USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Newburyport > City Officers and the Annual Reports to the City Council of Newburyport 1892 > Part 15
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MAYOR'S ADDRESS.
statements are publicly made, to as publicly refute them. Newburyport does not deserve any such rep- utation as they would give her; for there is not a fairer spot on the face of the earth-there is not a city or town of its size in these whole United States where there is a better class of people, or where there is a higher standard of moralty, than in this good old place. Our city worse than other places? Why, it would be a greater privilege to be permitted to die in Newburyport, than to be allowed to exist in any other place known to man. And when any clergyman cannot find better business to engage in than to blacken the reputation of our city, the sooner he receives a loud call from some far-away church the better it will be for the city and all concerned.
Now, while our city is not only no worse, but very much better, than most places of its size, we cannot deny but what there are evils in our midst, - the same evils that exist all over the world. Their existence dates back to the Garden of Eden and will date forward to that time until He who alone has the power to exterminate them sees fit to do so. The city authorities have no power to pre- vent men from doing evil, and should not be expected to do things that are impossible. There is one clergyman in the city, whom, I fear, would be disappointed, did I not allude to him in this address,
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ANNUAL REPORTS.
as, at the meeting at the Pleasant street church, he seemed to express such a desire ; and, as in his speeches at the union meetings lately held, he made me a special target for many of his shafts, I will devote a short time for that purpose. I will say on the start that this clergyman and myself are the best of friends, and I sincerely hope that we always shall be. He is one of the most social and agreeable men that I have ever met, and I always enjoy talking with him. He is an able preacher, eloquent in the pulpit, and, I honestly think, that there is not a man within a radius of fifty miles, who, with his eloquence and natural abilities, is capable of doing so much for the church, if he is only so disposed. He can preach an excellent gospel sermon, but when he discusses outside matters, he is much like a ship at sea with- out a rudder, going every way but the right ; he will make statements that are perfectly wild, and soon convinces his hearers that he does not know what he is talking about. Such was the case at the late meetings which I had the pleasure of attending. He has since informed me that he reported his speeches at that time himself, and I notice that he very shrewdly failed to report most of the principal parts, but I will quote a few of them. Holding a Munici- pal Register in his hand, he started in by saying that he had come all loaded, and then he opened his fire,
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MAYOR'S ADDRESS.
until I could only think of a Gatling gun throwing a conglomeration of missiles into the audience. He enlarged upon the powers of the mayor, until I was almost led to believe that I had only to raise a finger and all the evil in our midst would immediately dis- appear. Then he charged me with being utterly negligent of my duty in regard to closing houses of ill-fame, notwithstanding the fact that he had been informed the very day before by a friend of his. that I had closed five such places within a short time. Then he went for the police force in a way that would have fairly delighted the hoodlums and ruffians finally denouncing them as an invalid corps, and fairly shrieking aloud for the ambulance to carry them to the hospital, but it was only for effect; he knew that our police officers were brave and trusty, and that, if he should be followed some dark night, he would hasten to them for protection, and feel per- fectly safe while sheltered by the skirts of one of these invalids. He next landed at the mayor's office at City Hall, and, with a great flourish, announced that there were three houses of prostitution to be seen from the window in that office; but he after- wards admitted to me that he was mistaken, saying, with a laugh, that they could be seen from the roof of the hall, knowing that the whole of the city could be seen from that elevation. In one of his speeches,
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ANNUAL REPORTS.
he said, to use his own words: "Perhaps some OI you will say that Mr. A. don't know what he is talk- ing about. Don't you fear but what Mr. A. knows what he is talking about. He has not made many pastoral calls the past week-he has been enquiring of police officers and ex-police officers, and he has been out late nights looking into this matter, and he knows just what he is talking about." And yet, when I informed him afterwards, that I thought some of having him summoned in the police court to give his testimony, that we might break up some of these places, he looked at me in astonishment, and said he could not testify to anything on the witness stand! Well, I did not think he could; but when a man makes a positive statement, he should find out whether it is true or not before he makes it. He also said that, no matter what one might think of a law, if it was the law we should respect and enforce it, but I hardly think he realized what he was saying then, for it was only a few years ago that I saw him stand on a raised platform, in the chapel connected with his church, and, as an auctioneer, sell at auction a large number of packages, done up in such a man- ner that the purchaser did not know what he was buying. Now, at that time, he deliberately violated two laws: First, by selling goods at auction without a license; secondly, by engaging in gambling, and he
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MAYOR'S ADDRESS.
could have been arrested and fined in the police court for so doing. So you will see that it is some- times better to put a liberal and not a literal interpre- tation to the law. But I came very near forgetting that, in one of his speeches, he requested that if I took him up in this address, he hoped I would take him up gently, and bear him along tenderly, as he was so young and so fair. I have tried to do so, and will now lay him down by wishing him, not only one, but a great many happy New Years, and once more consider the evils that are in our midst.
It has been said that one-half the world does not know how the other half are living, and it is well that it is so. There are some things that are better covered up, and none but gossips and scandal- mongers have any desire to bring them to light. But, after all, the world is not all bad, there are a great many good people in it; and if each one of us would first endeavor to do right ourselves, and then try to help those who are unfortunate, and perhaps too weak to help themselves, the world will be the better for our having lived in it. While it is true that it is not the duty of the church to enforce the law, it is just as true that it is not the duty of the city government to do the work of the church.
In this book which I hold in my hand-the book of law by which every clergyman and every member
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ANNUAL REPORTS.
of the church is supposed to be governed, I read that there is rejoicing among the angels of heaven over a sinner that repenteth; that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him might not perish but have ever- lasting life. I read hear the command: " Go ye into all the world, and preach this gospel to every creature! go into the by-ways and hedges and com- pel them to come in!" and I ask you, clergymen, - you Christian men and women of Newburyport, if you believe the poor, unfortunate girls who inhabit these houses of ill-fame have souls? I ask you who are so ready to condemn those in authority for not bringing down upon these poor girls the iron hand of the law, thereby crushing out their last hope, if one of you-even one-have ever taken them by the hand and tried to show them the error of their ways and to lead them to a better life? I have closed during the past year five of these places; in every instance I have tried to show them the end if they persisted in the life they were leading. I promise you today that, if my life is spared, I will close every known house of the kind in the city; but if I can possibly avoid arresting one of the inmates, I shall do so, for I can but pity them. I look back to the time when they were innocent maidens, to the time when some wolf in sheep's clothing-perchance some villain clothed in
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MAYOR'S ADDRESS.
the livery of heaven, but only too eager to serve the devil-who, winning their affections but to accom- plish their ruin, cast them aside, until, shunned by those who once respected them, there were but two ways open to them. One way which many have taken; a plunge into the dark waters, which would forever conceal their shame; the other way, to enter one of these houses-to them a house of refuge- there to meet those who, like themselves, had been deceived and ruined, and could sympathize with them in their trouble. You clergymen give out word that you are going to preach about the social evil, and you never once allude to it. To be sure, you denounce thè houses of prostitution; but they are not the social evil, they are but the natural result of that evil. The social evil is above and beyond these places.
There is recorded in this good book a very beau- tiful and touching story. You will find it in the eighth chapter of the gospel according to St. John. At one time, when Christ was sitting in the . temple, a number of the scribes and Pharises, what we call the better class of people in the community, came rushing into the temple, dragging a poor woman before the Savior whom they said was caught in the act of committing adultery. You will notice that they only brought the woman. Nothing was said
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ANNUAL REPORTS.
about the man, and they wanted Christ to give them permission to stone her to death. But He, knowing them well, looked down upon the ground, saying: "Let him who is without sin cast the first stone." There were no stones thrown; they all slunk away like whipped curs.
Did the thought ever come to you in reading this story, that the man in the case was in that crowd, probably the most eager of them all to have the woman put out of the way? If you will observe closely, you will find that it is generally the case that the one who cries sin the loudest will prove to be the greater sinner. If Christ was upon the earth today, and those of us who are so anxious to have the law visited upon all sinners should bring one of these poor, unfortunate girls before Him for judgment, when met with the words: "Let him that is without sin cast the first stone," do you suppose that one of us would stoop to pick up a stone? I think not. We should fall all over each other in our haste to get out of the sight of one who could read our inmost thoughts.
About eighteen or nineteen years ago, a woman in this city, the keeper of a house of ill-fame, for some reason or other, made an attempt to reform. She sent her little girl to the North church Sabbath school, gave up the business in which she was en-
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MAYOR'S ADDRESS.
.
gaged, and opened a little store down on Pleasant street. Being an expert in fine needle work, she soon had her store well stocked with first-class goods, such as are found in a store of that kind. What was the result? Was there one clergyman, one member of the church, that went to the woman and took her by the hand to encourage her in the efforts she was making to live a better life? Not one. Rather, as they passed by, they would gather their skirts about them as if afraid of being contaminated by her presence; some even making remarks that would reach her ears in regard to her former character. So, after a short struggle, she was driven from her shop, back to her former business,-absolutely forced back into her former life by those who should have held out the helping hand; and, standing here today, I say, without any hesitation, that the churches of this city have been responsible for the existence of that house of prostitution for the past nineteen years, until I closed it about two months ago. Yet, the clergy- men-some of them, I will not say all-accuse poor mortals, like the mayor and aldermen, with being negligent of our duty in regard to such things. I
answer them by saying: First, do your own duty in this respect, then, and then only, will it be proper for you to condemn others. Do not waste the talents God has given you by trying to build up a reputation
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ANNUAL REPORTS.
as a sensational preacher, but devote them to a better and higher purpose: that of preaching the gospel of salvation. The world has too many sensational preachers now; it does not need them. What the world needs today is ministers of the gospel; true disciples of Christ, who, not feeling above their Master, will go down into the low places-even into the slums-in their efforts to raise fallen humanity. I say to you who clamor for justice, you do not want justice; neither do I. Justice is the last thing we should ask for. What we want is charity-that charity which covereth a multitude of sins; the charity which will enable us to see in a fellow-being, no matter how low he may have fallen, the image of his Maker, and it is not for us to say that the souls of such are not just as precious in the sight of God as your soul or mine. Shall we not, then, whenever we feel like dealing harshly with the poor and unfortun- ate, remember that the old Mosaic law, "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth," was abolished nine- teen hundred years ago, when, upon that bright Christmas morn, Jesus, the babe of Bethlehem, was born, and that we are now living under the light of His glorious gospel, and exclaim, as did the heavenly hosts in Judea's land "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, good will toward men."
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MAYOR'S ADDRESS.
A few words more and I will close. In treating upon the subject which has just been considered, I am well aware that I have done something out of the ordinary course. I fully realize that it was a delicate question to handle upon an occasion like the present one, for it was probably never treated before in a document of this kind. Yet, to my mind, it has seemed perfectly proper. At the time the meetings were held for the purpose of considering this ques- tion, I was invited by one of the clergymen to speak upon the subject in his church. It did not seem to me to be a proper time or place for me to discuss the question, and I informed him that I would consider it in my inaugural, and I have done so. As, in the compact made between the clergymen in the meet- ings, that each one should be responsible only for his own utterances, no one is responsible but myself for what has been said here today. I have not tried to give the views of some one else in the manner of handling the subject, but have simply acted myself and handled it in my own way. The fair name of the city has been unjustly assailed, and who, if not the chief executive of the city, should be ready to defend her? And what more fitting place than here, in the building devoted to the government of the city? If, in defending her reputation, I may have spoken plainly, it was not that I had any
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ANNUAL REPORTS.
malice toward any one, for I have nothing but good wishes toward those whom I may have criticised. They, surely, have no reason to find fault if, in criti- cising others, they themselves are criticised in return. But I have spoken earnestly, because of my love for this good old city. It is the place of my birth; here my ancestors lived for many years; all through my own life I have made it my home, and nothing could ever induce me to forsake its familiar streets and its old associations. To me every foot of its ground is sacred ground; and at last, when the time shall come, which sooner or later will come to each one of us, when I shall be called upon to lay down the burden of life, I have but one request to make: that here- I care not where, if only somewhere within the borders of my native city-my body shall be laid at rest, there to remain "until the day break, and the shadows flee away."
·
CONTENTS.
AUDITOR'S REPORT
CITY GOVERNMENT 1892
5
66 1893, last of book
3
COLLECTOR'S REPORT
60
DETAILED STATEMENTS :
Abatement of Taxes . 69
Ashes and Rubbish
70
Board of Health
72
Bridges and Culverts
72 76 77
City Bonds
Fire Department
77 83 85
Highway Department
Incidental Department
Interest Department .
Lighting Streets and Public Buildings
Memorial Day
Miscellaneous Expenses
148 III
Notes Payable
Parks and Public Grounds .
113
Police Department
114
Poor Department
117 124
Public Library
124 126
Public Property .
Salaries of City Officers
131
School Department
I33
Sewerage
138
/
Bromfield Fund .
Fuel Department
92 108 109 III
Printing
. Page 39
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ANNUAL REPORTS.
DETAILED STATEMENTS :
Sidewalks and Edgestones .
140
Soldiers' Relief .
147
State Account, Armory Rent
147
Water Supply
148
INAUGURAL ADDRESS OF MAYOR GURNEY, 1892
19
66 1893, last of book. 17 3
OFFICE HOURS of Officials, etc .
REPORT of Board of Health
243
Board of Assessors
205
Bridge Tender
20 [
Chief Engineer
171
City Marshal
195
City Registrar
265
City Solicitor
189 161
Overseers of the Poor
209
School Committee
274
Surveyor of Highways
235
Trust Funds
251
STATEMENT of City Debt
62
Account with State of Massachusetts
64
Commissioners of Atkinson Common
65 65
Debts Due the City
Income and Expenditures .
55
Sinking Fund Commissioners
66
STATISTICAL ACCOUNT of Deaths
270
TABULAR STATEMENT .
56
City, County and State Taxes
I62
TREASURER'S REPORT
58
TRIAL BALANCE, December 19, 1891
· 67
Public Library
4028-12
NEWBURYPORT PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 2128 00338 674 6
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