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STRENGTH
1872.
A CITY
GIVE
ESTE
1842
FOTT
MUNIC
.
CITY OF SOMERVILLE
ANNUAL REPORTS
1896
GIVE
DO
SOMERVILLE
FREEL
ONAL
FOUNDED 184
1872.
MUNICIPAL
A CITY STRENGTH
N
ESTABLIS
ED
M
FALL ALLIEDPRINTING
TRADES
COUNCIL
BOSTON
ROBINSON PRESS, WARREN J. ROBINSON, Mgr., 91 Oliver St., Boston. 1897:
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CITY GOVERNMENT AND OFFICERS FOR 1896.
1
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CITY GOVERNMENT AND OFFICERS FOR 1896.
MAYOR. ALBION A. PERRY, 366 Broadway.
BOARD OF ALDERMEN.
WARD ONE.
L. HERBERT HUNTLEY JOSIAH N. PRATT
1 Pearl street 33 Franklin street
WARD Two.
MELVILLE D. JONES, President . ROBERT S. WRIGHT .
53 Walnut street 11 Summit avenue
WARD THREE.
LEONARD B. CHANDLER
JAMES M. ANDREWS
.
45 Jaques street
172 Broadway
WARD FOUR.
WILLIAM H. BERRY HOWARD D. MOORE
·
.
39 Cherry street 1 Kenwood street
CLERK.
GEORGE I. VINCENT.
6
ANNUAL REPORTS.
COMMON COUNCIL.
WARD ONE.
FRANK DEWITT LAPHAM .
FRANK B. BURROWS
·
.
JOHN HUNNEWELL .
·
L. EDGAR TIMSON
.
3 Hathorn street 29 Mystic avenue 48 Pearl street 41 A Franklin street
WARD Two.
GEORGE E. WHITAKER, President
WILLIAM M. IRVING
RICHARD A. RUSSELL
FRENCH O. J. TARBOX .
19A Greenville street 82 Summer street 23 Putnam street 60 Oak street
WARD THREE.
ANDREW A. LAMONT
ARTHUR W. BERRY .
HOWARD LOWELL
MARCUS M. RAYMOND
43 Heath street 53 Hudson street 46 Gilman street 37 Jaques street
WARD FOUR.
JOHN N. BALL . FRED M. CARR .
SILAS L. CUMMINGS
ALBERT L. REED
690 Broadway 74 Craigie street 251 Elm street 336 Beacon street
CLERK. CHARLES S. ROBERTSON.
·
7
CITY GOVERNMENT AND OFFICERS FOR 1896.
JOINT STANDING COMMITTEES OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
ACCOUNTS. - Aldermen Chandler and Wright; Councilmen Ball, Burrows and Raymond.
CITY ENGINEERING .- Aldermen Berry and Jones ; Councilmen Tim- son, Berry and Cummings.
CLAIMS. - His Honor, the Mayor, Alderman Moore ; the President of the Common Council, Councilmen Lapham and Lamont.
FINANCE .- His Honor, the Mayor, Aldermen Moore and Jones ; the President of the Common Council, Councilmen Hunnewell, Carr, Lowell and Russell.
FIRE DEPARTMENT. - Aldermen Huntley and Wright ; Councilmen Lamont, Irving and Reed.
FUEL AND STREET LIGHTS .- Aldermen Wright and Chandler ; Coun- cilmen Carr, Raymond and Timson.
HIGHWAYS. - Aldermen Berry and Andrews ; Councilmen Lapham, Ball and Tarbox.
LEGISLATIVE MATTERS .- His Honor, the Mayor, Alderman Moore ; the President of the Common Council, Councilmen Lowell and Timson.
ORDINANCES .- Aldermen Wright and Chandler ; Councilmen Burrows, Carr and Tarbox.
PRINTING. - Aldermen Andrews and Moore; Councilmen Irving, Lamont and Hunnewell.
PUBLIC GROUNDS .- Aldermen Pratt and Jones ; Councilmen Lowell, Lapham and Reed.
PUBLIC PROPERTY. - Aldermen Chandler and Pratt; Councilmen Cummings, Berry and Russell.
SOLDIERS' RELIEF. - Aldermen Jones and Andrews ; Councilmen Tarbox, Burrows and Ball.
WATER .- Aldermen Huntley and Wright ; the President of the Com- mon Council, Councilmen Reed and Raymond.
8
ANNUAL REPORTS.
STANDING COMMITTEES OF THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN.
ELECTIONS AND RETURNS .- Aldermen Pratt, Andrews and Berry.
ENROLLED ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS. - Aldermen Chandler, Berry and Pratt.
LICENSES .- Aldermen Moore, Huntley and Jones.
POLICE .- His Honor, the Mayor, Aldermen Andrews and Huntley.
SEWERS .- Aldermen Jones, Moore and Pratt.
SPECIAL BUILDING PERMITS .- Aldermen Berry and Huntley. STATE AID .- Aldermen Berry, Chandler, Wright and Pratt.
STANDING COMMITTEES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL.
ELECTIONS AND RETURNS. - Councilmen Russell, Cummings and Lowell.
ENROLLED ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS. - Councilmen Berry, Hunnewell and Irving.
9
CITY GOVERNMENT AND OFFICERS FOR 1896.
SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
ALBION A. PERRY, Mayor, Chairman, ex-officio. GEORGE E. WHITAKER, President of the Common Council, ex-officio. (Term, three years).
WARD ONE. S. NEWTON CUTLER (elected 1894). SANFORD HANSCOM, M. D. (elected 1893). GEORGE S. POOLE (elected 1895).
WARD Two.
THOMAS M. DURELL, M. D. (elected 1893). ALVAH B. DEARBORN, M. D. (elected 1894). HERBERT A. CHAPIN (elected 1895).
WARD THREE. .
QUINCY E. DICKERMAN (elected 1895). THOMAS S. WENTWORTH (elected 1893). FRANK H. HARDISON (elected 1894). WARD FOUR.
GILES W. BRYANT, M. D. (elected 1895). MARTIN W. CARR (elected 1893). GEORGE A. MILES, M. D. (elected 1894).
GORDON A. SOUTHWORTH, Superintendent and Secretary.
10
ANNUAL REPORTS.
ASSESSORS.
(Term, three years.)
BENJAMIN F. THOMPSON, Chairman, (term expires 1896.) SAMUEL T. RICHARDS, (term expires 1898.) NATHAN H. REED (term expires 1897). Clerk of Assessors, ALBERT B. FALES.
ASSISTANT ASSESSORS. (Term, one year.) WARD ONE. FRED. B. CLAPP.
WARD Two.
CHARLES C. FARRINGTON.
WARD THREE. EDGAR T. MAYHEW.
WARD FOUR.
HARRY A. TRUE.
BOARD OF HEALTH. (Term, three years.)
ALLEN F. CARPENTER, Chairman (term expires 1897). ALVAH B. DEARBORN, M. D. (term expires 1898). ALVANO T. NICKERSON (term expires 1899). Clerk, WILLIAM P. MITCHELL. Inspector, CALEB A. PAGE. Superintendent Collection of Ashes and Offal, GEORGE W. S. HUSE.
11
CITY GOVERNMENT AND OFFICERS FOR 1896.
OVERSEERS OF THE POOR. Office, Police Building, Bow street.
ALBION A. PERRY, Mayor, Chairman, ex-officio. (Term, four years. )
EDWARD B. WEST, President (term expires 1899). ALBERT W. EDMANDS (term expires 1897). HERBERT E. MERRILL (term expires 1898). EZRA D. SOUTHER (term expires 1896). . Agent, CHARLES C. FOLSOM. Secretary, CORA F. LEWIS.
SOMERVILLE MYSTIC WATER BOARD.
Office, Prospect street, corner Somerville avenue. (Term, three years).
GEORGE D. WEMYSS, President, (term expires 1897). 5 Austin street. GEORGE A. KIMBALL (term expires 1898). 33 Warren avenue.
WILLIAM FRANKLIN HALL (term expires 1899). 345 Broadway. NATHANIEL DENNETT, Supt. Water Works. FRANK E. MERRILL, Clerk.
REGISTRARS OF VOTERS.
(Term : City Clerk, one year ; other members, three years).
CROMWELL G. ROWELL, Chairman (term expires 1897). CHARLES P. LINCOLN (term expires 1898). CHARLES E. PARKS (term expires 1899). GEORGE I. VINCENT, City Clerk.
12
ANNUAL REPORTS.
TRUSTEES OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY. (Term, three years).
CHARLES S. LINCOLN, Chairman (term expires 1897). CHARLES A. WEST (term expires 1898). JOHN B. VIALL (term expires 1899). J. HENRY FLITNER (term expires 1898). CHRISTOPHER E. RYMES (term expires 1897). ELIJAH C. CLARK (term expires 1898). CHARLES H. BROWN (term expires 1897). J. FRANK WELLINGTON (term expires 1899). CHARLES W. SAWYER (term expires 1899). JOHN S. HAYES, Librarian and Secretary.
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. ERNEST W. BAILEY.
CONSULTING ENGINEER. GEORGE A. KIMBALL.
SUPERINTENDENT OF STREETS. JOHN P. PRICHARD.
13
CITY GOVERNMENT AND OFFICERS FOR 1896.
INSPECTOR OF BUILDINGS AND SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS. FREDERICK C. FULLER.
C
CHIEF OF POLICE. MELVILLE C. PARKHURST.
CHIEF ENGINEER OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. JAMES R. HOPKINS.
SUPERINTENDENT OF ELECTRIC LINES AND LIGHTS. EDWARD BACKUS.
CITY PHYSICIAN. ALVAH B. DEARBORN, M. D.
INSPECTOR OF MILK AND VINEGAR. CHARLES S. PHILBRICK.
INSPECTOR OF ANIMALS AND PROVISIONS. CHARLES M. BERRY.
SEALER OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES. AMMIEL COLMAN (died March 6). LUTHER B. PILLSBURY (appointed March 11).
CLERK OF COMMITTEES. WILLIAM P. MITCHELL. 1
CLERK OF ASSESSORS. ALBERT B. FALES.
14
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Suitable Persons to Cause to be Properly Interred the Bodies of Honorably Discharged Soldiers, Sailors and Marines, under Chapter 395, Acts of 1889. JAMES F. DAVLIN. JOHN H. DUSSEAULT.
CONSTABLES.
JAIRUS MANN.
MELVILLE C. PARKHURST.
ROBERT R. PERRY.
WILLIAM D. HAYDEN.
CHARLES C. FOLSOM.
JOSEPH J. GILES.
EDWARD McGARR.
DENNIS KELLEY.
CHRISTOPHER C. CAVANAGH.
CHARLES L. ELLIS.
EUGENE A. CARTER.
CLARENCE TUCKER.
PATRICK J. GARVIN.
GEORGE H. CARLETON.
FENCE VIEWERS.
LAMBERT M. MAYNARD. AMMIEL COLMAN (died March 6). CHARLES M. BERRY (elected Nov. 11).
MEASURER OF WOOD AND BARK. SAMUEL T. LITTLEFIELD.
MEASURERS OF GRAIN. JOHN CRAIG. ALBERT C. LYMAN.
PUBLIC WEIGHER IN CHARGE OF CITY SCALES, UNION SQUARE. FULTON O'BRION.
WEIGHERS OF COAL.
JOHN CRAIG. GEORGE K. WALCOTT.
D. WARNER DANFORTH. THADDEUS HARRINGTON.
CHARLES H. TUCKER. CLINTON E. SOMES.
GEORGE E. SLACK.
SIDNEY E. HAYDEN.
ROBERT A. YERXA. IRWIN L. SMITH.
FRANK A. TEELE. SUMNER M. TEELE. THOMAS K. MARTIN. CHARLES P. BRANN.
15
CITY GOVERNMENT AND OFFICERS FOR 1896.
WEIGHERS OF BEEF.
D. WARNER DANFORTH. THADDEUS HARRINGTON.
CHARLES H. TUCKER.
GEORGE K. WALCOTT.
FREDERICK A. GEILING.
GEORGE E. SLACK.
CLARENCE EDWARDS.
CLINTON E. SOMES.
THOMAS K. MARTIN.
EDWARD M. WHEELER.
POLICE DEPARTMENT. MELVILLE C. PARKHURST, Chief.
ROBERT R. PERRY, Captain.
EDWARD McGARR, Sergt.
CHRIS. C. CAVANAGH, Sergt.
DENNIS KELLEY, Sergt.
EUGENE A. CARTER, Sergt.
PHINEAS W. SKINNER.
JOHN E. FULLER.
SAMUEL A. BROWN.
ALBION L. STAPLES.
JOHN HAFFORD.
JUDSON W. OLIVER.
GEORGE A. BODGE.
GEORGE W. BEAN.
GEORGE H. CARLETON.
GEORGE L. SMITH.
FRANCIS A. PERKINS.
EDWARD M. CARTER.
CHARLES S. THRASHER.
EDW. E. HAMBLEN (res. May 20). WILLIAM H. JOHNSTON.
CHARLES E. WOODMAN.
JOHN . G. KNIGHT. THEODORE E. HERON.
ARTHUR E. KEATING.
STEPHEN S. SMITH.
JACOB W. SKINNER.
EUGENE H. GAMMON.
DAVID A. BOLTON.
IRA S. CARLTON.
JAMES M. HARMON.
CHARLES W. STEVENS.
MICHAEL T. KENNEDY.
ULYSSES G. SKINNER.
EZRA A. DODGE.
JAMES J. POLLARD.
DANIEL G. SIMONS.
SAMUEL BURNS.
FRED H. GOOGINS.
JOTHAM CHISHOLM.
WILLIAM J. DAVIDSON.
ELMER E. DREW.
JOHN A. DADMUN,
(app. June 10).
MELVILLE C. PARKHURST, Lockup Keeper.
RESERVE POLICE.
GEORGE L. RICE. HERBERT HILTON. MYRON S. GOTT.
EUGENE A. WOODSUM. JOHN A. RAY. CHARLES W. REICK.
MAYOR'S INAUGURAL ADDRESS.
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
IN CONVENTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL, January 4, 1897.
RESOLVED : That His Honor, the Mayor, be, and is hereby requested to furnish the Committee on Printing with a copy of his inaugural address for publication.
Read twice and adopted.
GEORGE I. VINCENT, Clerk.
INAUGURAL ADDRESS
DELIVERED BY
HON. ALBION A. PERRY,
JANUARY 4, 1897.
GENTLEMEN OF THE CITY COUNCIL :-
I deem it a high privilege to join with you in the interesting ceremonies of Inauguration Day. It seems but yesterday, so swiftly do the years roll round, since I looked into the faces of some of your number as you stepped upon the platform of a neighboring hall and subscribed to a solemn pledge of faithful and impartial service in the city's behalf. To-day, in company with many new associates, you have again assumed the respon- sibilities of public office, and upon your labors the blessing of Almighty God has been reverently invoked. To my fellow-cit- izens who have, with such marked unanimity, conferred upon me the great honor of a re-election to the highest municipal office, I return my heartfelt thanks. The only reward I can offer them- it is all they require-is patient, earnest service in their behalf.
To you, gentlemen of the City Council, and to the people of Somerville at large, I extend a cordial New Year's greeting, and pledge the best of my thought and effort to the task of making this a happy and prosperous year for the city whose public inter-
20
ANNUAL REPORTS.
ests have been entrusted to our hands. You have been selected by your fellow-citizens to manage the public affairs of Somerville during the present year. The honor thus conferred upon you is indeed great, but it imposes obligations of the most difficult and delicate nature. The highest degree of patience, wisdom, firm- ness, and zeal will be required in the execution of the trust this day committed to you. It is not to be expected that you will be entirely free from errors of judgment, but you will be held to un- compromising fealty to the highest standards of diligence and honesty. The work which you will be required to do relates not to the present year alone, but will have a strong bearing, either for good or ill, upon the whole future of the city.
The City of Somerville is a great municipal corporation, in which every citizen is a stockholder, the poorest having as much at stake as the richest in the transaction of the corporate business. The man of property desires careful and prudent management of public affairs, to the end that his investments may prove lucrative, and that no undue burden of taxation may be imposed. The wage-earner wants good streets and sidewalks to drive and walk upon, pure water to drink, the best schools for the instruction of his children, rigid enforcement of the laws and ordinances, in or- der that he may dwell in happiness and content, that his wife may walk abroad without fear of insult and his children without risk of contamination. The peculiar characteristics of Somerville should be kept carefully in mind by those who are entrusted with the management of her public concerns. It is primarily a city of homes, and it is your duty to adopt and carry out such a policy as shall make these homes safe, pleasant, and attractive, and throw about them every reasonable safeguard.
I shall not give much time to-day to the discussion of the details of departmental work, nor weary you with a repetition of the statistical facts which are so clearly set forth in the reports of the various boards and committees. I prefer to devote the greater part of this address to the consideration of some of the more im- portant public measures with which you will be required to deal, and, incidentally, to comment upon a few of the prominent fea- tures of municipal government.
21
MAYOR'S INAUGURAL ADDRESS.
STATEMENT OF FINANCES.
I shall first invite your attention to the present financial con- dition of Somerville, and commend to your careful study the fol- lowing tables, which give much valuable information upon the subject.
The funded debt of the city January 1, 1896, was as follows :- Funded Debt, City Loan $930,000.00
Funded Debt, Sewer Loan .
170,000.00
Funded Debt, Paving Loan 85,000.00
Funded Debt, Water Loan
321,500.00
Total Funded Debt
$1,506,500.00
The debt was increased during the year by appropriations made by the City Council as follows :- City Hall Improvements $22,000.00
Fire Department, Fire Station,
Ward 1 .
6,500.00
Fire Department, Fire Station No. 4, improvement
5,000.00
Fire Department, Land for Fire Sta- tion, Clarendon Hill, Ward 4
2,500.00
Highways, City Stables
2,000.00
Highways, Steam Road Roller No. 2 .
3,500.00
Renewals of Funded Debt .
47,000.00
Schoolhouse, English High
7,000.00
Schoolhouse, Jacob T. Glines, ad- dition
22,000.00
Schoolhouse, Land, Spring-hill Dis- trict
3,000.00
Schoolhouse, Land, Ward 3
6,000.00
Schoolhouse, Luther V. Bell, heating,
ventilating, and sanitary appara- tus
6,500.00
Schoolhouse, Ward 1
35,000.00
Schoolhouse, Ward 4
9,000.00
Total amount of increase
$177,000.00
22
ANNUAL REPORTS.
The debt was reduced during the year by payments as fol- lows :-
Funded Debt, City Loan $88,000.00
Funded Debt, Sewer Loan 41,000.00
Funded Debt, Paving Loan 5,000.00
Funded Debt, Water Loan
18,500.00
Total amount of reduction $152,500.00
Leaving the funded debt of the city January 1, 1897, $1,531,000 (an increase of $24,500 over the previous year), classified as fol- lows :-
City Loan Bonds bearing interest at 4 per cent. $822,000.00
City Loan Bonds bearing interest at 42 per cent. . 185,000.00
City Loan Sewer Bonds bearing interest at 4 per cent .
114,000.00
City Loan Sewer Bonds bearing interest at 42 per cent
15,000.00
City Loan Paving Bonds bearing interest at 4 per cent. .
80,000.00
Water Loan Bonds bearing interest at 4 per cent. 248,000.00
Water Loan Bonds bearing interest at 5 per cent. 57,000.00
Water Loan Bonds bearing interest at 52 per cent.
10,000.00
Total Funded Debt January 1, 1897 $1,531,000.00
The foregoing amount represents the net indebtedness of the city, the unfunded liabilities for temporary loans, etc. (excepting only pay rolls for school teachers' and janitors' salaries for the month of December, 1896, amounting to $18,382.00, which could not be paid from last year's appropriations), being equalled by its assets, which consist of uncollected taxes, sewer and sidewalk as- sessments, etc.
To provide for the payment of the current expenses, state and county taxes, and debt requirements of the past year, the annual tax levy was made as follows :-
Real Estate, valuation . $45,224,800.00
Personal Property, valuation 3,846,000.00
Total valuation . $49,070,800.00
23
MAYOR'S INAUGURAL ADDRESS.
A rate of $15.40 on $1,000 valuation, with 15,361 polls at $2.00 each, gives the total amount of the tax levy $786,412.32.
The appropriations provided for by the tax levy were as fol- lows :-
Engineering Department
$10,000.00
Fire Department
51,450.00
Health Department .
20,000.00
Highways
60,000.00
Indigent Soldiers and Sailors
300.00
Interest
70,000.00
Miscellaneous
7,000.00
Police
46,000.00
Police Station Incidentals
3,000.00
Printing and Stationery
6,500.00
Public Grounds .
7,000.00
Public Library
8,000.00
Reduction of Funded Debt
95,000.00
Relief and Burial of Indigent Soldiers and Sailors
7,000.00
Salaries
5,700.00
School Contingent
18,000.00
School Contingent, Janitors' Salaries .
13,000.00
School Fuel
10,000.00
Schoolhouse Incidentals
15,000.00
School Teachers' Salaries
150,000.00
Sewers, Maintenance
7,000.00
Sidewalks
10,000.00
Street Lights
47,000.00
Support of Poor .
17,150.00
Watering Streets
6,000.00
-
For current expenses .
$690,100.00
State of Massachusetts, state tax .
30,205.00
State of Massachusetts, non-resident bank stock
889.35
County of Middlesex, county tax .
43,327.63
Amount carried forward,
$764,521.98
24
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Amount brought forward, $764,521.98
Overlay and abatements added for
fractional divisions and abate- ments 21,890.34
Total amount of appropriations provided for by the tax levy ·
$786,412.32
In addition to the above, the fol- lowing appropriations were made from the various income accounts :-
Salaries, the amount received of the State for Corporation and bank taxes
21,843.77
Police, the amount received of the Clerk of the Court for fines, costs, etc., estimated
5,210.00
Public Library, the amount received of the County for dog licenses . 2,506.29 Water Maintenance, from the income of the water works . 60,000.00
Water Works Extension, from the in- come of the water works . 16,000.00
Water Loan Interest, from the income of the water works . 13,612.50
Reduction of Funded Debt, balance of income of the water works pre- mium on bonds, etc. . .
4,657.67
Total amount of appropriations for the year $910,242.55
The tax rate of the past year, including the amount assessed on polls, equals the sum of $16.02 on each $1,000 valuation, and, as applied to the various departments, gives the rate assessed for the maintenance of each as follows: Debt Requirements, $3.35; Health Department, $.41; Support of Poor, $.35; Schools, $4.20; State and County Taxes, $1.52; Overlay and Abatements, $.45. Total amount appropriated beyond the control of City Council, $10.28 per $1,000.
25
MAYOR'S INAUGURAL ADDRESS. .
The following sums represent appropriations within the con- trol of the City Council: Engineering Department, $.205; Fire Department, $1.05; Highways, $1.22; Miscellaneous, $.14; *Police Department, $1.00; Printing and Stationery, $.14; Public Grounds, $.14; * Public Library, $.16; * Salaries, $.12; Sewers Maintenance, $.14; Sidewalks, $.205; Soldiers' Relief, $.14; Street Lights, $.95; Watering Streets, $.13. Total amount appropri- ated within the control of the City Council, $5.74 per $1,000.
The maintenance and extension of the Mystic Water Depart- ment were wholly provided for from the income of the works.
* Additional appropriations for the Police Department, Public Library and Salaries accounts were made from the various income accounts, as before stated.
26
ANNUAL REPORTS.
The following tables, giving a condensed history of the city's finances, are herewith presented for reference :-
YEAR.
Amount of Funded Debt.
Increase of Funded Debt.
Reduction of Funded Debt.
Tax Rate per $1,000 Valuation on Account of Reduc- tion of Funded Debt.
Town .
$593,349
Dec. 31, 1872
643,354
$50,005
·
.
·
66
1874
1,419,854
610,500
1875
1876
1,606,844
45,000
$55,130.62
$2.07
1877
1,606,854
10,000
58,828.58
2.30
1878
1,596,854
61,004.64
2.91
1879
1,585,000
64,915.76
3.42
66
1880
1,585,000
55,739.35
2.72
16
1881
1,585,000
.
.
.
64,479.01
2.70
66
1884
1,585,000
67,719.33
2.78
66
1886
1,525,000
66,894.23
2.57
66
1887
1,525,000
70,252.88
2.56
60
1888
₮860,500
25,000
37,000.00
1.28
66
1889
952,500
130,000
38,000.00
1.27
66
1891
1,045,500
45,000
57,000.00
1.55
66
1892
1,194,500
253,000
104,000.00
2.73
66
1893
1,279,500
222,000
137,000.00
3.27
1894
1,344,500
172,000
107,000.00
2.42
60
1895
1,506,500
247,000
85,000.00
1.83
1896
1,531,000
177,000
152,500.00
3.11
.
58,498.64
2.59
1882
1,585,000
61,390.59
2.65
1883
1,585,000
71,305.66
2.87
1885
+1,525,000
.
1890
1,057,500
150,000
45,000.00
1.38
+ Sinking fund applied.
1873
809,354
166,000
1,571,854
152,000
27
MAYOR'S INAUGURAL ADDRESS.
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
1891
36,843,440
539,137.10
14.00
1892
38,093,100
596,357.50
15.00
1893
41,873,600
675,886.80
15.50
1894
44,142,900
721,165.54
15.70
1895
46,506,300
745,609.02
15.40
1896
49,070,800
786,412.32
15.40
The foregoing tables are so arranged as to tell their own story with a clearness which calls for little explanation, but I de- sire to comment briefly upon a few of the facts which they dis- close.
First: It will be seen that the net funded debt of the city, on the first day of the present month, was $1,531,000, an increase of $24,500 over the previous year. With a single exception, this is the smallest increase of the city debt in any one year during the last eight years, and much below the average annual increase of that period.
Second: The appropriations on funded debt account during the year 1896-exclusive of $47,000 required for renewals of pre- vious loans-amounted to $130,000. Of this amount, $88,500 was appropriated for various schoolhouse purposes, and only $41,500 for all other purposes combined.
28
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Third: Only a little more than one-third of the money raised by the tax levy last year was expended under the direction of the City Council, the balance having been used for purposes not within the City Council's control. More than one-half of all the money raised by taxation last year was absorbed by the three items of schools, state and county taxes, and debt requirements.
Fourth: The proportional part of last year's tax levy re- quired for reduction of funded debt has only been twice exceeded during the past twenty years. The large increase of the city debt during the last few years will have a potent effect in keeping up the tax rate for many years to come. During the present year we shall be required to pay bonds to the amount of $136,000, and this will probably necessitate a small increase in the tax rate.
The city's borrowing capacity within the statutory limit, on the second day of the present month, was estimated at $124,948. On the first day of next July it will amount to about $167,948. This, I believe, is ample for all necessary demands, and I would emphatically renew my recommendation of last year, that no ap- peal be made to the Legislature for permission to borrow outside of the debt limit for any purpose. The present amount of city debt, outside of the statutory limit, is $176,000, a decrease of $9,000 during the year 1896.
By an act of the Legislature of the year 1875, entitled "An Act to regulate and limit Municipal Indebtedness," an effectual check was placed upon municipal extravagance. The legisla- tion to which I refer has been sharply criticised in the past by some of our best financiers, and even now able men are occasion- ally found who regard it as an unwise and unwarranted interfer- ence on the part of the Commonwealth with the affairs of the cities and towns. While I am willing to concede that occasional hardships have resulted from this law, and that it has borne with more than average severity upon our own city, I am firmly of the opinion that its general results have been salutary. The aim of this law is to compel each city and town in the Commonwealth to a closer adherence to the good old-fashioned policy of "Pay as you go."
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