USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Melrose > City of Melrose annual report 1898-1899 > Part 22
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25
CR.
Rent of box in Safe De-
posit and Trust Co's vaults, $10 00
Geo. Newhall, services as treasurer, . 50 00
Treasurer of Melrose, to
pay ten water bonds due July I, 10,000 00
Note, Town of Melrose, . 5,000 00
Balance, . 16,692 99
$31,752 99
91
TREASURER'S REPORT.
SCHOOLHOUSE LOAN SINKING FUND COMMISSIONERS.
1899.
DR.
Jan. I. Cash received from town treasurer, . $11,783 55 Interest to Dec. 31, 1899, 471 34
$12,254 89
1899.
CR.
Jan. I. Note, Town of Melrose, . $11,783 55
Balance, . 471 34
$12,254 89
SEWER LOAN SINKING FUND COMMISSIONERS.
DR. 1899.
Jan. I. Cash received from town treasurer, . $5,890 82
Mar. 14. Cash received from town
treasurer, . 40,000 00
Nov. 27. Cash received from town
treasurer, . 11,000 00
Interest, coupons, .
500 00
on notes, . 1,057 96
$58,448 78
CR.
Ten park loan notes, . $15,000 00
Notes, Town of Melrose, 30,890 82
Ten bonds,
11,258 05
Balance, .
1,299 91
$58,448 78
Owing to sickness of the treasurer, Geo. Newhall, I have made the report from his books.
EDWIN C. GOULD, Auditor.
ASSESSORS' REPORT FOR YEAR 1899.
Number of dwelling houses, .
3,233
inhabitants,
12,625
military, 18 to 45,
2,605
66
school children 5 to 15, viz:
5 years of age,
230
6
218
7
217
8
221
9
225
IO ..
203
II 6
200
12
..
223
I3
209
14
174
15
..
153
Number of horses, .
679
COWS,
195
dogs,
512
swine, .
294
VALUATION.
Buildings,
Land,
$7,496,100 00 4,324,250 00
$11,820,350 00
Personal, .
$784,950 00
Resident bank stock, 60,165 00
845,085 00
Rate $17.00.
Total valuation,
$12,665,435 00
6.
.
2,273
Year.
Census.
Dwell- ings.
Polls. Val. Buiklgs. Val. Land.
Total Value Real Estate. soual Est.
Val. Per-
Total Valuation.
Rate per $1000
Town Appropriation.
Sewerage Tax.
State Tax. County Tax. Overlay.
Total Tax Levy.
Year,
1850
1,260
125
317
$423,497
$59,949
$483,446
$4 40
$1,472 10
5 50
3,729 17
$505 08
$88 90
$4,323 15
1851
1852
.. .
....
350
576,542
74,927
651,469
8 50
4,150 00
191 43
4,840 26
1852
1853
....
....
420
800,538
97,139
897,677
7 80
6,850 00
$270 00
505 09
108 14
7,733 23
1853
1854
...
. . .
496
906,794
117,631
1,024,425
8 50
8,550 00
270 00
527 40
270 14
9,617 54
1854
1855
1,976
361
523
1,021,712
124,785
1,146,497
8 30
9,200 00
405 00
527 40
353 09
10,485 49
1855
1850
2,206
....
573
1,114,448
136,074
1,250,522
8 70
10,450 00
540 00
527 40
398 34
11,915 74
1850
1858
2,297
....
567
1,165,224
121,883
1,287,107
7 20
9,100 00
324 00
570 06
350 40
10,344 46
1858
1859
2,431
610
1,246,781
122,971
1,369,752
7 80
10,480 00
270 00
620 73
399 04
11,769 77
1859
1860
2,482
545
621
1,276,150
137,021
1,413,171
7 80
10,850 00
225 00
658 74
413 31
12,147 05
1860
1801
..
...
521
615
1,320,280
126,792
1,447,072
11 00
13,800 00
2,929 15
1,190 81
268 28
18,188 24
1862
1863
.. .
533
659
1,334,643
161,186
1,495,829
15 80
19,125 00
..
3,864 00
1,190 81
880 00
25,059 81
1863
1864
524
667
1,329,685
126,057
1,455,742
13 40
17,550 00
3,864 00
1,189 19
21,150 87
1864
1865
2,866
550
714
1,366,485
311,369
1,677,854
15 70
17,800 00
8,413 00
1,298 01
516 33
28,027 34
1865
1866
550
761
1,386,502
242,310
1,628,812
21'00
29,343 47
5,370 00
1,423 26
........
36,136 73
1860
1867
567
775
1,511,624
283,682
1,795,306
16 00
8,950 00
1,594 05
...
30,490 90
1867
1868
...
586
825
1,608,974
365,042
1,974,016
17 00
28,950 00
3.580 00
1,650 98
1,365 55
35,546 53
1868
1869
590
800
1,674,985
437,684
2,112,669
20 00
36,100 00
4,475 00
1,821 77
2,225 71
44,622 48
1809
1870
3,181
629
850
2,106,326
523,933
2,630,259
15 00
33,716 00
4,475 00
1,821 77
1,410 13
41,422 90
1870
1871
665
881
2,408,241
404,515
2,812,756
15 00
37,570 00
4.475 00
1,821 77
87 00
43,953 77
1871
1872
706
917
3,007,928
645,742
3,653,670
10 50
3,660 00
2,122 32
64,042 46
1872
1873
742
967
3,234,658
409,249
3,643,907
15 50
51,325 00
4,117 50
2,345 72
627 04
58,415 26
1873
1874
786
1,039
3,797,965
380,460
4,178,425
15 80
62,061 84
8,660 00
2.504 53
909 74
69,136 11
1874
1875
3,990
946
1,099
4,062,450
390,378
4,452,828
10 00
65,900 16
3,660 00
2,347 99
1,445 10
73,443 25
1875
1870
4,185
1,027
1,102
4,178,765
4$8,124
4,666,889
13 00
55,585 00
4,284 00
1,495 01
1,509 55
62,673 50
1870
1877
4,101
1,037
1,121
3,743,844
451,400
4,195,244
12 50
48,107 00
3,570 00
2,093 03
912 53
54,682 56
1877
1878
4,221
1,045
1,183
3,661,500
364,298
4,025,798
12 00
43,703 06
2,380 00
1,719 22
2,873 29
50,675 57
1878
1879
4,365
1,002
1,203
$1,697,350
$1,642,900
8,340,250
326,093
3,666,343
15 00
51,861 55
1,190 00
1,719 22
2,630 37
57,401 14
1879
1880
4,443
1,001
1,195
1,729,050
1,626,950
3,356,000
294,384
3,650,384
14 25
47,545 61
3,570 00
1,793 96
1,49$ 40
54,407 97
1880
ISSI
4,508
1,014
1,226
1,747,950
1,628,250
3,776,200
328,858
3,705,058
13 80
46,624 12
3,570 00
1,793 96
1,593 69
63,581 66
1881
1882
4,739
1,038
1,292
1,803,425
1,644,425
3.447,850
302,939
3,750,789
14 80
50,048 81
4,760 00
1,793 96
1,492 84
58,095 61
1882
1883
5,071
1,126
1,388
2,130,039
1,600,386
3,829,425
368,376
4,197,801
14 40
55,393 71
3,330 00
2,242 45
2,258 13
63,224 29
1883
1884
5,607
1,206
1,607
2,357,814
1,742,411
4,100,225
369,713
4,469,938
13 80
56,777 52
4,440 00
2,042 40
1,639 21
64,899 13
1884
IS85
6,110
1,323
1,772
2,585,014
1,789,236
4,374.250
395,415
4,769,665
14 20
63,753 64
2,373 35
1,817 24
71,274 23
1885
1886
6,536
1,443
1,870
2,795,425
1,872,225
4,667,650
403,750
5,071,400
13 60
65,306 23
3,330 00 3,930 00 5,895 00
2,756 47
1,414 56
82,416 53
1887
1888
7,535
1,674
2,134
3,360,950
2,213,755
5,574,705 426,861
6,001,566
13 00
75,104 03
5.895 00
3,307 77
1,550 49
85,857 29
1888
1889
7,821
1,765
2,204
3,706,375 3,999,375 4,272,025 4,786,150
3,379,700
8,165,850
430,715
8,594,565
15 80
123,6( 4 46
$646 75
5,7.7 50
6,428 39
4,834 62
141,271 72
1892
1893
10,474
2,484
3,048
5,308,500
8,899,475
500.655
9,400,130
14 40
121,014 98
1,649 14
8,225 00
6,716 22
3,927 41
141,532 75
1893
1894
10,847
2,583
3,120
5,677,800
9,386,775
538,098 556,650
0,924,873 10,638,750
637,815
11,434,165
15 20
154.992 74
5,581 48
6,877 50
6,877 50
9,307 02
3,915 46
197,803 50
1897
1898
12,630
3,212
3,690
7,430,000
4,820,895
4,324,250
11,820,350
845,085
12,665,435
17 00
191,391 10
9,645 53
6,645 00 12,007 07
3,013 69
222,702 39
1899
1899
12,625
3,233
3,695
7,496,100
2,315,755 2,355,700 3,093,275
6,355,075
369,630
6,724,705
13 70
85.335 80
5,145 00
4,733 83
1,536 56
96,751 19
1890
1891
8,827
2,032
2,412
7,372,025
405,690
7,777,715
14 20
104,061 87
4,410 00
4,733 83
1,779 04
114,984 74
1891
1892
9,530
2,282
2,723
3,075,925 2,096,025
5,171,950
430,088
5,602,038
14 00
72,350 50
13 60
79,552 69
5,880 00
4,558 50
1,923 21
91,914 40
1889
1890
8,127
1,911
2,321
3,361
6,207,475
3,591
6,786,100
4,010,250
7,143,950
4,306,650
758.215 10,082,100 10,796,350 11,450,600 11,750,895 724,249
12,475,144
16 70
187,636 69
7,100 42
6,645 00
11,018 42
3,314 37
215,714 90
1898
1857
....
622
1,197,476
145,904
1,343,380
11 77
15,000 00
810 00
659 25
480 59
16,949 84
1857
496
618
1,288,066
134,755
1,422,820
9 50
11,960 00
. .
483 00
1,403 15
500 00
14,346 15
1801
1862
....
335
547,974
73.894
621,868
15 60
165,521 31
12,182 21
6,580 00
7,195 97
5,514 76
147,185 20
1894
1895
11,651
2,836
3,022
3,664 11
180,981 27
1896
1897
12,520
3,145
3,673
3,590,975 3,708,975 3,874,625
6,022,130
413,490
6,435,620
14 20
123,852 57
14 80
137,973 25
5,581 48
5,895 00
9,307 02 9,865 44
5,418 73
164,175 48
1895
1887
7,073
1,580
1,994
2,362 69
1,112 12
72,711 04
1880
...
......
1850
IS51
.. .
4,041 90
1890 12,314
12,280,815
93
ASSESSORS' REPORT.
TAXES ASSESSED IN 1899.
On real estate,
. $200,945 95
Per cent. 90.24
" personal estate,
13,343 64 ·
5.99
" resident bank stock,
1,022 80
.46
" 3695 polls,
7,390 00
3.31
Amount of warrant to collector, . $222,702 39 100.00
ABATEMENTS.
Amount abated on 1899 taxes,
$1,285 31
1898
781 73
..
1897 -
.
:
..
1896
1,149 03
..
.6
1895 66
1,068 03
APPROPRIATIONS.
Bonds for town officers, .
$275 00
.12
Cemetery improvement, .
2,000 00
.90
Contingent,
4.900 00
2.20
Deficiencies of 1898,
6,887 57
3.09
Fire department,
11,500 00
5.16
Health "
1,800 00
.81
Highway “
22,000 00 .
9.88
Insurance,
1,181 05
.53
Interest, .
24,000 00
10.78
Melrose hospital,
1,000 00
.45
Memorial day,
200 00
.09
Military aid,
250 00
.II
Parks,
400 00
.18
Poor department,
8,000 00
3.59
Police
11,120 00
4.99
Public library,
2,800 00
1.26
Repairs, High and Third streets,
800 00
.35
Salaries,
7,300 00
3.28
Schools,
65,000 00
29.19
Sewer, maintenance,
3,737 21
1.68
·
1,22I 26
Per cent.
.
.
7
94
ASSESSORS' REPORT.
Sidewalks,
$2,500 00
1.12
Soldiers' relief,
1,250 00
.56
Street lighting,
10,800 00
4.85
Town hall,
1,000 00
.45
Widening Main street, "damages"
690 27
.32
Total town appropriations,
$191,391 10
85.94
State tax,
6,645 00
2.99
County tax,
12,007 07
5.39
Metropolitan sewerage tax:
Interest,
$5,309 07
Fund,
1,274 66
Maintenance, .
·
3,061 80
$9,645 53
4.33
$219,688 70
98.65
Overlay,
3,013 69
1.35
Total levy,
. $222,702 39
100.00
Total amount street sprinkling
assessed in 1899,
$3,048 85
.
H. A. LEONARD, JOSEPH EDWARDS, FRANK R. UPHAM, Assessors for year 1899.
COLLECTOR'S REPORT.
Uncollected taxes of 1891, '92, '93,
'94, as per last report,
$372 41
Abated,
299 90
$72 51
Interest, .
4 84
$77 35
Collected and paid to treasurer, ·
77 35
Uncollected, 1895 as per last re- port, .
$1,251 92
Interest collected,
8 34
$1,260 26
Abatements,
1,068 03
$192 23
Collected and paid to treasurer,
136 17
Uncollected Jan. 1, 1900,
$56 06
Uncollected 1896, as per last re- port,
$1,562 78
Interest collected,
13 94
$1,576 72
Abatements,
1,149 03
$427 69
Collected and paid to treasurer,
189 61
Uncollected, $238 08
96
COLLECTOR'S REPORT.
Uncollected 1897, as per last re-
port, .
$2,763 45 123 52
Abatements,
1,221 26
$1,665 71
Collected and paid to treasurer,
1,386 91
Uncollected,
.
$278 80
Uncollected 1898, as per last re- port, .
$107,192 00
Interest,
4,534 91
SIII,726 91
Abatements,
781 73
$110,945 18
Collected and paid to treasurer,
108,682 95
Uncollected,
$2,262 23
Amount of warrant, 1899,
$222,702 39
Interest, .
178 18
$222,980 57
Abatements,
1,285 31
$221,595 26
Collected and paid to treasurer,
120,255 73
Uncollected,
$101,339 53
JAMES W. MURRAY, Collector.
.
Interest collected,
$2,886 97
C
23 X
Report of the Engineers of the Fire Department.
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen:
GENTLEMEN :- The engineers respectfully submit the fol- lowing report, together with the value of property en- dangered, insurance upon same, insurance paid, and losses as far as can be ascertained.
The department has responded to fifty-three "Bell" and seventeen "Still Alarms," during the past year, the largest number since the department was organized.
APPARATUS.
The apparatus consists of one steam fire engine, drawn by two horses; one hook and ladder truck, carrying 250 feet of ladders and other appurtenances, and one hose wagon, both drawn by two horses, and three one-horse hose wagons.
HORSES.
The number of horses owned by the town is seven. One at the Highlands, and six at the Central Fire Station. There are two call horses,-one for Hose 2 and one for Hose 4.
HOUSES.
The number of houses in the department is four, as fol- lows: Central Fire Station on Main street, occupied by a steamer, hose wagon, and hook and ladder truck; room under Masonic hall, occupied by Hose 2; building on Frank- lin street, occupied by Hose 3; and building on East Foster street, occupied by Hose 4.
98
FIRE REPORT.
FIRE ALARM.
During the past year there have been three new boxes added, located as follows:
Box 31. Corner Pleasant and Francis streets.
Box 53. Main street, opposite Boardman avenue.
Box 55. Corner Ashland and Melrose streets.
RECOMMENDATIONS.
We would recommend the erection of a new station on the west side of the Boston and Maine railroad tracks at Wyoming.
There are some improvements which should be made that would greatly add to the efficiency of the fire alarm service. There should be an inspector of wires and poles, having authority to cause the removal of bad poles and imperfect light and trolley wires that are often a source of trouble to our system.
Several new boxes should also be added for the better protection of certain localities.
In conclusion we desire to express our appreciation to the officers and members of the several companies for the prompt and efficient manner in which they have responded to all alarms, the support and good will they have mani- fested toward us on all occasions, and other efforts to main- tain the good reputation of the department.
A. WILBUR LYNDE, J. MANFRED HOLBROOK, SAMUEL LEAR, Board of Engineers.
LIST OF FIRES IN 1899.
January 2; 6.52 p. m .; box 41; house No. 3 Irving street; owned and occupied by Charles Gallagher; value of building and contents, $3,500; damage to building and contents, $50; insurance upon building and contents, $2,250; insurance paid, $50; cause, lamp explosion.
February 3; 9.40; box 41; building 181 Grove street;
99
FIRE REPORT.
owned by S. E. Benson; occupied by G H. Bent and others; value of building and contents, $7,855; damage to building and contents, $300; insurance upon building and contents, $6,200; insurance paid, $224; cause, overheated stove.
February 10; 3.40 p. m .; box 29; house 53 Larrabee street; owned and occupied by Mrs. C. F. Hunt; value of building and contents, $1,800; damage to building and contents, $50; cause, children playing with matches.
February 10. Farnsworth real estate office, Main street; still alarm.
February 11; false alarm; box 54.
February 11; 5.45 p. m ; box 48; building 86 Tremont street; owned and occupied by Bridget Flannery; value of building and contents, $2,300; damage to building and contents, none; insurance, none; cause, defective chimney.
February 14; 1.13 a. m .; box 42; building on East Foster street; owned and occupied by C. F. Marsh; value of build- ing and contents, $1,300; damage to building and contents, $348; insurance upon building and contents, $1,600; insur- ance paid, $348; cause, defective chimney.
February 26; 4.45; box 41 ; false alarm from fire in Clifton- dale.
February 27; 7.55 p. m .; box 41; building 36 Harvard street; owned and occupied by J. E. Woods; value of build- ing and contents, $3,150; damage to building and contents, $2,300; insurance upon building and contents, $2,750; cause, defective chimney.
March 3; still alarm; building 93 Emerson street; owned and occupied by Jeremiah Flanders; value of building and contents, $17,000; damage to building and contents, $280; insurance upon building and contents, $12,500; insur- ance paid, $280; cause, spark from parlor match.
March 10; 6.15; box 32; building, No. 26 Waverly place; owned by Arthur O'Leary; occupied by W. M. Murray; value of building and contents, $2,600; damage to building and contents, $30; insurance upon building and contents, $1,500; insurance paid, $7.50; cause, overheated stove.
March 29; 8.55: box 54; house No. 37 Auburn court ; owned and occupied by Albert A. Grady; value of building
100
FIRE REPORT.
and contents, $3,300; damage to building and contents, $577; insurance upon building and contents, $2,500; insurance paid, $577; cause, caught from lamp.
March 30; 8.55: box 57; building on Natalie avenue; owned by J. W. Cunningham; unoccupied; value of building, $3,000; damage to building, none; insurance upon building, $2,000; cause, incendiary.
April 6; 10.40 a. m .; box 49; building rear No. 209 Emer- son street; owned and occupied by Joseph Holbrook; value of building and contents, $275; damage to building and contents, $10; cause, defective chimney.
April 7; 12.40; box 54; grass fire rear of 354 Vinton street.
April 8; 4.20 a. m .; box 39; building No. 16 Crescent avenue; owned by Cephas Brackett; occupied by John Fox; value of building and contents, $4,000; damage to building and contents, $482; insurance upon building and contents, $3,800; insurance paid, $480; cause, overheated stove.
April 12; 3.34; still alarm; Heath's ice houses, Tremont street.
April 12; 3.35; box 48; ice houses on Tremont street; owned by Augustus H. Heath; occupied by Jesse A. Dill; value of building and contents, $1800; damage to building and contents, $600; insurance, none; cause, sparks from bonfire.
April 13; 12.15 a. m .; still alarm; ice houses on Tremont street.
April 15; 1.16 p. m .; box 52; grass fire on Pearl street and Howie court.
April 16; 11.20 a. m .; still alarm; building No. 147 Frank- lin street; owned and occupied by John Singer, Jr .; value of buildings and contents, $7,000; damage to buildings and contents, $100; insurance upon buildings and contents, $5,000; insurance paid: $75; cause, naphtha.
April 19; 8.25; box 52; building No. 12 Spring street; owned by Angus McDonald; occupied by Charles H. Prince; value of building and contents $4500; damage to building and contents, $77; insurance upon building and contents, $3,800; insurance paid, $77; cause, fumigating.
April 17; 5.14 p. m .; box 63; brush fire on Howard street.
IOI
FIRE REPORT.
April 19; 2.18 p. m .; box 52; brush fire on Henry avenue and Green street.
April 22; 1.45 p. m .; box 63; brush fire on Howard street and Sewall's woods.
April 25; 12.40 p. m; box 52; brush fire on Richardson road.
April 27; 4.30 p. m .; box 32; brush fire.
April 28; 4.25 p. m .; box 24; hen house 'on Grove street owned by Lane brothers.
April 29; 11.02 a. m .; 'box 51; brush fire on Reading Hill. April 29; I p. m .; still alarm; brush fire on Mystic avenue.
April 29; 1.15 p. m .; box 28; brush fire on Spear street.
April 29; 2.50 p. m .; still alarm; fence near Masonic Hall.
April 29; 2.45. p. m .; still alarm; brush fire on Wyoming Hill.
April 29; 2.10 p. m .; box 23; brush fire on Mountain avenue.
April 29; 7.50 p. m .; still alarm; rubbish rear Edwards' carriage shop.
April 29; 8.55 p. m .; box 49; Italian shanties off Charles street.
May 11; 12.40 p. m .; box 49; hen house on Poplar street.
May 27; 3.04 p. m .; box 27; barn rear 170 Third street; owned and occupied by Sydney Patterson; value of build- ing and contents, $300; damage to building and contents, $300.
May 27; 10.07; box 57; building on Orris street; owned by Mr. Gregory; unoccupied; value of building and con- tents, $1,200; cause, supposed incendiary.
June 17; 7.20 p. m .; still alarm; building rear of Eastman block; owned by M. F. Eastman; occupied by C. Ripley.
June 20; 10.30 a. m .; box 58; building No. 132 Vinton street; owned by Henry Small; occupied by A. B. Fuller; value of building and contents, $6,000; damage to building and contents, $251; insurance upon building and contents, $5,000; insurance paid, $251; cause, kerosene stove explo- sion.
June 19; 7.05 p. m .; box 63; brush fire on Howard street. June 26; 11.39; box 68; false alarm.
I02
FIRE REPORT.
June 26; 12.22; box 42; building off Swain's Pond avenue; owned and occupied by William Higgins; value of building and contents, $1,200; damage to building and contents, $1,200; insurance upon building and contents, $600.
July 4; 2.45 a. m .; still alarm; awning; Quincy market, Main street.
July 4; 3.15 a. m .; still alarm; building; base ball park.
July 20; 10.07 a. m .; box 54; brush fire on Chipman ave- nue.
July 21; 10.56 a. m,; box 68; brush fire Waverly avenue.
August 2; 6.05 a. m .; box 57; building No. 33 Orris street; owned by F. A. Coolidge; occupied by G. M. Carpenter; value of building and contents, $3,000; damage to building and contents, none; insurance upon building and contents, $2,100.
August 7; 1.45 p. m .; box 32; brush fire off Mt. Vernon street.
August 8; 3.40 a. m .; box 56; building 345 Franklin street; owned and occupied by C. H. Prescott; value of building and contents, $9,700; damage to building and contents, $5,589; insurance upon building and contents, $8,500; insur- ance paid, $5,589; cause, rats and matches.
August 30; 7.30 a. m .; box 41; building No. 181 Grove street; owned by S. E. Benson; occupied by J. Callahan and others; value of building and contents, $8,000; damage to building and contents, $25; insurance upon building and contents, $5,000; insurance paid, $25; cause, children playing with matches.
September 29; 8.50 a. m .; box 49; building No. 74 Oakland street; owned and occupied by G. W. Atwood; value of building and contents, $3,500; damage to building and con- tents, $823; insurance upon building and contents, $3,000; insurance paid, $773; cause, kerosene stove explosion.
October 16; 6.20 p. m .; still alarm; brush rear of car stable.
October 19; 7.35 a. m .; box 31; false alarm.
October 23; 2.20 a. m .; assistance call from Wakefield.
October 28; box 63; buildings rear 160 Howard street; owned and occupied by M. E. Green; value of building and
103
FIRE REPORT.
contents, $2,100; damage to building and contents, $1900; insurance upon building and contents, $200.
November 7; still alarm; brush fire on Howard street.
November 7; box 63; brush fire on Boardman avenue.
November 9; 4.10 p. m .; still alarm; Westgate block, Main street.
November 18; 9.37 a. m .; box 35; Wyoming avenue; house over Stoneham line.
November 26; 12.55 a. m .; box 43; building 21 Essex street; owned by D. D. Stratton; occupied by C. P. Heblad; value of building and contents, $5000; damage to building and contents, none; insurance upon building and contents, $3000; insurance paid, none.
November 29; 7.18; box 43; building corner Main and Essex streets; owned by Geo. W. Boardman; occupied by Frost & Hawes; value of building and contents, $11,000; damage to building and contents, $21.10; insurance upon building and contents, $8,500; insurance paid, $21.10; cause, falling kerosene lamp.
December 9; 7.18; boxes 72 and 68; building on Folsom avenue; owned and ccupied by F. A. Hyatt; value of build- ing and contents, $2,100; damage to building and contents, $II.27; insurance on building and contents, $1,300; insurance paid, $II.27; cause, defective chimney.
December 18; 5.06; box 61; false alarm.
Dec. 23; 10.34; box 54; building on Franklin street; owned by L. A. Bosworth ; occupied by Elmer Griffin ; value of building and contents, $1,740; damage to building and con- tents, $250; insurance upon building and contents, $1,450; insurance paid, $225; cause, overturned kerosene lamp.
Value of property endangered, $154,260; damage to prop- erty endangered, $21,155.10; insurance upon property en- dangered, $90,760; insurance paid, $12,054.60.
Report of the Board of Health.
The board of health of Melrose presents herewith its tenth annual report, this being the last health report of the town. The membership of the board has remained un- changed during the past year.
The meetings of the board have been held regularly during the year, and the round of its official duties has been quite enough to occupy its attention. The nature of its labors gradually changes with the progress of the town in perma- nent forms of sanitation. The progressive increase in the number of connections with the sewer obviates of course to that extent overflowing cesspools, and other offensive results of imperfect drainage. But the connection with the sewer involves changes of house plumbing such as often call for attention on the part of the board.
CONTAGIOUS DISEASES.
It is gratifying to report that there has been, during the year just closed, as indeed there was during the previous year, a very notable exemption from contagious diseases. The following little table gives the number of cases during 1899, of the two most dreaded forms of contagious disease.
Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Total
Scarlet fever, . .1 3 2
1 3 1
1
1
5 2 19
Diphtheria, ...
1
1
3
2 8
That this is indeed a slight visitation from diseases that only in recent years were so prevalent here, will be more clearly seen by contrasting the above record with the follow- ing table of contagious diseases in Melrose during the last ten years.
1890 '91 '92
'93 '94 '95 '96
'97 '98 '99
Scarlatina,
.36 27
59
93
32 31
33 41
25 19
23
20 19
16 5 8
Diphtheria, 17 52
18
15
105
HEALTH REPORT.
This contrast will become still more impressive if we con- sider the four thousand that have been added to our popula- tion progressively during the decade represented in the table.
One case of contagious disease is worthy of record here as it attracted some attention at the time, and proved an important object lesson for the future action of our city. A servant girl, and so without a home, was taken to our hos- pital with a disease of the eyes. In two or three days she became seriously ill with diphtheria. Plainly, she could not be allowed to remain in the hospital, where her disease might spread to the other patients. The board of health was then notified, on a Sunday, of these facts, and required to provide without delay a place for her, and to care for her during her sickness. To find a place for her on the instant, was not easy. Search was made in all directions, but no one having vacant rooms would rent for that purpose. But after much effort a vacant house was found on the edge of the town, furniture procured, the patient moved, nurse and supplies provided till her recovery.
It became plain that in the present haphazard necessity for immediate action, whatever house were taken in what- ever locality, the entire neighborhood would at once be aroused in indignant protest and remonstrance against the action of the board. The moral is obvious, that exactly such an emergency may occur again, any day, and the city should be prepared for it with a suitable place for contagious diseases.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.