USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Quincy > Inaugural address of the mayor, with the annual report of the officers of the city of Quincy for the year 1889 > Part 2
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Three years ago the town wisely adopted an improved method of permanent street building, and the Road Commis- sioners began the work on Hancock Street. The street is now rebuilt to Wollaston Avenue, and the rebuilding should be con- tinued. Granite Street from Hancock Street to Fort Street is in a very bad condition. The main streets of our city should be rebuilt in the most substantial manner. Grades should be established in all streets where permanent repairs are made, and these grades should be carefully observed. To keep our streets in good condition is a serious problem, especially with the somewhat limited means at our disposal. The extremely narrow tires upon the stone teams, loaded heavily as they are, crush through all but the strongest and best of roads. We cannot afford to have all our highways macadamized, but I believe that our principal streets should have as thorough and efficient work done upon them as possible. I have no doubt some permanent rebuilding will be done this year.
Your attention is called to the laying out and accepting of new streets. The street mileage is increasing every year. We have quite eighty miles of highway. The ordinary repairs
25
upon these streets entail a large expense. It might be wise to have these new streets more thoroughly built than has been the usual custom before accepting them.
Good sidewalks are demanded and must be made. The continued setting of edgestones is recommended, but set at the established grade.
The town entered upon an entirely new method of street lighting the last year, and while it is a great improvement upon other methods, many of the lights should be re-located so that better results could be obtained. The company should maintain the efficiency of its lights, up to the requirements of its contract. Lights should be located at the junction of all important streets, and your attention is called to the location of lights in many such places.
The Water Company is fulfilling its contract with the city, and by the construction of its reservoir has placed itself in a position where it cannot fail to give a full supply of water to its patrons at all seasons of the year.
I desire to call to your attention the great importance of the adoption of some plan by which the surface drainage of our city can be safely, easily and quickly disposed of.
This question leads up to one which will also demand your serious attention. I allude to the question of sewers. I be- lieve under the scheme devised by Mr. Clark, and I know of no better authority upon that question, it did not provide for the care of the rainfall. Indeed the added cost because of the greater size of the sewer mains renders it desirable to separate the two systems. I call your attention to this particularly be- cause many of our citizens suppose that for the sum named
26
in that report a system of sewers could be built which will provide for both surface and house drainage. I have always felt, that with the exception of the outlet being located at Quincy Point, that this or some similar plan should be adopted by our city in the near future.
As you well know, there are three main brooks which run directly across our city, and are known by the following names : Town Brook, which rises in Braintree not far from where Blue Hill River crosses the main street near Braintree Great Pond, and empties into the canal near Washington Street. The watershed upon this brook is quite 1.000,000,000 gallons of water annually. The series of experiments made by the Water Company demonstrate this fact. Furnace Brook, which rises in the foothills of the Blue Hills, and flows through West Quincy and empties into Black's Creek- one arm of this brook rises in Milton-and Sachem Brook, or as known in our earlier records, Dead or Stand Brook, which rises in Milton, and empties into the sea near the Quincy Farm. These main streams, together with one which empties into Bent's Creek at the neck, are the main sources of drainage for our large area.
It is of the utmost importance that these streams should be widened and deepened, and all refuse which retards the flow of the water, be removed. Our increasing population, together with the demands of business, has in many cases en- croached upon the low lands which border these streams.
By reason of this occupation, much trouble is caused when the rainfall is heavy and the floods caused by the melting snow in the spring. Sickness is the inevitable result of wet
27
cellars, and this condition will surely exist in houses built on the low lands near the water courses. To remedy this defect as far as possible and to prevent the inevitable raising of the low districts at an enormous expense in the future, the Council should adopt suitable ordinances governing the erection of buildings for dwellings and other purposes upon such places, by establishing suitable grades which would overcome this diffi- culty. If we secure better surface drainage, we have better streets.
The schools of Quincy have been our just pride, and we confidently challenge comparison with any in the State. The standard must be kept up, and all needful appropriations must be made to sustain them and keep them in the van.
In 1869, Dr. Woodward died and gave a large part of his property to the town for the purpose of establishing a school for girls. This sum has received other large additions, and now amounts to $215,000.
In his will he directed that the school should be established in at least twenty-five years after his death. This limitation expires in five years, and soon our community will have this valuable addition to its school facilities.
The Thomas Crane Public Library is the just pride of our citizens. Under the judicious care of gentlemen who have been on the Board of Trustees almost since its organization, it has grown to be one of the best of the public libraries in our State.
The Adams Academy pursues the even tenor of its way, and does excellent work.
The fire department as at present constituted consists of
28
one steam fire engine, four hose companies, one hook and ladder truck, and two chemical engines.
The steam fire engine, together with one hose wagon and the hook and ladder truck are massed in the stone building and the wooden additions on School Street, nearly opposite Marsh Street. There is a permanent force of four men on duty at this station ; also, six horses are kept at this point. The batteries for maintaining the fire alarm telegraph are also in this building. These pieces of apparatus respond to all calls within our limits. The hose wagon is capable of carrying and does carry a larger amount of hose than any of the other carriages. Situated as we are, there is much property not covered by the hydrant service, and a long line of hose is sometimes necessary, and the main reliance is upon this wagon. There is a hose carriage in Ward Two, one in Ward Four, and one in Ward Five. These wagons are so arranged as to be hauled by horses as well as by hand. There is no permanent force at either of these houses.
One chemical engine is stationed in Ward Six, and the other at the extreme end of Houghs Neck.
There is stationed in the livery stable of Mr. Hall an additional supply of hose on an old hose reel, which has been of great assistance upon several occasions when a fire has occurred near that place.
In former years this spot has been rather a fiery one, and it seems wise to keep the extra piece of apparatus at this point and to have it in good order.
I think that an examination should be made of our fire alarm system with a view of decreasing the length of the cir-
29
cuit, by causing a repeater to be put on the line. The circuit is about twenty-three miles long and must be easily disarranged, and if the circuits were shorter faults could be much more easily located.
There are 5,650 feet of hose in the department which is in good condition. I call your attention to the fact that it is a duty incumbent on the Council to create a fire department for our city, drafting suitable rules to govern the same. It is a subject which will demand and should receive the most careful attention.
The burial places of the city are in good condition and well taken care of. We should pursue the same course in future as in the past in regard to their maintenance and care.
The almshouse is in good condition and not in need of any great repairs.
There are the following notes and obligations of the city outstanding, and they fall due on the dates given :
State of Massachusetts (due June 1, 1889), $10,000
Basset, Whitney & Co. (due Jan. 27, 1890), 10,000
Repair fund of lots in Mt. Wollaston Cemetery, 4,775
Demand loans,
19,000
Making total amount due, $43,775
The collector reports that there is $5,300 of the tax levy of 1887, and $22,000 of 1888 uncollected, making a total of $27,300 still due.
The city hall as at present arranged is not suitably adapted to our uses. By a wise provision in our charter, the question of building a new city hall will have to be submitted to the
30
citizens for decision. However, I do not consider that this question will arise for a great many years. Some changes will have to be made in our present building, but a large ex- penditure of money will not be required.
It is your duty to create, when the occasion requires, a police force. Until that time arrives constables will be ap- pointed to attend to the police requirements of our city.
The Civil Service Commission has made a set of rules to which we are subject. I shall be only too happy in carrying out all the requirements of the Commission, being as you well know, a sincere believer in the law.
We inherit a sinking fund from the town which I think wise to maintain. I give you a statement of the fund as it stands today :-
Loans secured by mortgage,
$9,451.80
Accrued interest,
61.62
Cash on deposit,
1,033.63
Making a total of
. $10,547,05
This fund will take up the loan due the State of Massa- chusetts June 1, 1889.
The emphatic expression of the citizens on the question of granting licenses for the sale of liquor was directly in line with its action in previous years. It is a matter of great re- joicing that there is so great a unanimity of sentiment on this question. Quincy has enrolled herself as the banner city of the Commonwealth on this question, and I sincerely hope we shall never recede from the position we have taken.
31
The methods of transacting the business of our city will be entirely changed. The city treasurer will be the disbursing · officer.
The heads of departments will have the direction of those departments to which they are assigned.
Gentlemen : The citizens have entrusted to our care for the next year the governing of our city. I believe we are animated by the spirit and purpose of doing our duty well and truly.
Following out this rule we can lay off our armor at the end of the year with the consciousness of having served our city faithfully and earned a just reward.
REPORT
OF THE
BOARD OF F EALTH OF QUINCY, 1 889.
To HIS HONOR THE MAYOR :
The Board of Health herewith respectfully submits its annual report for the year ending December 31st, 1889.
We also submit for your careful consideration such recommendations as, in our judgment, the sanitary interests of the city, demand.
The Board organized February 4th, with J. H. Gilbert, M. D., Chairman.
J. F. Welch, M. D., Secretary.
J. Warren Hayden was elected Inspector.
Peter McConnarty, Scavenger.
Rules and regulations were adopted by the Board and published as required by the statutes.
The number of inspections made by the Inspector for the Board, with the character of the several nuisances discovered and the number of the same abated is as follows : -
Three thousand, one hundred and twenty inspections were made. Five hundred and forty-six nuisances were discovered, and of these 523 were abated.
33
Unventilated drains
2
Abated
2
Broken sink drains
17
17
Sink drains stopped up
.
8
66
8
Imperfect privy vaults
51
66
45
Privy too near well
1
66
1
Privy too near street
2
2
Uncleaned privy vaults
224
218
Uncleaned cesspools
69
67
Cesspool too near house
4
3
Filthy yards
61
61
Wet cellars
4
4
Contaminated well
7
66
7
Sewage runs into barn cellar
2
66
2
Sewage runs into street
6
3
Sewage runs under house
6
66
5
Sewage runs into cellar
10
10
Sewage runs into brook
1
1
Sink pool on surface of the ground
48
44
Pig pens
2
2
Unburied dog carcasses
4
4
Decomposing fish offal
3
3
Decaying fruit
6
66
6
Filthy hennery
2
2
Filthy cellars
6
6
·
.
.
.
.
·
·
.
.
.
·
.
The uncleaned privy vaults and cesspools, as in former reports, are found to predominate, and will continue, owing to the larger volume of water used for domestic purposes since the introduction of running water, and the lack of modern means of carrying off the same, to wit: a sewerage system.
3
.
.
34
The more compact the population, the greater becomes the necessity for sewers. This question is of vital importance to every individual of the city; the citizens are thoroughly in- structed as to its advantages over the long outgrown cesspool, and anxious for its adoption. The thoroughness with which this matter has been discussed by your Honor and the City Council makes it unnecessary for us to enter into the question to any extent ; we would simply repeat our statement of last year, that the necessity for such a system is apparent, that many nuisances, the causes of many infectious diseases, cannot be removed entirely without a general sewerage system.
In portions of the city, in the vicinity of the brooks, it is difficult to dispose of the sewage in the usual way with the brooks in their present condition.
The natural water courses are shallow from the fillling up of the same with vegetable growths and refuse of all kinds, the natural result of which is that, after a moderately heavy rainfall, the brooks overflow, filling the cesspools, and in many localities the cellars ; sewage is washed into the cellars and wells, rendering the premises unfit for habitation.
In the same localities is largely found the prevalent nuisance, " sewage on surface." This is a dangerous nuisance in thickly-settled localities, where the inhabitants are supplied with well water. Contamination of water is quite sure to follow, rendering it unfit for use, and obliging the residents then for a time to depend for their supply on the well of some more fortunate neighbor. The nuisance is abated by the Board in the shortest possible period. Many times the
abatement is but temporary, from the fact that the nuisance occurs largely in the region above mentioned, and the bottom of the brook being above the grade of cellar, a cesspool of sufficient depth to contain the waste water would be always overflowing.
In response to numerous petitions to the Board praying for the abatement of nuisances caused by obstruction in the town brooks, the Board made an inspection of the several natural water courses of the city, and reported that, in their opinion, the natural waterways of the city in their then exist- ing condition were nuisances, detrimental to public health and the estates of the inhabitants of the city.
· There is no doubt that ponds of foul and stagnant water, wherever located, are a cause of disease, and early attention should be given to abating the nuisance by the straightening and deepening of the brooks.
Another matter we wish to bring to your attention is that of a dumping-ground for garbage and sewage. We have experienced a great deal of difficulty in selecting a suitable place for such waste matter. Permission would be given by the Board to scavengers to use certain grounds for this pur- pose, when immediately petitions would be sent in asking for the abatement of the nuisance caused by the offensive smells, by residents near and remote, when another spot would be selected with a like result. Every year the demand becomes more pressing for the selection by the city of some place sufficiently isolated, where scavengers and others can have a right to dump.
The Board have received the following returns of infec- tious diseases : -
36
CASES OF
TYPHOID
DIPHTHERIA.
SCARLET FEVER.
MEASLES.
FEVER.
January
5
3
February
7
3
2
March
24
8
4
April
7
4
6
1
May
14
115
June
8
54
July
3
10
3
August
12
19
September
16
October .
2
11
November
7
5
December
5
1
2
-
94
13
195
59
The annual statement of the expenses of the Board for the year is as follows : -
Appropriation .
$990 00
EXPENSES.
Legal services (1888)
$390 00
Inspecting and fumigating
332 14
Secretary's salary . ·
150 00
Rent
60 00
Miscellaneous
5 85
937 99
Balance unexpended
$52 01
37
SWILL ACCOUNT.
Appropriation
$1,000 00
EXPENSES.
J. Wilkin, horse
$300 00
J. R. Wild, wagon
200 00
Harness, Blanket, etc.
47 40
Expense of keeping
43 44
Driver's salary
126 00
Miscellaneous
4 20
$721 04
Balance unexpended
$278 96
SWILL DEPARTME
In June the Board called the attention of your Honor to the urgent need, as a sanitary measure, of some method of col- lecting the swill and garbage of the city.
At a meeting of the Board, July 17, notice was read from the City Clerk that the collection of swill, as recommended by the Board, had become a law, and the matter placed under the control of the Board of Health.
We regret that so much time was required in the warm season for the proper fitting up of this department, but it was unavoidable, as considerable investigation had to be made by a department new to the work ; a wagon had to be constructed, horse purchased and many details that were not completed until October 1st. On the 7th of October the city swill wagon commenced its work, and considering the time of year this department began its work, we have every reason to believe it a success, a convenience and benefit to the inhabitants.
There are now over 150 families who take advantage of this means offered by the city to get rid of what to them has heretofore been a source of much annoyance.
This is a department which will increase markedly in effect- iveness another year, and that it may do for public all that its
39
originators intended, viz. : To abolish the nuisance caused by the collection of swill by individuals, we would urgently request that this practice be prohibited by city ordinance.
There is little doubt but the income from this depart- ment will be considerable from the sale of swill, and may be self-supporting within a very few years. The swill can be dis- posed of at good prices when there is sufficient collected to guarantee the dealers the quantity they require and are now obliged to purchase elsewhere.
No special effort has been made to sell the swill collected by us in the three months the department has existed, because of the small quantity.
J. H. GILBERT,
J. F. WELCH,
J. L. WHITON,
J. M. SHEAHAN, G. B. RICE.
R EPORT OF THE CITY CLERK. LERK.
I herewith submit the following report for the year ending December 31, 1889, showing the receipts of the office, the same being for eleven months, commencing on the first Monday in February, 1889, as follows :-
For marriage licenses $81 50
" Recording mortgages of personal property, assignment of wages, etc. 96 87
" Dog license fees 183 60
" Various other licenses 129 00
$490 97
The above sums have been paid to the City Treasurer and his receipts taken therefor.
The number of marriage intentions filed during the year is 177
marriages returned for the year is 176
66 deaths 66 324
66 births recorded 60 587 .
The number of dogs licensed during the year is 906, of which 816 were males and 90 females, for which $2,082 was received, and the same has been paid to the County Treasurer less the fees.
CHRISTOPHER A. SPEAR,
City Clerk.
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC WORKS,
1 889.
To HIS HONOR THE MAYOR :
Dear Sir .- In accordance with the requirements of the city ordinance, I herewith present my annual report :-
Our streets are not in as good condition as they should be. There are about one hundred miles of street in our city, and it must be taken into consideration that we have the hardest traffic passing over them of any other place in the country. Another thing to be taken into consideration, that the past year has been an eventful one for the amount of rain- fall. Work has been performed that in a few days has been entirely washed away. One mile of macadamized street has been constructed. All the streets throughout the city have been looked after and as much work done on them as the ap- propriations would admit.
Widening and deepening brooks appropriation, $1,000 ; expended, $910.87 ; balance, $89.13. Sachem Brook has been cleaned out 1000 feet.
42
Town Brook walls relaid and cleaned out from Washing- ton Street to School Street.
Furnace Brook walls relaid and cleaned out from B. Reardon's to Willard Street.
STREETS MACADAMIZED AND GRAVELLED.
Granite Street
2,500 feet.
School Street
.
.
2,000
Newport Avenue
250
Washington Street
2,000 66
Quarry Street
700 66
Goffe Street .
500 66
GUTTERS PAVED.
School Street
250 feet, 83 1-3 yards.
Elm Street
280 “
Goffe Street
15 yards.
Washington Street
400 133 66
Prospect Avenue
33
Grand View Avenue
15
66
Coddington Street
6
66
GUTTERS REPAIRED.
Hancock Street
30
Goffe Street
25
School Street
250 feet, 83 1-3 yards
Washington Street
25 yards
SIDEWALKS REPAIRED.
Prospect Avenue
.
Grand View Avenue .
100 feet, 50 1-3 yards 25 < 81-3 "
43
EDGESTONE RESET.
Prospect Avenue
100 feet
School Street
250
66
Hancock Street
100
Grand View Avenue
50 .
Elm Street
625 66
CATCH-BASINS CONSTRUCTED.
Washington Street
1
Elm Street
2
STREETS.
Culverts, wooden, Hancock Street
5
66 66 Newbury Avenue
.
3
new stone, Elm Street 1 .
Culverts repaired, stone, Elm Street .
1
Adams Street
.
1
Canal Street .
1
SEWER PIPE LAID.
12-inch pipe, Elm Street 500 feet
10 Adams Street ·
42 ‹‹
8 Washington Street 250 “
8 Hancock Street 70
10 66 Central Avenue
50
8 Grand View Avenue
20
66
8 Wollaston S. House
200
6
66 Wollaston S. House
225
.
44
STREET SIGNS.
Bigelow Street.
Atlantic Street.
Elm Street. Penn Street.
Crescent Street (2).
PRIVATE WAY.
Squantum.
GUIDE BOARD.
Atlantic and Hancock Streets.
STONE CROSSINGS.
Hancock at Dimmock Street.
Washington at South Street.
School at Gay Street.
Hancock at Beale Street.
Copeland at Cross Street.
COBBLESTONE CORNERS.
Newbury and Atlantic Avenue 2
Billings and Newbury Avenue
.
4
Elm and Baxter Street
.
1
Elm and New Street .
1
School and Phipps Street
.
.
2
Canal and Brackett Street
.
2
FENCES BUILT.
Willard Street, Common Street, Hancock Street.
45
NEW STREETS CONSTRUCTED. Elm, Canal, Common, Whitewell.
EDGESTONE SET.
Abutters paid one-half the cost of same ; 2,344 feet.
Appropriation
$1,500 00
Amount expended
848 74
Balance
$651 26
STREET LIGHTS.
Oil lights
89
Gas lights
56
Electric lights
· .
86
Appropriation
$8,950 00
Money expended
8,841 00
Balance
$109 00
BILLS DELIVERED TO THE CITY TREASURER FOR COLLECTION.
Episcopal So. Christ Church, for sidewalk
$85 09
Benjamin F. Curtis,
·
101 88
I. H. Adams,
66
·
22 43
James Berry,
66
38 14
Amount carried forward
$247 54
.
·
.
4
46
Amount brought forward
$247 54
Mrs. George Alexander, for sidewalk
42 18
H. E. Cotton,
66
40 25
Elisha Packard,
66
43 55
H. E. Hardwick,
170 03
Geo. H. Hitchcock,
66
23 18
Francis K. Damon,
21 60
Thomas Pierce,
26 29
T. F. Drake,
66
23 76
W. B. White,
68 10
John Thompson,
66
41 37
Geo. H. Field,
67 43
John R. O'Neil,
27 75
Rogers Granite Co.,
for old lumber
35 38
Q. & B. H. R. R. Co., 66
.
36 90
Milne, Chalmers & Co.,
66
6 00
Jerry Shea,
5 00
T. Lyons, 66
60
P. P. Tucker,
3 00
T. Connelley,
5 00
Carey Brothers,
22 77
Mrs. Mahoney, 66
5 00
J. Shea,
66
.
4 00
C. T. Billings,
66
.
1 00
H. Guild,
66
3 90
J. Donahue,
7 50
M. Fallon,
5 00
J. Gilrain,
66
5 00
Amount carried forward
$989 08
47
Amount brought forward
$989 08
Mrs. Duggan, for old lumber 5 00
Ernst Bozzozers & Monte,
11 75
Peter Dolan,
·
8 00
J. Forrest,
·
11 00
Owen Mahoney, 66
5 00
Peter Cunniff,
1 00
Thomas Radley,
12 00
Daniel C. Lyons,
5 00
T. L. Knowles,
1 00
Peter Kilmartin, 66
2 00
W. Wilson, 66
1 25
C. T. Billings,
1 75
L. E. Hartshorn,
4 20
McDonnell & Sons,
66
14 00
N. C. Buck, Willard school house
37 05
Silas Hicks,
3 00
George W. Sweeney, old cart
20 00
H. W. Hunt, iron scoop
20 00
A. Hardwick, settees . .25 00
J. N. Hayes & Co., 11 loads of stone . 16 50
G. L. Miller, stone
3 00
W. Shea & Son, old cart 10 00
Michael Ahern, rent Willard school house .
16 00
James O'Brien, 8 00
Michael Ahern,
8 00
Jas. O'Brien,
8 00
Amount carried forward . . $1,246 58
48
Amount brought forward . $1,246 58
STONE BRIDGE ACROSS SACHEM BROOK.
Appropriation
. $1,500 00
Expenditures
.
1,385 72
Balance
$114 28
PERMITS AND LICENSES.
Permit to build
60
move buildings
5
parade with music
.
5
build walls
2
66 set hitching post
1
close street
2
occupy sidewalk
2
WIDENING AND DEEPENING BROOKS.
Appropriation
· $1,000 00
Expenditures
910 87
Balance
$89 13
·
Contract was made with J. J. McNutt for paraphernalia for the Australian ballot system. They have been used twice for City and State election.
WORKING PLANT OF STREET DEPARTMENT.
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