USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Worcester > Town annual reports of the several departments for the fiscal year ending December 31, 1879 > Part 1
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WORCESTER PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 8139 0129 6553 1
Worcester Free Public Library
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CITY DOCUMENT, NO. 34.
VALEDICTORY ADDRESS OF HON. C. B. PRATT,
ADDRESS OF
MON. FRANK M. KELLEY,
MAYOR OF THE CITY OF WORCESTER, JAN. 5, 1880;
WITH THE
ANNUAL REPORTS
OF THE SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS,
FOR THE
FINANCIAL YEAR ENDING NOV. 30, 1879.
WORCESTER: PRESS OF SNOW, WOODMAN & COMPANY, 47 MAIN STREET.
352, 07443
W922c v. 34 1879
INDEX.
VALEDICTORY ADDRESS OF HON. C. B. PRATT,
5
MAYOR'S ADDRESS, 19
AUDITOR'S REPORT, 37
CITY TREASURER'S REPORT, 41
44
SCHEDULE OF CITY PROPERTY, ·
104
REPORT OF COMMISSIONERS OF SINKING FUNDS,
107 ·
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON ACCOUNTS, .
110
CITY CLERK'S REPORT,
113 .
COMMISSIONERS OF PUBLIC GROUNDS, .
114
REPORT OF JOINT STANDING COMMITTEE ON WATER, ·
138
REPORT OF WATER COMMISSIONER,
140
REPORT OF CITY ENGINEER TO JOINT STANDING COMMITTEE ON WATER, 146 4
REPORT OF WATER REGISTRAR, .
148
SCHOOL REPORT, 151 .
SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS,
228
REPORT OF CITY ENGINEER,
245
CITY HOSPITAL,
253
OVERSEERS OF POOR, 274 .
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON TRUANT SCHOOL,
294 ·
REPORT OF CITY PHYSICIAN,
296
HOPE CEMETERY,
237
FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY,
·
300
REPORT OF INSPECTOR OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES, ·
328
REPORT OF MILK INSPECTOR, . 331 .
'REPORT OF BOARD OF HEALTH, .
333
COMMISSIONER OF HIGHWAYS, 341 ·
REPORT OF CHIEF ENGINEER OF FIRE DEPARTMENT, ·
355
REPORT OF CITY MARSHAL, .
· 404
APPENDIX.
CITY GOVERNMENT AND OFFICERS FOR 1880, . .
1 SALARIES,
12
·
APPROPRIATIONS FOR 1880, 13 .
.
·
·
·
.
REPORT OF TREASURER OF TRUST FUNDS,
VALEDICTORY ADDRESS
OF
HON. CHAS. B. PRATT,
MAYOR OF THE CITY OF WORCESTER, MASS.
DECEMBER 29, 1879.
REMARKS AND RESOLUTIONS.
CITY OF WORCESTER, IN CITY COUNCIL, Dec. 29, 1879.
Ordered, That a Convention of the two branches of the City Council be held this evening, at 8 o'clock, for the purpose of listening to a Valedictory address from His Honor, the Mayor.
In pursuance of the above order, the City Council being in Convention, Alderman Marsh addressed the Mayor as follows :
MR. MAYOR :- As we are assembled here in Convention to listen to a review of the labors of your three years' administration, it has seemed to us fitting and proper to present and place upon record resolutions expressive of our appreciation of your faithful services as Mayor, and in so doing we are happy to believe that we represent a large constituency. That such an expression of our views will be acceptable to you, we feel assured.
In concluding, he offered the following resolutions, and moved their adoption :
Resolved, That we, members of the City Council of Worcester, in joint convention assembled, hereby desire to express to His Honor, Mayor Pratt, and to place upon record, our sense of the value of his services as Mayor, and also to convey to him the assurance of our friendly personal regard.
Resolved, That we bear willing testimony to his rare executive ability, to his punctual and constant attendance at all meetings, to his uniform courtesy of manner, and to his marked success in the dispatch of public business.
2
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CITY DOCUMENT .- NO. 34.
Resolved, That we extend to him our best wishes for his future welfare, and entertain the hope that the remembrance of the pleasant relations which have existed between us will long be tenderly cherished.
Alderman Kelly seconding the resolutions, addressed the convention as follows :
MR. MAYOR :- I rise to second the motion made by Alderman Marsh. I sincerely and cordially endorse the sentiments of the resolutions, which, I believe, express the feelings of every member of the Convention. To have served Worcester as its Chief Magistrate for so many years, acceptably to its citizens, is a distinction of which you have reason to be proud. In retir- ing from office you carry with you the respect and good wishes of all. I cannot say that I do not envy you in the relief you will experience in throw- ing off the burden and responsibility which have been upon you so long. How well those who are about to assume them will succeed, time will tell. You have my personal regard and good wishes for your future health and happiness.
MR. MAYOR :- I desire at this time to offer my hearty support of the reso- lutions before us, and, as the resolutions, and what has already been said upon them, express my feelings so much better than any words of mine can do, I will simply say Amen to the whole.
The President of the Common Council, Mr. Boyden, spoke as follows :
MR. MAYOR :- The resolutions presented by Alderman Marsh perhaps ex- press in language more concise and impressive than I can use, the sentiments which we, as members of the City Council, desire to convey to his Honor, the Mayor, at this time, but I cannot forbear to add my word of congratula- tion and good will to what has already been said. I congratulate you, then, Mr. Mayor, upon the completion of three successive terms of official duty in a manner able to draw from your opponents even, as well as friends, the commendation of having been a faithful, earnest and capable chief magis- trate. Those of us who retire from official position with the close of the year, can congratulate ourselves that it has fallen to our lot to be connected, in however humble a manner, with an administration which, I trust, it will not be considered egotistical to say, will be written in the history of the city as successful, honest and economical; and no one knows better than we, his associates, that the success attending the conduct of municipal affairs has been largely due to the ability, the promptness and fidelity with which His Honor, the Mayor, has performed the duties of his office.
Citizens generally are prompt to call the Mayor responsible for any mal-ad- ministration of city affairs, whether it occur in departmental work or in the Council Chamber, but are not so ready to see the hand which guides the mu- nicipal machine when it runs smoothly and without friction, performing in a quiet, effective manner, its allotted task of serving the public with good government.
7
VALEDICTORY ADDRESS.
We then, in placing upon record our appreciation of the manner His Honor, Mayor Pratt, has served the city for the past year, as expressed in the lan- guage of the resolutions, do no more than an act of justice, and I believe every member of the Common Council will concur with me in this expression and in the adoption of the resolutions.
Councilman Thayer then addressed the Convention, and said :
I take pleasure in rising to further endorse the spirit and sentiment of these resolutions. Having been connected, in a humble capacity, with the city government since the time you were first inaugurated Mayor, I feel that my intimate acquaintance with your administration fits me to pass judgment upon it as one pre-eminently distinguished for ability, impartiality, and honesty.
You, sir, was called to the administration of the affairs of this city at a time when its financial condition was assuming an alarming aspect. Our city at that time had a valuation in real and personal estate of less than $50,000.000 ; a population of less than 50,000, and yet, for sewer construction, the introduction of water works, the building of school houses and other public buildings necessary in a great and flourishing city like ours, we had incurred an indebtedness of $250,000 of money.
The excessive rainfalls and floods had a little while previous filled our reservoir beyond its capacity, the defectively constructed dam gave way, and the mad waters rushed down past houses and villages, mills, railroads and bridges, carrying destruction and devastation in their course. The people of this city awoke upon that Spring morning to learn that by the breaking of the Lynde Brook Dam there was an additional claim of two hundred thousand dollars for damages against our city. The parties injured by the loss of property were none too amiable, and were not backward in their threats and demands for speedy payments and full compensation.
This was the condition of things when you was first inaugurated. The exigencies of the times and occasion demanded keen foresight, wise discrim- ination, strong executive ability, and above all, a good judge of human nature. About this time there came up from the eastern and southern portion of our city, an earnest appeal for better drainage, and a more complete sewerage. By the previous system of sewerage, the highlands upon the north and west had perfect sewerage, but the filth was deposited upon the flats of the eastern portion of the city, creating cesspools around, from which emenated foul, unwholesome and nauseating vapors and gases, breeding miasma and disease.
Here was an imperative demand for a necessary public improvement. There must be some outlet for this sewage in order that the health and life of the people in this section might be preserved, and their property protected. This sewer has been partially completed at an expense of $200,000, and the debt funded at a low rate of interest.
Foster street has been extended at a cost of more than a hundred thousand dollars. All of these extra expenditures have been incurred at a time of great financial and business depression which our city has passed through in
CITY DOCUMENT .- NO. 34.
common with the rest of the country. And in these depressed times our people demanded that the tide of indebtedness running out from the city should be stemmed, and instead of getting deeper into debt, we should turn short about and begin to pay off the indebtedness. To do this, without increasing the rate of taxation, required no little financial executive ability. But, sir, under your three years administration, I am happy to be able to state, this desired end has been obtained, and the credit of the City of Worcester stands among the first of the Cities in New England.
The recommendation for true economy, and a careful watchfulness over the expenditures of the people's money, which has been incorporated in your several messages to the City Council, coupled with the hearty co-operation of those associated with you, has gone far toward bringing about this desired end.
In your first inaugural you promised your best services and most constant attention to the duties of your high office, to the end that this city of ours might be well and economically governed, with honesty, frugality, and impartiality. How well you have kept that promise, then made, let the voice of the increased majorities with which you have been twice returned to your high office, tell.
Councilman O'Gorman addressed the Convention as follows :
MR. MAYOR, AND GENTLEMEN OF THE CONVENTION :- It is indeed a pleas- ure to me at this time to add my tribute to this offering in honor of our worthy and highly esteemed chief executive officer. I can fully endorse every sentiment that has been uttered by the gentlemen who have preceded me, and add thereto; for certain circumstances have brought me more than once to His Honor as the supplicant for those who could not, from the very nature of their unfortunate condition, speak for themselves; in no case were their wants ignored, but at many times their wants have been provided for by his own direct order. An incident that bespeaks his character more forcibly than any language of mine, transpired at a meeting of one of the committees of the City Council, of which I have the honor to be a member. It is this : A somewhat perplexing question was under consideration; vari- ous methods were suggested looking to its adjustment. After much deliber- ation by the gentlemen of the committee, His Honor remarked : " Gentlemen, our first duty is to find out what is right, and having found that out, to do it, no matter who is pleased or displeased." To this striking trait of his char- acter more than to anything, is due the great success of his administration. Add to this his strict attention to duty, his kindness to all, his firmness in emergency, his constant care for the best interests of this city and her peo- ple, and it may be truly said he leaves the charge given him by his fellow citizens with a consciousness of having done his duty, and may well say : " I have served the State, and merited these kind words said of me by those who were associated with ine in the discharge of her affairs."
At the conclusion of Councilman O'Gorman's address, the resolutions were unanimously adopted by a rising vote.
9
VALEDICTORY ADDRESS.
The Mayor responded as follows :
Gentlemen of the City Council :
I thank you most sincerely for your approbation of my official conduct, which you have been pleased to embody in the resolu- tions just passed. I shall value the expression of it all the more highly, coming, as it does, at the close of so long a continuous service.
In addition to the constant and exacting duties of the office of Mayor, and the responsibility which attaches to it, the trials, the petty annoyances and the wearisome perplexities which surround it, and which must be encountered, are far more numerous and more burdensome than anyone who has not held the office can well imagine. No one can fully appreciate them until he has fairly grappled with them. And while I express to you my gratitude for this mark of your kindness, you will permit me to say, that whatever measure of success I may have achieved in the discharge of my duties, must be attributed in a great degree to your uniform kindness, and your unwavering support in the whole course of my official relations. Without the encouragement and assistance which I have at all times received from you, and from the co-ordinate branches of the · Government, I feel that my labors would not have been marked with that degree of success which you have been kind enough to accord to them.
In taking leave of the position which, by the kindness of our fellow citizens, I have occupied for the three years past, it will not be deemed impertinent in me, perhaps, to pass briefly in review some of the more important measures which have come up for consideration and action during that time, and the work which has been accomplished. Such a review is due to you as well as myself, and certainly nothing can be more fitting or more appropriate, than that we should render an account of our stewardship to our constituents, in surrendering to them the trust which they have, with such generous confidence, thrice committed to us.
When the Government of eighteen hundred and seventy- seven entered upon its duties, it met, at the very threshold,
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CITY DOCUMENT .- NO. 34.
several very important matters demanding immediate attention, which came, naturally enough, from former administrations. The. existence of such a state of things, while it imposed great labor and heavy responsibility upon the new administration, reflected no discredit upon our immediate predecessors. At the same time, they were matters which required decisive action, and called for the exercise of all the prudence and address at our command.
The first and most pressing of these questions came from the department having charge of the works for supplying the city with water. The extensive work of reconstructing and restor- ing the Lynde Brook dam was approaching completion. The expense attending it was necessarily heavy, and had been pro- vided for by our predecessors. But the damages resulting from the destruction of the old dam, for which we were to provide the means of payment, assumed more formidable proportions. The difficulties to be encountered in the adjustment of the nu- merous claims growing out of the disaster, promised to be of the gravest character, requiring the most judicious management. Under the direction of eminent legal authority, the question of the liability of the city to make good the losses occasioned, di- rectly or indirectly, by the breaking away of the reservoir dam, was waived. Upon this point, under the circumstances, there seemed to be no necessity for litigation. It only remained for us, therefore, to secure the most favorable terms for the city that we could, from the various claimants. In many cases we were met in a conciliatory spirit by those whose property had been destroyed or damaged, or whose business had been seri- ously interrupted by the accident. In other cases, long and tedious negotiations followed. But in all the claims but one, of any consequence, the adjustment has been effected with the parties themselves, and without a resort to legal proceedings. The final settlement has been made in nearly all cases, and upon such terms as must, I think, commend themselves to the good sense of our citizens, as being favorable to the interests of the city, and at the same time as doing substantial justice to the claimants themselves. The whole amount paid out for these damages is $179,857.81 ; in addition to this there has been paid
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VALEDICTORY ADDRESS.
out for pumping, labor on the dam, and an old claim of the Crompton Carpet Company, the sum of $15,516.66.
Besides the large expenditures just enumerated, sums to the amount of $24,180.32 have been paid for extending the water mains in different directions, and in different parts of the city, in some instances for affording a supply to new takers, and in others for making connections to promote circulation, thereby rendering the supply purer and more desirable for consumers. And I believe I hazard nothing in saying, that at no time have the means of supplying the inhabitants of the city with water been more complete, or in better order and condition than they are at present.
The care and maintenance of the streets, sidewalks and high- ways, in a city like ours, demand of us constant watchfulness and a large public expenditure. The work in this department is never finished, and the demand for new work and improve- ments never ceases. In addition to the ordinary work of the department, we have had upon our hands the vexed question of the Foster Street Extension. We were obliged to take the matter and deal with it as we found it. As the event proved, we had no choice. Before it reached us, the question had, from time to time, assumed different forms ; and, although we sought to relieve the city of the burden which its construction would necessarily bring with it, our efforts in that direction were wholly fruitless. We were forced to yield, in compliance with a mandate from the Court, and execute the work. The street has been constructed at an expense of $109,667.52. The bet- terments have been assessed, and in some cases been adjusted by the abuttors. Whether the advantage to be derived by our citizens from the work, will prove to be what the friends of the project claimed for it, time only can determine. We have done what devolved upon us in as economical and prudent a manner as circumstances would allow; and I can only hope that our successors will experience less trouble and annoyance in dis- posing of whatever questions, growing out of this enterprise, may remain to be adjusted, than has fallen to our lot.
A portion of Main Street has been re-paved during the pres- ent year ; and upon other streets, in different parts of the city,
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CITY DOCUMENT .- NO. 34.
improvements, extraordinary in their character, have been made during the three years now just ending, at an expense of nearly thirty thousand dollars. I believe we leave no important work in this department, for those who come after us, with the excep- tion of what may be required in the completion of Quinsiga- mond Avenue.
By far the largest expenditure that has been made during our term of service, in the way of public improvements, has been in the construction of the Island Sewer. The execution of this work had been postponed from year to year, by succes- sive administrations, upon the highly proper plea of economy, until necessity would admit the plea no longer. Sanitary con- siderations imperatively demanded some relief for the Island District, from the accumulation of sewerage flowing to it from other parts of the city. It became our duty to inaugurate and carry out this important work. The time at which the enter- prise was undertaken, and has been carried forward, has, in some respects, been highly favorable. Materials of all kinds needed about it were cheap, and labor was abundant. And, although the manner of conducting the work, by placing it un- der the immediate charge of the Sewer Department, has received some criticism, as was to be anticipated, I think the final re- sult, judging it in all its bearings, will fully demonstrate the wisdom of the course adopted. The work has been done in the most thorough and substantial manner, in all respects, and in such a manner as will render any material outlay upon it, for a long time in the future, wholly unnecessary. The city may well be congratulated upon the successful accomplishment of so important a public improvement. The whole expense incurred amounts to $203,066.53. That portion of Millbury Street loca- ted over the sewer has been graded and completed, and is now open to public travel.
The other works of this department have been the occasional construction of sewers in different localities, as the convenience of our citizens, and the public health seemed to demand, and the ordinary care of the sewers, generally. So far as my knowledge goes, I am not aware of any important work that this department will be called upon for, in the immediate fu-
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VALEDICTORY ADDRESS.
ture, beyond what construction may be needed for utilizing the Island Sewer, just completed, and that required for afford- ing relief to the abuttors on the Front Street Sewer.
But with all these extraordinary expenses, amounting to up- wards of half a million of dollars, crowded, as they have been, into a space of three years, the volume of our public indebted- ness has not been perceptibly increased. Nor has this been accomplished by the imposition of excessive or unusually heavy taxes. The rate of taxation for these three years, will com- care favorably with that of any other three consecutive years, for a comparatively long period of our municipal history. And, when we bear in mind that these three years, just passed, pover a period of universal depression in business, many of the more important branches of our industry being virtually para- lyzed, and that this has all been effected without any perceptible addition to the burdens of taxation, or any noteworthy embar- assment to our people, and that, too, under a constantly decreasing valuation of taxable property, the city may well be congratulated upon the success which has attended your labors and efforts.
By the courtesy of our City Treasurer, I am able to present the following statement, which shows at a glance, the condition of our city finances as they were when we received our charge, and as they are when we leave it. It carries with it its own explanation.
Nov. 30, 1876.
Nov. 30, 1877.
Nov. 30, 1878.
Nov. 30, 1879.
Total Debt.
$2,492,300 00 150,158 44
$2,509,200 00 220,338 98
$2,507,100 00
$2,542,300 00
Cash Assets
163,478 59
187,136 36
$2,342,141 96
$2,288,861 02
$2,343,621 41
$2,355,163 64
By refering to the foregoing figures it will be observed that during the last three financial years, ending November 30, 1879, there has been a net increase of the city debt, amounting in all to the sum of $13,021.68. During the same period, city indebt- edness amounting to $650,000.00, and bearing interest, for the 3
14
CITY DOCUMENT .- NO. 34.
most part, at the rates of six and seven per cent., has been paid, and new loans to the amount of $700,000.00, and bearing interest at the rate of five per cent., have been negotiated at an average premium of $4.27 above par. The difference, namely $50,000.00, represents the exact increase of our gross city indebtedness since November 30, 1876. The present funded debt comprises bonds at five per cent. amounting to $733,000.00, and bonds at six per cent., amounting to $1,809,000.00. There is no floating debt now outstanding.
On the 30th of November, 1879, the several sinking funds of the City, amounted to $94,737.46. Of this amount the sum of $20,120.57 is held for the redemption of old City debt outstand- ing in 1875, and the balance to meet the funded indebtedness created during the last three years. Since the 30th of Novem- ber 1876, the city has contributed to the several sinking funds, exclusive of the unexpended balances etc. of 1879, the liberal sum of $391,193.85, out of which amount the Commissioners have paid, in cash, the sum of $350,000.00, towards liquidating our funded debt maturing in 1877, 1878 and 1879. The further sum of $79,057.73, comprising revenue derived from certain special assessments and sundry unexpended balances, will be payable to the commissioners early in January 1880, as an addi- tional contribution to the several funds now in their hands.
It is certainly a gratifying feature of our financial condition, that our bonds are readily taken up in the market for invest- ment, and always command a handsome premium. I hope this is a feature we shall be able to boast of as long as we have any indebtedness at all. At the same time I trust it will never prove a sufficient temptation for any future administration to make material additions to our permanent debt which would otherwise be avoided.
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