


DEBT REQUIREMENTS.


Interest


$34,000 00


Reduction of Funded Debt


45,000 00


79,000 00


Total amount of appropriations provided by the


$418,500 00 tax levy


$418,500 00


Amount carried forward


21


MAYOR'S INAUGURAL ADDRESS.


Amount brought forward


$418,500 00


FUNDED DEBT ACCOUNT.


Highland Schoolhouse Addition $15,000 00


Schoolhouse in Ward Two, Prospect Hill District, 50,000 00


Schoolhouse in Ward Three. 35,000 00


Water Works Extension


50,000 00


Total amount of appropriation on funded debt account .


150,000 00


In addition to the above the following appropriations were also made, viz. : -


Public Library, amount received from County


Treasurer for dog licenses $2,631 12


School Teachers' Salaries, amount received from


the City of Boston for return on water rates . 55,000 00


57,631 12


Total amount appropriated $626,131 12


The expenditures for current expenses were as follows : -


Support of Schools $147,700 00


Maintenance of Water Works


18,467 00


Support of Poor 13,186 00


Public Library


4,500 00


Fire Department


36,483 00


Health Department


5,750 00


High ways


Indigent Soldiers and Sailors


48,127 00 661 00


Miscellaneous


7,335 00


Police


30,297 00


Police Station Incidentals


2,469 00


Public Grounds .


7,427 00


Printing and Stationery


5,212 00


Relief and Burial of Indigent Soldiers and Sailors, 2,347 00


Salaries


27,900 00


Sewers .


9,368 00


Sidewalks


9,150 00


Street Lights


20,554 00


Watering Streets


3,820 00


· Total amount of expenditures for current


expenses


$400,753 00


22


ANNUAL REPORTS.


The appropriations for current expenses are limited by the pro- visions of Chapter 312 of the Acts and Resolves of 1885, which is as follows : -


[ Chap. 312.]


An Act to limit Municipal Debt and the rate of taxation in Cities. Be it enacted, etc., as follows : -


SECT. 1. The taxes assessed on property in any city, except the city of Boston, exclusive of state tax, county tax, and sums required by law to be raised on account of the city debt, shall not exceed in any year twelve dollars on every one thousand dollars of the average of the assessors' valuations of the taxable property therein for the preceding three years, the valuation for each year being first reduced by the amount of all abatements allowed thereon previous to the thirty-first day of December in the year preceding said assessment, and any order or appropriation requiring a larger assessment than is herein limited shall be void.


As you see, the law limits the amount that can be raised by taxa- tion for current expenses, but the rate is determined by the valuation of the property upon which it is assessed.


Under this act the amount which could legally be assessed for current expenses was $341,722; but by appropriating the entire in- come of the water works, together with the amount received from the county for dog licenses, for the payment of current expenses, the amount actually appropriated was $400,753.


The committee on finance are annually embarrassed by requests from the various departments for appropriations aggregating a much larger amount than can legally be appropriated. The statute on this question is so clearly defined that I earnestly request the members of the City Council and other departments having charge of the expendi- ture of money to remember that the duty of that committee lies more particularly in the line of making a just and equitable distribution of the amount within their power to recommend, than the consideration of requests for larger appropriations than can be legally made.


FIRE DEPARTMENT.


Much has been done within the past two or three years to increase the efficiency of this department, and I feel justified in stating that it never was in better condition than now. During the year just closed


23


MAYOR'S INAUGURAL ADDRESS.


the apparatus has been increased by the purchase of a steam fire-engine, with the necessary equipments, and a hose wagon, similar to those previously in service, and carrying, besides hose, forty-three feet of ladders and two portable chemical extinguishers. Competent opinion pronounces both the engine and wagon of first quality, and equal to the best owned by any city. The manual force has not been increased, except so far as was necessary to man the new steamer, and now numbers seventy-eight, which is less than the ordinance permits.


A department so important to the welfare of the people should be kept as well provided as the means at command will allow, and it is not unreasonable to expect that, as the population of the city in- creases and the area to be protected is enlarged, there will be yearly calls for additional apparatus, and whatever else will enable those in charge to properly meet the demands made upon it. In the opinion of the chief engineer the next important piece of apparatus that should be provided is a chemical engine. The purchase involves the expense of enlarging the house of Engine One, or furnishing accommodations elsewhere, and this must be taken into account whenever the matter is considered. He also asks that a repeater be bought for the fire- alarm telegraph, which will allow an increase in the number of circuits to six or eight. The value of such a change is obvious, as the smaller the area covered by a circuit, the less the exposure in case of its temporarily getting out of order. But it is claimed that this will necessitate more room for the additional batteries required, and hence the question of enlarging the engine house must be considered in granting this request.


I do not recommend either purchase. I simply call your attention to them. Perhaps it will be found that the wiser course to pursue, and the only one we shall be able to adopt at present, will be to buy a repeater of the requisite capacity and leave the matter of increasing the circuits, as also the purchase of a chemical engine, with the at- tendant expenses in either case, to the careful consideration of our successors.


POLICE.


The organization of the police department remains the same as last year, the total number of men employed being thirty-two. The resignation of a patrolman on account of ill health was received in the month of March, and the vacancy was filled by appointment. Three


24


ANNUAL REPORTS.


street signal boxes have been added to the system during the year, and a new van has been purchased. One thousand two hundred and twenty-four arrests were made from December 1, 1889, to December 1, 1890, of which number 695 were for drunkenness, one-third of the persons complained of for this offence being non-residents. Thirty- ·eight search warrants have been sworn out the past year, and as many places searched by the police for intoxicating liquors illegally kept, and thirty-three prosecutions have been commenced in the police court against the persons in whose possession liquors were found.


The overwhelming opinion of our citizens in favor of no license -an opinion that has never varied since the statute allowed its formal · expression -entitles them to have their will respected and enforced by those charged with the duty of discovering the violators of the law. My instructions to the chief on this subject during my term of service have been to continue the warfare against the liquor traffic, and to prosecute in all cases where he could obtain legal evidence sufficient to render it probable that there would be no failure of proof when the parties appeared in court. In justice to him, and those under his direction, I desire to state that I believe my instructions have been carried out in letter and spirit. This is all that it is reasonable to expect in dealing with the subject. The city is probably as free from the evil as it is possible to make a community of its size, and the traffic, so far as it exists, is driven out of sight. Sworn to see to the · enforcement of all laws operative within our limits, and desiring to do so, I ask the co-operation and assistance of the City Council in the discharge of this part of my duties. If they will furnish me with any legal evidence tending to show a violation of the law on this subject, I shall be happy to consider and act upon it. And I would suggest that they request the residents of the various localities from which they . come to furnish them any such evidence that may come to their knowl- · edge, to the end that this evil may be reduced to the minimum and kept there. Evidence is all that is needed.


The amount expended to maintain the department the past year is $35,900.42.


POOR.


The amount expended under the direction of the overseers for the support of the poor during the year 1890 is $15,261.14, of


25.


MAYOR'S INAUGURAL ADDRESS.


which sum $1,415.28 was received from cities, towns, and individuals.


Temporary aid has been given to 704 persons. Sixty individuals were receiving full support at the close of the year, of whom thirty- nine were insane. The amount paid to public institutions for the- care of the insane is $5,804.15, an increase over that of the previous year. This sum is likely to be still further increased during the present year.




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