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CITY DOCUMENT, No. 35.
ADDRESS .
OF
HON. FRANK H. KELLEY,
MAYOR OF THE CITY OF WORCESTER, JAN. 3, 1881 ;
WITH THE
ANNUAL REPORTS
OF THE SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS, FOR THE
FINANCIAL YEAR ENDING NOV. 30, 1880.
WORCESTER, MASS .: PRESS OF BLANCHARD & WILSON, No. 199 FRONT STREET.
R 352.07443 W9226 v. 35 1880
INDEX.
MAYOR'S ADDRESS, .
5
CITY TREASURER'S REPORT, 33
REPORT OF TREASURER OF TRUST FUNDS, 37
AUDITOR'S REPORT, .
41
SCHEDULE OF CITY PROPERTY, 111
REPORT OF COMMISSIONERS OF SINKING FUNDS, 116
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON FINANCE, . 119
CITY CLERK'S REPORT, 123 COMMISSIONERS OF PUBLIC GROUNDS, . 125
REPORT OF JOINT STANDING COMMITTEE ON WATER, . 165
REPORT OF WATER COMMISSIONER, . 168
REPORT OF CITY ENGINEER TO JOINT STANDING COMMITTEE ON WATER, 180
REPORT OF WATER REGISTRAR, 182
SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS, . 261
HOPE CEMETERY, . 275
REPORT OF CITY ENGINEER, . 284 CITY HOSPITAL, 292
OVERSEERS OF POOR, 315
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON TRUANT SCHOOL, 334
REPORT OF CITY PHYSICIAN, . 337 FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY, . 340
REPORT OF BOARD OF HEALTH, 373
COMMISSIONER OF HIGHWAYS, . 379
REPORT OF CHIEF ENGINEER OF FIRE DEPARTMENT, . 390
REPORT OF CITY MARSHAL, . 449
APPENDIX.
CITY GOVERNMENT AND OFFICERS FOR 1881, 1
SALARIES, . .
13
APPROPRIATIONS FOR 1881,
15
MAYOR'S ADDRESS.
Gentlemen of the Board of Aldermen,
and of the Common Council.
We have assembled this morning to organize the municipal government for the coming year, and to formally accept the trust which has been committed into our hands by the partiality of our fellow-citizens. They will naturally look to us to see that the varied interests of the city are faithfully cared for, and that the laws securing individual rights and privileges as well as the good order of society are administered in such a manner as to accomplish the object and end for which they were made. Let us proceed to execute this important trust cheerfully, and with a firm and conscientious purpose so to perform our respective duties as to meet the reasonable demands of all classes of our people. A broad and comprehensive view of the wants of the community for which we are acting, and a disposition to rise above our own prejudices and selfishness, should be expected of us all, the fact being constantly borne in mind that we are not chosen to specially guard the interests of any particular class or to carry out the notions of any particular body of men.
The genius and spirit of our republican institutions is to secure to every citizen the largest possible liberty to act and to think for himself consistent with the good order of society. There are two theories of government current in the world, the paternal and the individual, the former insisting that we should have every- thing done for us, the latter that we should do it for ourselves. It is easy enough to see from our own experience which of these two systems is best calculated to promote that intellectual devel-
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CITY DOCUMENT .- NO. 35.
opment upon which all progress must depend. Similar theories are in vogue with reference to the way in which to overcome and subdue evil in the world; one is that all external tempta- tions should be arbitrarily removed; the other that the tempta- tions themselves should be mastered. It ought not to be less easy to see which of the opposing theories does most to develop that individual character which constitutes the basis of all per- manent moral improvement in society. I need hardly add that, in this country, where, more than in any other, legislators are the exponents and the servants of the popular will, the progress toward improvement has, on this account, been greater than elsewhere. The world has very generally recognized the great truth, that some of the main conditions of the prosperity of a people are that its rulers shall have very little power, that they shall exercise that power very sparingly, and that they shall by no means presume to constitute themselves supreme judges of the common good, or deem themselves authorized to defeat the wishes of those for whose benefit alone they occupy the posts entrusted to them. I have thought it not improper at this time to thus briefly call your attention to some of the cardinal prin- ciples of government, in order that by so doing we may draw inspiration therefrom in the administration of our local affairs.
The powers conferred upon municipal corporations are wisely limited. Most of these powers are embodied in our charter and also in sundry statutes of the Commonwealth which have been printed in connection with the newly revised ordinances, and which I recommend to your careful perusal. They will be found useful and agreeable reading, and to the younger and less expe- rienced members of the Council the study of them will be absolutely necessary to the intelligent performance of their duties. It will be seen that our duties are largely administrative rather than legislative, and that in many things we are allowed great latitude of opinion, where much depends upon correct judgment and wise action. We shall often be called upon to decide questions of great importance affecting public and pri- vate interests where there is no special rule or precedent to guide us, and it is in matters of this kind that our powers will be
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MAYOR'S ADDRESS.
put to the severest test. In such cases an opinion formed hastily, upon insufficient data, or without proper knowledge, is liable to be erroneous, and to do great injustice to all parties concerned ; and, therefore, it behooves us to deliberately and carefully con- sider all matters presented for our consideration, to the end that our decision may be wise and just.
FINANCES.
During the financial year, ending November 30, 1880, the net city indebtedness was reduced from $2,355,163.64, in 1879, to $2,265,914.50, in 1880. These are the lowest figures that have been reached since the close of the year 1870. During the year 1871, as will be remembered by many of our citizens, the net city debt was increased by more than half a million dollars, and, at the end of that year, amounted to $2,373,615.03. It reached its maximum amount, viz .: $2,616,920.03, in 1873, and, since that year, it has been reduced about three hundred and fifty thousand dollars-more than one-fourth of this reduction having been made in 1880.
The following condensed statement will show the principal changes in our gross bonded indebtedness during the last finan- cial year :
Rate of intererst.
Outstanding Dec. 1, 1879.
Due and paid in 1880.
Balances.
New loans and renewals.
Outstanding Nov. 30, 1880,
Six per cent. Five Four & 12 pr. ct.
1,809,300.00 733,000.00
154,100.00 8,000.00
1,655,200.00 725,000.00
60,000.00 140,000.00
1,655,200.00 785,000.00 140,000.00
Totals.
2,542,300.00
162,100.00
2,380,200.00
200,000.00
2,580,200,00
Of the indebtedness outstanding Nov. 30, 1880, the sum of $1,867,000 was for funded city loans, $338,900 for funded sewer loans, and $374,300 for funded water loans. There was no float- ing debt outstanding at that date.
Of the $162,100 due in 1880, the sum of 22,100 was paid, in cash, by the Commissioners of the sinking funds, and the balance,
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CITY DOCUMENT .- NO. 35.
$140,000, from the proceeds of renewal bonds due in 1905. Of the $200,000 new bonds and renewals, two five per cent. loans, of $30,000 each, were taken by the Commissioners, early in the year, at par, these loans having ten and twenty years to run, re- spectively. The balance, $140,000, was borrowed on a twenty- five years four-and-one-half per cent. loan, and was placed at a premium of 63% above par.
Since the close of the last financial year another portion of our old six per cent. indebtedness, amounting to $500,000, has become due, and been paid and cancelled. To provide the funds needed to meet this indebtedness, four per cent. bonds, due April 1, 1905, were issued, under authority of the City Council, and the whole amount, $500,000, was taken at the satisfactory premium of 618% above par.
The condition of the several sinking funds of the city, as will be seen by the following table of aggregates, continues to im- prove from year to year.
On account of
Amount Dec. 1, 1879.
Receipts during year.
Totals.
Payments during year.
Balance Nov. 30, 1880.
Old debt, 1875, New debt,
$20,120.57 74,616.89
$74,167.63. 36,150.35
$94,288.20 110,767.24
$23,436.42 251.75
$70,851.78
110,515.49
Totals,
$91,737.46
$110,317.98
$205,055.44
$23,688.17
$181,367.27
Further contributions to the different funds, comprising certain unexpended balances of appropriations, the proceeds of sundry assessments, together with other authorized items from the revenue of 1880, and amounting, in all, to $103,062,45, have, within a few days, been paid over to the Commissioners, making the total amount in their hands, at the present time, $284,429.72. In con- sequence of this liberal contribution, $70,612.45 of which goes to the general debt sinking fund of 1875, the Commissioners will doubtless feel warranted in paying, at maturity, the balance of our old indebtedness due in 1881. In that event, no further renew- als of the old debt of 1875 will become necessary for several years to come-probably not before the first of July, 1885.
9
MAYOR'S ADDRESS.
The various trust funds in charge of the City Treasurer have been increased from $86,951.62 on the first day of December, 1879, to $110,003.30 on the thirtieth day of November, 1880. It will hardly be necessary for me to do more than call attention to this very gratifying exhibit, as the several boards and officials having the management of these funds will, in their annual reports to the City Council, furnish all the information that can be required.
In closing this necessarily very brief review of the finances of the city, I will simply refer you for further, and, of course, more minute details, to the annual reports of the Treasurer and Auditor, both of which will shortly be laid before you for your consider- ation. In this connection, I cannot forbear to say, and, from my experience during the past year, especially, to say it with con- siderable emphasis, that to the officials at the head of the important department of finance, as well as to the several officers, boards and committees who have so cordially co-operated with them in the economical management of the various interests committed to their charge, is due, to a far greater extent than the public generally is aware, the high financial standing, both within- and without this Commonwealth, which the City of Worcester now enjoys.
SCHOOLS.
The value and the necessity of popular education being admitted by all, it is the duty of the City Council to appropriate whatever sum is necessary for the maintenance of the schools on a liberal and comprehensive basis. The rapid growth of the city brings a large yearly increase in the number of pupils attending school. On the first of October last there were actually in school some eight hundred more pupils than at the same date the year before. It should be expected that the cost of main- taining the schools up to the present standard will be correspond- ingly increased from year to year. The amount appropriated for school purposes last year was $146,000, the unexpended balance of which, amounting to $1,972.03, was turned over to the sinking funds. For the coming year the committee ask for
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CITY DOCUMENT .- NO. 35.
$150,000 for school expenses. This request should be care- fully considered by you, and if that amount is found necessary it should be cheerfully furnished. Besides the expenditures for the schools it will be necessary to erect one or more school- houses during the present year. Already there is a demand. from the neighborhood of the Adriatic Mills and also at New Worcester. School-houses should be built whenever and wher- ever they are needed. The necessity for them grows out of the very prosperity of the city, and they will yield a good return.
During the last year an enlargement of the Oxford street school-house has been made at a cost of $16,122.33, including steam-heating apparatus, furniture, etc. The four new rooms. are equal to a new house, and the ward room finished off in the basement of the old building is one of the most commodious in the city. At Edgeworth street school-house a similar enlarge- ment of three rooms has been made at a cost of $5.535.02, including furniture. Both of these additions have been substan- tially built, without unnecessary ornamentation, but in good taste, and are thoroughly convenient.
After the necessary appropriations have been made for the schools your responsibility for them ceases. Their conduct and. internal management belong to the School Committee ; a body which, like ours, is responsible to its constituents. As parents and citizens, however, we all have a deep interest therein, meas- ured only by the natural affection which we have for our children. It is quite likely that the best method to be adopted in regulating the expenditure of the money appropriated for our schools has not yet been reached ; but this should be sought for with great carnestness until found. Instead of striving for the best method attainable it has sometimes seemed to me that. there was manifested in the school board a spirit of dictation and false economy which worked evil to our schools, and especially to the High School. In order to insure the greatest efficiency in our High School, a steady policy, securing permanency in its corps of teachers, is absolutely indispensable. Two principals .. each excellent in his way, have been allowed to leave the school within a short time, and no one since our elegant high school-
11
MAYOR'S ADDRESS.
house was built has been retained long enough to see a class through to its graduation.
The school-board, in my judgment, is too large, and its selec- tion should be taken wholly out of politics. Let politics have full play, if need be, in the choice of Mayors,-a matter which is of far less consequence than the selection of those who are to have charge of the education of ten thousand of our children yearly. I believe our citizens want our High School to be raised to a higher standard, and to be made capable of fitting boys and girls for the best colleges; and they are willing to pay a fair price for such a school. If it is necessary to divide it into two distinct and separate departments, the one classical and the other English, let this be done. The practical thing to do, however, is to make a radical change in the school-board, for, so long as it remains organized as it now is, it seems to me to be almost impossible for us to have or to maintain as good schools as we ought to have in this city. The public ought to be satisfied with nothing short of the very best, in all arrangements affect- ing the efficiency of our schools, and should see to it that none but the wisest measures are adopted in their behalf.
The expenditures for schools the past year have been as follows :
Cost of day schools,
$137,237.33
Cost of evening schools,
1,589.00
Cost of drawing schools,
895,57
Cost of instruction,
$139,721.90
Repairs of houses and furniture,
4,982.43
Rent of school-rooms and offices, .
1,229.16:
Cost of permanent improvement of houses,
1,465.55
FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY.
The free public library is one of the important educational institutions of our city, and is coming, year by year, to be more intimately associated with our public school instruction. The
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CITY DOCUMENT .- NO. 35.
special efforts made by its accomplished librarian, in interesting the teachers and puplis in the library, and in inducing them to avail themselves of its advantages, as a means of improving the methods of education in the schools, have already met with considerable success.
I think that a feeling exists, to some extent, in its board of management, that the city council has not, in times past, been as liberal in behalf of the library as it should be, and that this feeling is shared by some of our heaviest tax payers. You should carefully consider the wants and needs of this institution, and, in fixing your appropriation for its support, should have in view a just and equitable taxation of the people for this, as well as for other demands made upon them. The librarian informs me that 300 fewer books have been added to the circulating and intermediate departments, during the last year, than in the year before, and that 9897 fewer volumes were given out for home use than in the previous year. The number of books purchased for all departments was 1666 volumes. The total net accessions, last year, was 2103 volumes, and the total number of volumes now in the library is 49,624. There has been a large increase in the use of the reference library; nearly 41,000 volumes hav- ing been used, besides those to which readers and students have helped themselves.
The re-arrangement of books in the Green Library has pro- gressed during the year. Considerable progress has also been made in preparing a catalogue of books which circulate, and much more must be done during the present year if the cata- logue is to be printed within the next two years.
The appropriation for this institution, last year, was $8,000.00
Amount received from dog licenses, 2,612.81
Received from fines, etc., 416.19
Making a total of . . $11,029.00
all of which was expended excepting a balance left over of $2.47.
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MAYOR'S ADDRESS.
HIGHWAYS.
There have been fifteen private streets made public during the past year, and three of our old public streets have been widened and their bounds established. Quinsigamond avenue is under contract and will be completed before the time expires for mak- ing the assessments for betterments, viz. April 29th, 1881. The land damages on this avenue have all been paid with a single exception. The contract for the construction of this avenue was let to Kiernan and Maloney of Chelsea, Mass .; the contract price being $26.80 per lineal rod, amounting in all to $4,984.80. A sum sufficient to finish the avenue has been reserved from the amount raised by taxation last year for street construction. A new street running through the Jaques homestead has recently been laid out and partly constructed. It is estimated that it will require $1,000 to finish it. Piedmont street has been re- graded from Chandler street to Davis street, so as to conform to the grade of the new street leading to the city hospital, and has been greatly improved. Park avenue has been widened to eighty feet from May street to Mill street, the old lay-out being only sixty feet, and an order was passed late last year to con- struct this part of the avenue at an estimated expense of $4,500. This project will give the city teams and permanent men of the department something to do during the winter months, an arrangement which is characteristic of the foresight of the com- mittee who have had this department so long in charge. The estimated expense of grading and putting in good order all other streets made public during the past year is $4,050.
A change has been made in Milbury street near its junction with Vernon street. It was made more especially for the accom- modation of the Washburn and Moen Manufacturing Company, who desired to extend their yard in front of their mill. The whole expense of this change, including a new iron bridge in place of the old stone arch, is borne entirely by this company. It is believed that the new location will prove to be satisfactory to the public.
A petition, numerously signed by heavy tax payers, has been
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CITY DOCUMENT .- NO. 35.
pending before the county commissioners, for some months past, asking that Summer street be straightened and widened to sixty feet throughout its entire length. The city has been represented at the public hearings in regard to this matter, and has had an opportu- nity to examine the plans and the estimated expense of the work as. presented by the petitioners. The proposed widening and straightening is mostly on the east side of the street, and con- templates taking unoccupied land belonging to the state, county, and city, and abutting on the street for a considerable part of the entire distance. The city is at present in no way commit- ted to the project, but, at the several hearings with reference thereto, has been treated with courtesy and proper consideration by both the commissioners and petitioners. It is obvious to, those who have given the matter attention that the proposed change would be a great public improvement, and that it can, be made now at a much less expense than would be necessarily- incurred after these open lands, and other parts of the street, are occupied by expensive buildings, as they are liable to be at any time. I would recommend, therefore, that you give this matter your immediate attention, and, if deemed advisable, that you co-operate with the petitioners in asking for such legislation as may be necessary in that behalf.
The thirty-seven bridges in the city are reported by the engineer to be in good repair and perfectly safe.
A large appropriation is needed each year to keep the high- ways in good repair, and the best material for this purpose and for road making is not easily to be found. I would suggest that search be made outside of the city limits, and on the line of the railroads, to ascertain whether better material at cheaper rates cannot be found for use on our highways. I would also suggest the propriety of purchasing some more modern machinery for use in this department. There is a chance for great improve- ment in that direction.
The city has recently made an arrangement with the Providence and Worcester railroad company by which the company is to widen their bridge at Southbridge street, to conform to the lay- out of the street at that point, and the city is to contribute
15
MAYOR'S ADDRESS.
$3,000 of the expense thereof, and to do the grading in the street. This important improvement is now in progress, and is being done by the railroad company in the most thorough and substantial manner. The bridge will be of iron with a span of eighty feet.
Great improvements in Portland street, at its junction with Madison street, and also in Gold street at its junction with Assonet street, could now be made at small expense, and should be provided for at an early day.
STREET PAVING.
Park street has been paved from the Catholic church to Main street, at an expense of $2,358.90, and Main street has been paved from opposite the residence of Thomas H. Dodge, Esq., on the westerly side of the horse railroad, to May street, at an expense of $6,117.38. In the interests of true economy a cer- tain amount of paving should be done each year. I would rec- ommend that the following streets be paved in the near future, viz: Front street, Union street, Trumbull street, and also Grove street as far as the northerly end of the wire mill. Front street should be repaired from Main street to Church street, and the old blocks could then be used in paving a portion of Union street, where the travel is mostly heavy trucking. I would advise a liberal appropriation for this kind of work, and you will readily select the streets most needing it.
SIDEWALKS.
Decrees have been adopted locating 416 miles of sidewalks during the past year. The policy has been to locate the side- walk grades on all new streets at the time the street is located. There have been 17 sidewalks constructed during the past year, covering a distance of 11% miles. The total expense to the city of constructing these walks has been $12,005.71. This sum includes what cross walks have been made. In constructing a sidewalk the city pays for the gutter and the curbstone set, and the abutters for all the other work.
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CITY DOCUMENT .- NO. 35.
SEWERS.
The last section of the main Island sewer was finished August 14th, and the waters of Mill Brook turned into it on that day. The contract for building the six feet brick and stone sewer from Cambridge street to Southbridge street, to intersect with the Piedmont sewer at that point, was let to Kiernan and Malo- . ney, of Chelsea, Mass. The contract price was about $38,426.75, the work being let by the yard and foot, so that only an approx- imate total can be arrived at, at this time. The work was to have been completed the 20th day of December last, but, owing to the difficulties met with by the contractors, it will not be fin- ished before the first of February. The work has been carefully watched, and has been done in the most thorough manner. The sewer from Southbridge street to Quinsigamond, now so near completion, forms the outlet to our whole system of sewerage, and is one of the largest and best constructed sewers in the world. A new sewer in Front street has been constructed from the main sewer at the viaduct to Salem square. Sewers have also been constructed in Houghton street and Penn avenue, and also in Elliott and Edward streets, besides small sewers in Assonet and Henchman streets. There is no end to the building of sewers so long as the city continues to grow and extend itself; but the great trunk sewers are substantially finished. The cx- pense of building the smaller sewers is largely assessed upon abutters, who can pay their assessments in instalments if they prefer to do so.
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