USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Melrose > City of Melrose annual report 1906 > Part 2
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18
CITY OF MELROSE
Fire Department.
Thanks to the care of our citizens and the vigilance of our Fire Department, we have been spared any serious con- flagrations during the past year. Like the heads of other departments, our Chief Engineer, having in view the im- provement of the efficiency of the department under his charge, has made to me several suggestions which, if carried out, would require the expenditure of a considerable amount of money, but he expresses the situation in a nutshell when at the close of his communication he says : "I could suggest some more improvements but I know something about the taxes," and as in the case of the Police Department, the financial condition of the City will not allow of any in- creased expenditure in the Fire Department.
Melrose Hospital.
It has been our custom in the past to appropriate money for this worthy institution, and like my predecessors in office, I heartily recommend the continuance of the same. The work of the Hospital is invaluable to our City, and it should receive the hearty support of all our citizens.
Charity Department.
I desire to call your attention, Mr. President and Gentle- men, to the Charity Department as at present constituted. There was, as you are well aware, an investigation of cer- tain statements or charges made in your Board last year concerning the conduct of this department. It was my duty, as Chairman of the Committee on the part of the Board of Aldermen, to recommend that a committee be appointed to confer with His Honor, the Mayor, to see what measures, if any, could be taken to improve the efficiency of the De- partment. That Committee, as I understand, met with His Honor, the Mayor, and their report to the Board of Alder- men was a recommendation that the matter be referred to the Board of 1906. I would urge upon you the necessity of taking this matter up at once, giving it full and careful
19
MAYOR'S ADDRESS
consideration with a view to seeing as to whether or no the unfortunates within our midst who are dependent upon the City for a whole or a part of their support cannot be as well taken care of in so far as the necessities of life are concerned, for a smaller sum of money than we have been obliged to expend in the past few years. I can only say to you, as Mayor of the City, that I occupy the same position that I did, when I reported as a member of the Board of Aldermen, that in my opinion something should be done to improve the efficiency of the Department.
Board of Health.
The general work of the Department has been consider- ably greater than during the previous year. A very general epidemic of measles during the winter was followed by a considerable number of cases of scarlet fever of a very slight type during the summer. In 1904 only one case was cared for at the isolation hospital. In 1905 seventeen cases have been cared for and the hospital has been in use nearly three- fourths of the time. In this connection I would call the attention of the Board to the advisability of providing by ordinance for the appointment of a City Physician who would also be Chairman of the Board of Health. The work of the Department has increased so much during the past few years that it seems to me that the remuneration which is paid the active. working member of the Board is not large enough to reasonably compensate him for his services, and if in your judgment it should be deemed advisable to create the office of City Physician and combine it with that of Chairman of the Board of Health, a reasonable compensation could be given him.
I have been informed that, contrary to my former belief, those of our citizens who are compelled to call upon the City for medical attendance have so much faith in the skill of our physicians in general that they are not particular as to who attends them in case of sickness. This being the case, it does away with the principal objection that I had
/
20
CITY OF MELROSE
to the appointment of a City Physician while I was a mem- ber of your Honorable Board.
Public Works Department.
Demands on this Department are many, its needs are numerous, the most important one in my opinion being the securing of a city yard, stable and sheds, that all materials, tools, wagons, sleds, horses and other paraphernalia may be properly stored, housed or cared for, and that there might be some suitable place for everything belonging to the de- partment where it could be left or stored with reasonable certainty of security, and further that the consolidation of the departments, as provided in the City Charter, could be made and carried into effect other than in name. This mat- ter has been called to the attention of the Board of Alder- men by two of the gentlemen who have preceded me and I urge upon you the necessity of looking carefully into this matter for I believe it will be a step in the direction of economy.
Public Highways.
An unusually large amount of work has been done in this department for the past season, principally due to the widen- ening of Main street and the failure of the contractor to complete the work, which was taken by the Mayor, who ordered the Engineer and superintendent of Public Works to complete the same and charge the expense to the con- tractor. This, together with the rebuilding of South avenue and moving the Sewall schoolhouse, gave additional em- ployment to those in the city who rely on work of this nature for means of support. While the expenditures on surface drainage and water construction were less than in previous years, the amount paid in wages was more, for the reason that the nature of the work done required little ex- pense for stock.
Notwithstanding the adverse criticism of some, the con- dition of our highways continues to improve ; the appropria- tion is small and the demands are numerous. The expendi-
21
MAYOR'S ADDRESS
ture for highways in 1899, the last year of the Town Gov- ernment, was $27,846.00. In 1905 the appropriation was $21,500.00. During this time the pay of the men employed in this department has increased from 20 to 25 cents per hour and the length of day reduced from 9 to 8 hours. The appropriation is insufficient to give the public the service they reasonably demand and which they consider they are entitled to receive.
During the year, Main street from Porter street to the Wakefield line has been widened, curbed, drained, gutters paved and the roadway macadamized, and in connection with this work many of the adjoining side streets were im- proved at little or no cost, such as macadamizing Highland avenue and Briggs street, repairing Franklin street, Read- ing Hill and Highland avenues, and filling Crystal street. Considerable work of macadamizing has been done during the year on Main street, Franklin street, Hillside avenue, Bartlett, Francis and Elm streets and South avenue. Gut- ters have been paved on portions of Ashmont street, Porter street, Walton park and East Foster street. Portions of Perkins street, Swain's Pond avenue, Mt. Vernon street and Wyoming avenue have been gravelled, and First and Sylvan streets have been regraded. A number of street corners have been curbed, crossings have been relaid, trees trimmed, catchbasins and brooks cleaned, the usual amount of work done on the gravel walks, the gutters cleaned, weeds cut, and the ordinary amount of minor repairs made. There are 35 miles of concrete walks in the City, many of them in poor condition, and as their foundation is defective they cannot be improved much except by entirely rebuilding. It seems almost a waste of money to concrete them for in a very short time the frost either breaks them up or causes them to become uneven. It would be more satisfactory and economical in the end if they could be gradually replaced by brick. This cannot be done unless an ordinance covering the same is passed by the Board of Aldermen, and I recom- mend that you take this matter under consideration.
During the year the continuous sidewalks ordered by the
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CITY OF MELROSE
Board of Aldermen have been built and individual walks with curbing on the outer edge have been constructed in -front of eighteen estates, four being of granolithic, one of brick, and thirteen of concrete. More than the usual amount of repairs have been made to the existing walks as the ap- propriation was not limited but was added to and made a part of that for highways. In addition to these repairs, the walk around the Public Library lot was changed from brick and concrete to granolithic.
During the year portions of the system of surface drainage have been laid in Upham, Lebanon, First, Emerson, Vinton and Charles streets and Walton park, and catchbasins built in Highland avenue and Prospect street. The total length of main drains is 5306 feet of pipe varying from 10 to 20 inches, with 24 manholes and 53 catchbasins. I recommend that the work of extending the system of surface drainage be continued and for that purpose I would suggest a bond issue of $20,000 and that it be made as soon as possible, in order that the pipe may be purchased and everything gotten in readiness to start the work in good season.
We have an excellent sewer system comprising more than 35 miles of main pipe, varying in size from two feet to six inches, on which are situated about 2730 buildings. Of this number, 2362 are connected with the sewers. During the year sewers have been constructed as ordered by the Board of Aldermen, in Goodyear avenue, Pleasant street and Sewall Woods road, comprising 510 feet of 10-inch pipe, 244 feet of 8-inch and 614 feet of 6-inch, and in addition the construc- tion of such private sewers as were applied for, the number being 106.
The Water Division has during the year laid 510 feet of 6-inch cast-iron pipe in School street, 372 feet of 12-inch in Fletcher street, 260 feet of 4-inch in Forest street, 116 of 6-inch in Forest street and 160 feet of 6-inch in Walnut street. In addition to this the small cement pipe in Upham street has been taken out and replaced by 1510 feet of 10- inch cast-iron pipe, and that in East street with 515 feet of 6-inch cast-iron pipe. In order to prevent freezing, pipes
23
MAYOR'S ADDRESS
have been lowered in Lynde, Swain's Pond, Glen, Fairview, Boardman and Wyoming avenues and in Rockland, Laurel and East Foster streets. Forty-eight new services have been laid, 130 street services and 158 inside private premises, renewed, five patent standpipes and three new hydrants set and four 4-inch hydrants replaced with 6-inch hydrants.
The need of this department is changing street mains from cement-lined to cast-iron pipe, and also in renewing the service pipes, as many of them are plain wrought-iron and have been in use for a number of years and become clogged, and are so weakened on account of rust that they are continually breaking.
With the increase of the annual assessment payable to the Commonwealth for Sinking Fund, interest and main- tenance of the Metropolitan system and the reduction of the water rates by the Board of Aldermen, there is little prospect of any considerable sum being available for these purposes, as will be seen from the following approximate estimate :
The estimated total revenues for 1906 are $52,000, out of which there will have to be paid an assessment to the Com- monwealth of $24,500; interest on bonds, $10,000; general maintenance, $10,000; or $44,500 for the total, leaving a sur- plus if no pipes are relaid, of $8000. For these statistics rela- tive to the work of the department, I am indebted to W. Dabney Hunter, Engineer and Superintendent.
One of the important divisions of the department of Public Works is that for the Suppression of the Gypsy and Brown- Tail Moths, and the following summary of the work done and money expended has been given me by the local super- intendent :
Amount appropriated for 1905 previous to May 8 $1,550.25
since May 8 7,500.00 77.39
Receipts
$9,127.64
24
CITY OF MELROSE
Amount expended previous to May 8, 1905 1,312.91
from May 8 to Dec. 30, 1905 6,913.56
1/2 Expenditures in excess of $2,500, since May 8 2,206.78
(which will be reimbursed by the State.)
The local superintendent informs me that the amount that the State superintendent will call on us to expend in 1906 will probably be about twice the amount expended since May 8, 1905, or in the neighborhood of fourteen thousand ($14,000) dollars. As the amount that the State can compel us to expend before we can claim the 50 per cent. rebate is $5000, this will leave $9000 on which we will be entitled to a rebate of $4500, thus making our expenditures $9500, which should be provided for in the tax levy. Add to this the $7500 which the Auditor reports was borrowed last year and must be paid from this year's taxes, and we have the amount of $17,000, a very heavy burden, but one that we should be willing to bear.
We have in Melrose 52 miles of streets, alleys and lanes, on which there are 4966 trees for the care of which the City is responsible. Of this number, 2769 have been burlapped, scraped and tanglefooted and 162 cemented. All of the above have been creosoted where nests have been discovered up to twenty feet from the ground. About 3200 telephone, telegraph, electric light and other poles have been examined thoroughly and nests treated where found. Many poles were tanglefooted. Brush has been cut from 27 streets, an aggre- gate length of 83/4 miles. Leaves and grass have been burned on 29 streets, a total length of about 20 miles. Twenty-seven cartloads of tin cans have been picked up on private and public ground, the nests treated and cans de- posited at the public dump.
From Ell Pond park, 231/2 acres, the brush as well as 40 cords of wood has been cut, treated with creosote oil and piled up. All nests on this park have been treated to a distance of six feet from the ground, at a cost so far of $20 per acre. In Sewall's Woods park about ten acres have been cleaned, about five cords of dead wood cut, treated and
25
MAYOR'S ADDRESS
piled, and all the nests treated with creosote oil to a dis- tance of six feet from the ground; cost so far $22 an acre. The Wyoming Cemetery and City Farm lot contain- ing 58 acres has been cleared of brush and 23 cords of wood cut, treated and piled up; a large portion of the ground work completed, including carefully removing what nests were discovered on about 3000 tomb stones and monuments.
About 50 acres of Pine Banks park have been cleared of brush, about 235 large dead pines cut down and all the nests treated on about 30 acres to a distance of six feet from the ground.
Materials used were: 3707 yards burlap, 250 pounds tanglefoot, 23 barrels creosote, three barrels cement, one barrel crude oil, 40 gallons kerosene. The general clean- ing up that is going on in all parts of our city is evidence that our people are aroused and propose to supplement the work of the Gypsy Moth Division to the full extent of their ability.
Pine Banks Park.
By an act of the Legislature this tract of land has passed into the possession of a Board of Trustees who hold it in trust for the cities of Malden and Melrose. This is an ad- ditional expense to our city in two ways: First, because we lose the taxes heretofore collected on the property ; sec- ond, because we shall have to pay to the trustees at least $1000 a year as our proportion of the cost of maintenance. Our citizens are of different opinions as to the wisdom of accepting this gift, but under the provision of the act, if we should refuse to make the appropriation provided for in the act, then the trustees, if called upon by the heirs of the Converse estate, are obliged to deed the property back to the Converse heirs. As the property is yearly growing more valuable I have no doubt but that we can readily rid ourselves of the burden if such it should prove to be.
Of the other matters in which our citizens are interested, among them the Boulevard, State Highway and the matter of improvement of Spot Pond brook, there is nothing that
26
CITY OF MELROSE
I can say to you except that I trust that during the year, upon the threshold of which we are now standing, we will see the State Highway a certainty, the Boulevard under process of construction, and the Spot Pond brook trouble remedied. I can safely assure that in these matters and all others in which the Commonwealth is an interested party, your Representative to the General Court and myself will work together in harmony and do everything possible to further the interest of the people who have honored us by electing us to the highest offices within their power.
And now, Mr. President and Gentlemen, in closing allow me to say that did the financial condition of the City war- rant increased expenditure there are many matters that I call to your attention, but knowing our condition I have refrained from making many recommendations. I trust that the year of our official life will be pleasant to us and profitable to the people who have chosen us. I shall en- deavor not to forget that while a member of your Board I was a strenuous advocate of what I thought were the rights of the Board of Aldermen, and it will be my aim to concede now what I advocated then, and I shall whenever possible consult your body on any important question that may arise, and do all that I can to lighten your labors.
Government of the City of Melrose
1906.
Mayor, CHARLES J. BARTON.
President of the Board of Aldermen, AARON HILL, JR.
Aldermen at Large.
Oliver B. Munroe
Term expires January, 1908
Joel C. Page
66
66
Charles C. Swett
Lowell F. Wentworth.
66
1907
Aaron Hill, Jr.
Eugene H. Moore
66
66
¥
Ward Aldermen.
Ward 1. Charles E. French Harry F. Sears
Ward 2. George E. Manser
Warren S. Towner
Ward 3. Thomas H. Gilman
George W. Libbey
Ward 4. George E. Cornwall John Dike
Ward 5. Arthur S. Davis
Edward J. Lord
Ward 6. ¡Claude L. Allen
*Joseph H. Allen Elmer O. Goodridge
Ward 7. William J. Bowser
Levi Elms
+Resigned.
*Elected to fill vacancy.
Clerk of the Board. W. De Haven Jones, City Clerk.
66
Albert A. Day.
STANDING COMMITTEES OF THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN.
President of the Board of Aldermen. Aaron Hill, Jr.
Accounts and Surety Bonds .. Aldermen Cornwall, Wentworth, Page, Sears, Gilman.
Buildings. Aldermen Page, Swett, Bowser, Goodridge, Lord.
City Clerk and Cemetery. Aldermen Gilman, Towner, Elms, Day, Goodridge.
Claims. Aldermen Allen, Munroe, Page, Dike, Lord.
Elections and Returns, Printing and Supplies. Aldermen Manser, Sears, Allen, Bowser, Gilman.
Finance. Aldermen Towner, Wentworth, Allen, Bowser, Dike, French, Gilman.
Fire Department, Electric and Telephone Wires. Aldermen Moore, Munroe, Wentworth, Libbey, Manser.
Highways, Sewers, Water and Public Grounds. Aldermen Swett, Moore, Cornwall, Page, Sears, Elms, Davis.
Nominations and Resolutions. Aldermen Davis, Towner, Cornwall, Elms, French.
Ordinances, Rules, Orders and Legislative Matters. Aldermen Sears, Munroe, Day, Swett, Dike.
Police Department and Licenses. Aldermen Lord, Elms, Cornwall, Goodridge, Manser.
29
STANDING COMMITTEES
Public Charities. Aldermen French, Day, Davis.
Public Health. Aldermen Wentworth, Dike, French.
Public Schools and Public Library. Aldermen Munroe, Day, Page, Sears, Libbey, Wentworth, Dike.
Solicitor and Collector. Aldermen Libbey, Allen, Bowser, French, Manser.
Special Committee on Settlement with Metropolitan Water Board. Aldermen Dike, Towner, Munroe, Lord, French.
Special Committee on Spot Pond Brook for Conference With His Honor the Mayor.
Aldermen Goodridge, Moore, Swett, Libbey, Allen.
State Military Aid and Soldiers' Relief. Aldermen Day, Swett, Manser.
Street Railways and Public Lighting. Aldermen Elms, Towner, Moore, Davis, Lord, Gilman, Cornwall.
Treasury and Assessors. Aldermen Bowser, Moore, Wentworth, Davis, Gilman.
Special Committee on Brown Tail and Gypsy Moths. Aldermen Page, Cornwall, Dike, Goodridge, Libbey.
Clerk of Committees. Victor C. Kirmes.
City Officers
City Clerk. W. De Haven Jones.
Assistant City Clerk and Clerk of Committees. Victor C. Kirmes.
City Treasurer. William R. Lavender.
City Collector. James W. Murray.
City Auditor. Edwin C. Gould.
Engineer and Superintendent of Public Works. . W. Dabney Hunter.
Mayor's Clerk.
Emma L. Leighton.
City Solicitor. Claude L. Allen.
Chief of Fire Department. Joseph Edwards.
Chief of Police. Frank M. Mclaughlin.
Inspector of Buildings. Harry B. Hurd.
Inspector of Plumbing. John T. Barker.
Inspector of Milk and Vinegar. William S. Briry.
31
CITY OFFICERS
Inspector of Animals, Provisions and Food Products. Frank P. Sturges.
Sealer of Weights and Measures. William L. Pierce.
Agent State and Military Aid and Soldiers' Relief. Charles O. Boyd.
Burial Agent. Albert L. Carleton.
Assessors. Frank R. Upham, Chairman.
L. Frank Hinckley William Morss
John C. Crolly, Clerk.
Assistant Assessors. Merton G. Woodbury,
Alden B. Smith
William J. Duffy
Board of Health. Clarence P. Holden, Chairman,
Edmund L. Grundy
Arthur A. Hayden
Grace A. Colby, Clerk.
Overseers of the Poor. William A. Morse, Chairman.
Peter J. Lynch
Matilda E. Stantial.
Grace A. Colby, Clerk.
Matron Pratt Farm.
Mrs. Mabel F. Worth.
School Committee.
E. Clifford Fish, 17 Wyoming ave.
Term expires 1907
Isabelle Stantial, 146 Florence st.
Oscar F. Frost, 10 Vine st.
66
1908
Sarah A. Day, 45 Ashland st.
Chas. A. Castle, 98 West Emerson st.
66
66
George H. Hill, 16 Summer st.
66
66 1909
Mary P. Holden, 32 Lake ave.
66
66
Edwin S. Small, 273 Main st.
William D. Stewart, Chairman.
66
66
Isabelle Stantial, Secretary.
66
William D. Stewart, 21 Woodland ave.
66
66
32
CITY OF MELROSE
Sinking Fund Commissioners. John W. Farwell.
Daniel Russell
Charles C. Barry
Trustees of the Public Library.
Charles C. Barry
Term expries 1909
Paul Sterling
1909
Neil A. Divver
66
1907
Anna T. B. Bush
'66 66 1907
Elbridge H. Goss
66
66
1908
Mary L. Charles
66
1908
Cemetery Committee. John Larrabee, Chairman.
Willis C. Goss J. Sydney Hitchins
Edwin C. Gould, Clerk. Roscoe A. Leavitt, Superintendent Wyoming Cemetery.
Registrars of Voters.
Edwin L. Cragin, Chairman
Term expires 1907 66
Harry C. Woodill
1909
Victor C. Kirmes
66 66 1908
W. De Haven Jones, City Clerk, ex-officio.
Engineers of the Fire Department. Joseph Edwards, Chief.
Thomas J. Hawkes, 1st Asst. Frank H. Cheever, 2d Asst.
Measurers of Wood and Bark, Weighers of Hay and Coal.
George M. Hall,· Fred H. Goss, Frank E. Newell,
Charles B. Goss, Edgar Russell Miss Bessie Owen,
Adin A. Arnold.
Public Weighers of Merchandise.
William L. Pierce, W. Dabney Hunter, Otis W. Pierce,
William H. Martin, Edward A. Riley, James McTiernan,
Charles F. Woodward, Albert J. Waghorne.
Fence Viewer. Charles F. Woodward.
33
CITY OFFICERS
Field Driver. Harry W. Worth.
Pound Keeper. Harry W. Worth.
Police Officers.
Frank M. Mclaughlin, Chief.
Osborne E. Drown.
William A. Caswell.
Allston H. Pineo.
Redford M. Rand.
William H. Doherty.
William C. McCarthy.
Christopher B. Thompson.
Louis B. Heaton.
Frank N. Pierce.
Special Police Officers.
A. W. Lynde.
J. H. Maine.
M. D. Reardon.
G. W. Towne.
W. T. Fahy.
H. W. Worth.
C. J. Wing.
E. E. Sherburne.
I. Gorman.
A. A. McBeth.
William Riley.
W. B. Eaton.
M. J. Hanley.
J. H. Wing.
J. H. Thyng.
H. D. Enslin. A. B. Hathaway.
Robert Campbell.
George H. Cray.
George E. Fuller. Harry Brown.
Keeper of the Lock-up. Frank W. Mclaughlin.
Election Officers for the Year 1906=7
Ward 1.
Patrick W. Curry, Republican
· Warden
Harry A. Batchelder, Republican Deputy Warden
Corydon W. Harlow, Democrat . Clerk
William H. Greenleaf, Democrat . Deputy Clerk
George S. McNeil, Republican
. Inspector
Alanson M. Phillips, Republican Deputy Inspector
William F. Buck, Republican Inspector
Charles W. Jones, Republican Deputy Inspector
George W. Glover, Democrat Inspector
Clarence D. Bemis, Democrat . Deputy Inspector
Francis N. Bemis, Democrat Inspector
Thomas F. Troy, Democrat .Deputy Inspector
Ward 2.
George W. Burke, Republican Warden
Calvin W. Sawyer, Republican . Deputy Warden
Aubrey W. Dunton, Democrat · Clerk
Franklin R. Carr, Democrat . Deputy Clerk
Frank E. Morton, Republican Inspector
James F. Fernald, Republican .Deputy Inspector
Alden B. Smith, Republican . Inspector
Daniel K. Collamore, Republican . Deputy Inspector
Otis W. Pierce, Democrat . Inspector
Frank W. Lewis, Democrat . Deputy Inspector
Frank L. Terwilleger, Democrat Inspector
George W. Stinson, Democrat Deputy Inspector
Ward 3.
Frank Towle, Republican
Warden
Walter J. Lord, Republican Deputy Warden
Francis W. Hoffman, Democrat . Clerk
Stephen Hopkins, Democrat Deputy Clerk
C. H. Rockwood, Republican . Inspector
Clifton A. Pendleton, Republican . Deputy Inspector
Everett E. Tarbox, Republican Inspector
Martin L. Stacy, Republican . Deputy Inspector
John J. Keating, Democrat . Inspector
George W. Van Horn, Democrat Deputy Inspector
Peter J. Curran, Democrat . Inspector
Frederick M. Kirmes, Democrat Deputy Inspector
35
. ELECTION OFFICERS
Ward 4.
Charles H. Buttrick, Republican . Warden
Edward J. Kitching, Republican
. Deputy Warden
David G. Murphy, Democrat Clerk
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