USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Worcester > Town annual reports of the several departments for the fiscal year ending December 31, 1862-1866 > Part 1
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WORCESTER PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 8139 0129 6531 7
Free Mublir Library
Worcester, Massachusetts
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The Gift of City of Worcester 3. B. Blake, Mayor
Added
March 12
.. 186B
Worcester Mass. City a: of ancuments No
City Document, Ho. Schenteen.
INAUGURAL ADDRESS
OF
D. WALDO LINCOLN,
MAYOR OF THE CITY OF WORCESTER,
JANUARY 5, 1863.
WITH THE
ANNUAL REPORTS
OF THE SEVERAL
CITY OFFICERS,
FOR THE
MUNICIPAL YEAR ENDING JANUARY 5, 1863
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WORCESTER. PRINTED BY WILLIAM R. HOOPER. TRANSCRIPT OFFICE ..
R 352. 07443 W9220 v.17-21 1862-1866
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2014
https://archive.org/details/citydocumentnoan1862worc
CONTENTS.
PAGE.
The Mayor's Inaugural Address, -
5
Report of the School Committee, -
35
List of School Teachers, with their Salaries, -
90 ~
Report of the City Treasurer,
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93
Account of Receipts and Expenditures, -
99
Schedule of the City Property, -
-
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136
Amount of City Debt, -
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141
Report of the Commissioners of Hope Cemetery, -
142
Report of Commissioner of Highways, .
149
Report of the Chief Engineer, -
.
151
Report of the Aqueduct Commissioner, -
- 155
Report of the Overseers of the Poor, -
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.
157
Report of the City Marshal, - - -
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163
Government and Officers of the City of Worcester. - 169
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CLAIMS AGAINST THE CITY.
TREASURER'S OFFICE, CITY OF WORCESTER, APRIL, 1863. TO PERSONS HAVING CLAIMS AGAINST THE CITY.
Bills presented for the action of the Auditor of Accounts, must specify what the artiele or articles sold were for-when for labor, where it was performed, number of days and price per day, unless otherwise agreed upon. When there are charges belonging todifferent departments, separate bills must be made, ineluding only eharge belonging to each department.
FALL BILLS MUST SPECIFY THE DATE OF THE SEVERAL CHARGES.
Claimants should earefully note the name of the person who orders the artiele or service, and should inquire to what department the charge shall be made, and should also know that the person is duly authorized to make contracts. Unless this is done, the elaimant will be put to the trouble of making out his account the second time, and run the risk of losing it.
When bills are certified to, as per Chapter 3, Revised Ordinances (below), they ean be left at the Treasurer's or Auditor's Office, before 2 o'clock, P. M., on or before the THIRD DAY of each month, except bills at the close of the year, which must be left on or before December 25th.
Those who attend to the above, will find their bills audited and ready at the Treas urer's Office, who will pay them promptly at the times designated below.
TIMES OF PAYMENT.
Salaries of the City Officers, and Teachers in the permanent Schools, on the first day. of each quarter.
Families of Volunteers, on the 24th day of each month.
Salaries of Watchmen, on the first day of each month.
Salaries of Firemen, on the 15th day of May.
All other bills on the 10th of each month.
When the above days come on Sundays, payment will be made the next day.
And persons having claims are requested to call promptly for their money ON THE DAY DESIGNATED.
GEORGE W. WHEELER, City Treasurer.
Treasurer's Office in City Hall Building.
PARTICULAR NOTICE. .
AUDITOR'S OFFICE, April, 1863.
All persons having claims against the City, are hereby reminded, that agreeably to an established rule, all bills, in order that they may be ready for payment on the 10th must be left with the Treasurer or Auditor, on or before the THIRD day of each month except the elosing bills of the year, which must be leit on or before December 25th, before 2 o'clock, P. M. Those who fail to comply with this rule, will have to wait till the following month before their bills will be ready for payment.
CHAPTER 3, REVISED ORDINANCES.
AUDITOR.
"SECTION 2. No account or Claim against the City, other than judgments of the Judieial Courts, shall be received or aeted upon by him unless sueh account or elaim shall be accompanied by a certificate of the Mayor, Committee, or other proper Cer- tifying Officer of each department authorized on behalf of the City to make the eon- tract or cause the expenditure to be made, that the same is eorreet."
Office No. 3 Piper's Block.
GILL VALENTINE, Auditor.
ADDRESS.
GENTLEMEN OF THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN,
AND GENTLEMEN OF THE COMMON COUNCIL .
Called by the favor or permitted by the cheerful and willing acquiescence of our fellow-citizens, to assume the management of our municipal government for the ensuing year, let us enter upon our official duties, with a determination to justify the confidence, and deserve the support, of a generous, intelligent, and appreciative community. Our sons, and brothers, and townsmen, stand side by side, fighting the battles of the country, surrendering every comfort, shedding their blood, will- ing to sacrifice even their lives, that we may continue to enjoy in peace and safety, these precious privileges of free domestic institutions, and constitutional govern- ment. Let their noble example inspire us. Forgetting party, or remembering it only to rise above it, let us bear in mind, that the task of administering this govern- ment well, is large enough, and difficult enough, to require the aid and co-operation of all good citizens.
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The first thought of every individual, as well as the most important duty of every magistrate, at the present period, relates to our unhappy, distracted, but still all the more beloved country, so suffering from the selfish- ness, and folly, and wrath of man, so smitten by the chastisements of God. Another year has passed, and still no gleam of light shines through the thick gloom which envelopes the future, to point the way to peace and union. But, sad and disheartening as is the present condition of things, with enormous and increasing debts everywhere, city, state, and national, inevitable finan- cial collapse and prostration of business, at no distant day staring us in the face, our young men, the true wealth of the state, sacrificed wholly in vain, the coun- try apparently drifting, if not madly and wilfully driven to ruin , it still becomes us to meet the crisis like men, not weakly despair and succumb to it like children What we have no power to prevent, let us at least do what we may to remedy and make endurable. We
have still homes to be made happy and kept pure, business and material interests to be fostered and sus- tained, all the more for the dangers that threaten them, institutions of learning and morality and religion to be cherished, a city, whose continued growth and honor and prosperity is to be secured, a country, for which we cannot and will not despair.
THE WAR.
As in the beginning, so at each successive call of the President, with unquestioned, unhesitating loyalty, our
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city has contributed its full share of men and means to aid the government in asserting itsrightful supremacy over the rebellious states, and in 'supporting the con- stitution of the country and the nationality of its peo- ple.' There is scarce a battle field on the Potomac or in the Peninsula that has not witnessed the heroism and endurance of our glorious 15th and 21st regiments, each of them organized here, and each containing a company from this city. Our own 25th, so largely composed of our townsmen, has shown its gallantry at Roanoke and Newbern, and more recently, nobly aided by the 51st, at Kinston and Goldsboro. The 34th, now patiently discharging an equally important duty, waits but an opportunity to perform like brilliant ex- ploits.
The whole number of volunteers furnished by the city, exclusive of three months men, is 1620, which is our full proportion, according to population, of an army from this state of 80,000 men. While justly proud of the patriotism of our people, we have thus far, thanks to a merciful Providence, experienced comparatively little of those saddest realities of war which have fallen so heavily upon other communities. Much individual suffering and woe has been endured, many most pre- cious lives have been sacrificed, but as a community we have been wonderfully spared. Of the whole number who have volunteered, we have the names of less than thirty of our citizens who have died or been killed in the service.
The number of volunteers who have enlisted during the last year is between 650 and 700. The number still required to complete our quota on the 18th of
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December last was variously stated "from 69 to 96, according as credit is given or withheld for our former surplus. The draft, already several times postponed, is now appointed to take place on the 8th of January, which is Thursday of the present week. The bounty of $100 for each volunteer entering the service was continued by the last city council to that day, but has been of but little or no avail. It is to be earnestly hoped that by some means, we shall be spared the painful spectacle of a draft in this city.
The whole amount of bounty paid by the city is $63,500. Other expenses incidental to enlistments, about $1000. Amount of state aid furnished to fami- lies of volunteers, about $30,000-making the total expenditures of the year, on account of the war, $94,- 500. There was expended in 1861, $14,500-making the whole war expenditures to the present time, $109,000.
By the Statute of 1862, chapter 66, cities and towns are authorized to apply one dollar per week in aid of the wife, each child and parent of, and dependent upon any volunteer private or non-commissioned officer, who forms part of the quota of such city or town, when there is a necessity for it, to an amount not exceeding twelve dollars per month, for one family, which amount is to be annually reimbursed from the state treasury,
Of the above sums, $6,769 have already been re- funded by the state, for money paid by the city in 1861; being less than one-half the amount actually expended. The additional sum of $30,000 advanced as state aid during the last year, is a just claim, the most or all of which should, and probably will be
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9
allowed-leaving as the actual expenditures on account of the war, chargeable to the city, $71,831.
Not a dollar of this large sum has been raised by tax, but the whole amount constitutes a debt, for the payment of which, provision is yet to be made.
The number of families receiving state aid in the city at the present time, is 525, and the monthly payment amounts to, and may slightly exceed $4,000.
The duties connected with the raising and enlistment of our large quota of volunteers, and the distribution of relief to so many families, have been extremely la- borious and responsible. Possibly slight mistakes may have been made, and impositions have been practiced ; yet I feel that I am but doing my duty, when I express my opinion, formed from examination, of the energetic, just, kind and discriminating manner in which these duties have been discharged during the past year.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
The prosperous condition of our public schools, as indicated by full and punctual attendance, by improv- ed order and discipline, by less frequent changes in the corps of teachers, and by greater economy in the cost, while not reducing the standard of education, furnishes satisfactory proof of the efficient and judicious manage- ment of the superintendent, co-operating with the school committee and teachers. The office of superin- tendent of the schools was created in 1855 ; the present incumbent was elected in 1859 : the school committee was made a permanent body in 1858. Time enough has now elapsed, since these important changes were made, to test their effect upon the system.
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The average annual cost per scholar, for the four years 1856, 7, 8, and 9, was $11,36. The av- erage annual cost for the years 1860, 1, and 2, in- cluding the salary of the superintendent, has been a fraction less than $10. For the last year it has been $9.46. If each scholar in 1862 had cost $11.36, the expenditures of the department would have been $41,- 725, or $5,974 more than the sum actually expended. The appropriation for the support of our schools in 1862
was .. ..
",
.. $37,500.00
Received from the state school fund .. .. .. 873.71
From other sources . .. .. 18.00
Total resources .. ..
.. ..
.. $38,391.71
In addition to this, there was a special appropriation of $4,500, to pay a debt contracted for the new Salem street school house. The expenses have been,
For salaries of teachers and superintendent .. $27,588.12
For fuel, books, repairs, sweeping, &c.
..
.. 7,074.06
For improvement on Sycamore St. house .. .. 888.24
For rent of Temple street house .. ..
.. 200.0
Total ..
..
$35,750.42
Leaving an unexpended balance of $2, 641.29
The property of the city in the school houses is valued at $160,000. The annual expense of keeping it in good condition is estimated at not less than two per cent, or $3,200.
The number of schools in the city is 62, of which 50 are in the centre district, and 12 are suburban. Two have been established during the last year. The num- ber of school houses is 24, equally divided between the centre and suburban districts. In addition to these, a building on Temple street is temporarily leased by the
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city, at an annual rent of $300. The twenty-five houses are provided with seats for 4340 scholars.
The whole number of children who have received in- struction during the whole or a part of the year is 5771. The average number belonging to the schools- that is, the number to whom seats are assigned, and who are expected to occupy them-is 4201, while the average daily attendance has been but 3673. The ratio of increase in each of these three classes over 1861 has been nearly uniform, and within a fraction of 6 per cent, which is also the exact ratio of the in- crease of the expenditures for 1862 over the preceding year.
The whole number of teachers now employed in the public schools is 83-6 males and 77 females. Three have been added during the last year. The uniform and steady increase in the growth of the city has ren- dered it necessary annually to increase the number of schools and teachers, and thus has made necessary a corresponding increase of expenditures. If this growth continues, as there is reason to expect and hope, the city will soon be obliged to furnish additional school room accommodations. Already in the center district, the average attendance of scholars exceeds the number of seats 249. By the leasing of the building on Tem- ple street, this excess has temporarily been reduced to 60. The inconvenience and discomforts of teachers, parents and children, from the crowded condition of the schools in the East Worcester district and in the Pleasant street building, are such, that the necessity of increased school accommodations in these sections of the city is universally acknowledged. Yet, great as the
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want is, I do not understand it to be such that it can- not be provided for by temporary expedients, if the greater economy of building or regard to the condition of the public finances, and the necessity of large ap- propriations on account of the war, make it for the interest of the city to postpone all contracts for building to another year.
With the present internal condition of the schools, I have not sufficient acquaintance to be able to form or express an opinion. The last report of the superintend- ent states, that notwithstanding the progress already made, and the present good condition of the schools, neither the committee nor the teachers propose to rest satisfied, but will labor to correct all possible defects of system, to enlarge the range and elevate the standard of education, so that our public schools may continue to be, as they have been, alike the glory and the bless- ing of the community.
PUBLIC LIBRARY.
The operations of the Public Library continue to show its efficacy as an agency for the diffusion of knowledge through the community. During the last year it has been open to the public two hundred and fifty-seven days. The whole number of books deliver- ed, has been 58,182, making a daily average of 226 1-2 volumes. During the one hundred and thirty days in 1861, immediately preceding the removal of the library from Foster street, the daily delivery of books was 225 1-2 The actual number of borrowers is about
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4000, although a much greater number of names are upon the list. This inconsiderable increase in the use of the library is undoubtedly in a measure owing to the absence of many who are accustomed to use it, at the seat of war, and the employment of many others at home in providing for the comfort and necessities of the army. Still it cannot be reasonably expected, that with our present population, the use of the circulating department of the library will be materially increased. By the very proper rules of the trustees, fifteen years has been adopted as the required age of the book borrowers. The number of children in our schools of that age is probably somewhat less than 20 per cent of the whole number of names upon the reg- ister, and will not much, if any, exceed one thousand. This will leave nearly three thousand as the number of adults and persons who have left school, who habitually take books from the library, while the number who read them must be much greater. In
consequence of the heavy burdens imposed upon our citizens and government by the war, no provision was made for the increase of the library during the year. The circulating department has had an addition of only two hundred volumes by purchase, and eight hundred volumes have been added by gift to the Green Library, for the greater part of which we are indebted to the liberality of its generous founder. So small an addi- tion to the circulating library scarcely makes good its depreciation by use.
The appropriation for the library in 1862, to include the cost of fencing and grading the lot, was $3000 ; for the payment of the library debt, $4000; total $7000.
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The present insurance on this property is represented as insufficient, and should be increased without delay.
The slovenly and unfinished condition of the grounds about the library building are in strange contrast with the methodical neatness and even elegance of every- thing within. The literal construction of the ordinance relating to the library might perhaps leave room for doubt, whether the city council had parted with the control of such merely outside arrangements as grade, fences, and sidewalks-matters which pertain quite as much to the highways as to the library. At all events, there should be entire harmony of counsel and action between the city council and the trustees. It is now too late to remedy the exceedingly faulty location of the building. The approach to it might possibly be somewhat improved, but it is easily accessible, conven- ient, and not particularly offensive to good taste. I do not think it expedient for the city to expend several hundred, perhaps a thousand dollars to alter it. An immaterial difference of opinion upon this point, should not longer be an excuse for the present discreditable appearance of these grounds.
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
The fire department under its present able manage- ment, was never, as I learn, in a better condition of discipline and efficiency. Entire harmony prevails throughout the organization. Sharing in the general desire that no unnecessary demands upon the public treasury, at the present time, should lessen the means
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applicable for the comfort of our brave volunteers, the engineers have practised every economy consistent with the efficiency of the department. Notwithstanding the discouragements under which they labored, by reason of the strong appeals to the firemen to join the army, by the united efforts of officers and men, the ranks have been kept full. Since the 1st of May last, one-third of the public spirited young men who, at that time, composed this force, with their natural and character- istic impulse to rush where the danger is greatest, and where their services are most needed, have volunteer- ed in the army, helping to complete the quota of this city.
The city council by a recent order, have authorized the purchase of a second steam fire engine. It will be necessary for you, having in co-operation with the en- gineers fixed upon a proper location, to provide a house for it, and to do and provide whatever else may be nec- essary to put it in working order. The engineers urge upon the city government the necessity of a further and reliable supply of water. They also represent that there is still a deficiency of leading hose.
The department now consists of seven engines and two hundred and fifty men, organized into ten compa- nies, engine, hose, hook and ladder, inclusive. There have been thirty-eight alarms of fire during the year, and the amount of property destroyed is estimated from $50,000 to $60,000. A large proportion of the fires have been of barns, many of which were in the suburban districts, so remote, that before the depart- ment could reach them, the fire had accomplished its work, or was entirely beyond control. Most of these
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fires have been the work of incendiaries. The appro- priation for the department in 1862, was $11,500.
In consequence of its peculiar organization, commenc- ing and closing its accounts in the month of May, the ex- penditures cannot now be stated. It is believed, how- ever, that they will not exceed the appropriation. In his last annual report, the chief engineer advised an al teration of the charter incorporating the Worcester Fire Department, so that the fireman's year should com- mence with the municipal year. I fully concur in the opinion expressed by that officer, that it would be for the public convenience, and promote the harmony of our system of municipal government, to have all its departments commence operations, and open and close their annual accounts, as nearly as possible at the same time.
THE WATER QUESTION.
The subject of a further supply of water will be brought before you at an early day, in a manner that will demand your most careful consideration. A peti- tion, already numerously signed by many of the leading capitalists and business men of the city, of every trade, party, and occupation, representing several millions of our taxable property, waits but the complete organiza- tion of the government to be presented to you. The necessity of a further supply of water, at some not far distant day, is universally acknowledged. Almost every city government for the last ten years has had the subject presented to it, in some form ; but for want of time, or alarmed at the magnitude of the work, and
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the labor and responsibility of those who should have it in charge, has shrunk from the undertaking. The matter has been passed by from year to year, for a more favorable time, until the city debt should be reduced, or the work could be accomplished more economically, or until the public could decide between the various schemes that have been proposed ; and now the city debt is nearly doubled, with scarcely a hope of its speedy reduction, labor is scarce and high, materials dear, and still the demand for water is more urgent than ever. All of my predecessors, who, while admitting the ne- cessity of introducing water at some future time, have advocated postponement, now, without exception; join in asking for immediate action.
I do not fully realize the urgency of this demand upon sanitary considerations, or for the more econom- ical domestic arrangements or personal comforts of the inhabitants of a city where pure water, though hard, is so easily obtained sufficient for such purposes ; but so far as it is required to furnish increased facilities for business, or to afford ample protection to property, it is for the interest of every citizen, wherever he may be located, at any reasonable cost, to furnish it. One of the first and most beneficial effects of a supply of pure soft water, will be the introduction of small me- chanical establishments all over the city, which are now of necessity concentrated in special localities. Personally, I am one of those who have no direct inter- est in the subject. Located outside of the circle that would be reached by the distributive pipes, and amply supplied from other sources, I can derive no benefit from it except in the greater security and prosperity of
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the public ; but we cannot, if we would, separate our- selves from the great heart of the city.
During the last two or three months no dependence has been or could be placed upon the supply of water in Bell Pond for protection against even an ordinary fire. We may well dread to contemplate the limits or the consequences of an extensive conflagration in a wooden-built city like ours, when once beyond the con- trol of our gallant firemen, for want of an adequate supply of water.
If you shall think that the necessity exists, and that the introduction of water is merely a question of time, then, 'alarming as is the financial condition of the city, I know not when the time will be better. If the cost of the work is to be greater than the benefit to be re- ceived, it should never be done at all. If, on the con- trary, it will give increased value and security to prop- erty, stimulate industry, give health and comfort to our citizens far beyond the expense, then the work cannot be undertaken too soon. No enterprise of this magni- tude should be commenced, without a very general and concurrent public sentiment in its favor. It will be for you to determine, whether you will cause such addition- al surveys, and such thorough examination to be made, as will enable the citizens to form an intelligent opinion, and come to a final decision upon the subject.
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