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 1893 > Part 5
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John F. Merrill, groceries
242 26
Rogers Bros., groceries
44 51
W. H. Doble & Co., groceries
269 40
Johnson Bros., groceries
175 74
John H. Dinegan, groceries
19 00
A. J. Richards & Son, grain
143 98
Braintree Wood and Lumber Co.
69 72
Israel Oakman, wood
32 50
M. J. Kane, wood
104 50
E. R. Wheble, dressing hogs
9 25
C. Schindler, exchange in cows
27 50
B. M. Bevins, fish
8 72
Thomas O'Donnell
8 84
Eaton Bros., ice .
34 82
Granite Clothing Co., clothing
36 95
Safford & Very, clothing
31 20
Cyrus Patch & Son
246 75
D. E. Wadsworth, dry goods
48 76
R. H. White & Co., dry goods
16 93
M. J. & A. B. Gibson, dry goods
12 19
Amount carried forward
$2,748 06
127
Amount brought forward
$2,748 06
D. B. Stetson, shoes
20 85
John E. Drake & Co.,
8 25
J. N. Page, repairs
3 75
C. B. Tilton, sundries
6 80
F. F. Crane, sundries
18 61
John W. Nash, sundries
36 00
W. A. Hodges, sundries
25 19
William H. Claflin & Co.,
2 48
Water Co., water
40 00
American Food Co., medicine
2 15
A. G. Durgin
33 90
Joseph S. Whall
5 55
Benjamin Hall, Jr., pigs
41 00
Old Colony Railroad, freight
12 99
James Hennessey, window guard
2 75
Tirrell & Sons, repairs
3 60
N. E. Roller Grate Co., grate
35 00
Estate P. H. Gavin, repairs
5 74
Cutter & Parker, sash
8 00
H. O. Souther, repairs
7 38
M. A. Mitten, blacksmithing
18 50
Walworth M'f'g Co ..
7 20
Hodgman Rubber Co., matting
61 02
G. J. Jones, repairs
1 92
Sanborn & Damon, repairs
4 58
Quincy Patriot, printing
2 50
New England Telephone Co., use of telephone
36 00
Franklin Jacobs, cash for sundries
12 00
Charles L. Prescott, fish
9 32
John Hall, burial, Patrick Murney
19 00
C. F. Pettengill, repairs
1 35
Abbott & Miller, expressing
2 50
Commissioner Public Works, garbage
18 00
J. A. Briggs, 1892, fuel
12 00
Amount carried forward $3,274 04
128
Amount brought forward $3,274 04 Cr.
James Buck, cash refunded
$3 50
Fuel for schools
30 50
C. Baker, rent for salt marsh
2 00
St. John's Lodge, board, W. J. Merrill
52 00
St. John's Lodge, board W. J. Merrill Patrick Garrity, board for wife
2 00
Burial places, sods
3 50
Jeremiah Falvey, two months' board .
20 00
Almshouse supplies to outside poor
861 05
Poor person, refunded
78
H. W. Lull, for wood
12 00
Hay, eggs and milk
20 85
Frank Garin, sand
3 80
Sand and gravel, cash
3 75
R. D. Chase, gravel
24 90
Cash, board, M. Hetherston
4 00
Miscellaneous highways
71 35
Schools, fuel
141 75
Evening drawing school
4 50
State of Mass., small pox cases
123 12
Fire department, fuel
22 25
$3,274 04
$1,459 60
Cost of Almshouse
$1,814 44
OUTSIDE POOR.
Dr. ACCOUNT 1892.
Town of Randolph
$14 60
Worcester Insane Hospital
85 43
City of Chelsea
3 50
City of Boston
6 88
Estate of Patrick McDonnell, rent
12 00
$122 41
52 00
129
ACCOUNT 1893.
Westboro Hospital
$305 51
Taunton Lunatic Hospital
1,870 31
Worcester Insane Hospital
338 93
Dipsomaniac Hospital
83 57
State Farm
182 80
State Almshouse
182 80
City of Boston, aid
108 43
City of Brockton, aid
169 70
City of Cambridge, aid
26 65
City of Lawrence, aid
52 00
Town of Whitman, aid
16 00
Town of Milton, aid
58 25
Town of Randolph, aid
16 50
Sheppard & Son, fuel
221 78
Cyrus Patch & Son, fuel
240 30
George E. Frost, fuel
22 00
George H. Mitchell, fuel
14 40
G. J. Jones, rent
36 00
Mrs. E. Gleason, rent
72 00
Cornelius Moynihan, rent
72 00
Mrs. Daley, rent
6 25
Ann Duggan, (charged to Fall River,) rent .
72 00
Mrs. Joseph Graham, rent
12 00
Owen Mahoney, rent
5 00
T. J. Lamb, rent
27 00
E. V. Trask, rent
12 00
V. S. Bartrich, rent
10 00
Franklin Jacobs, traveling expenses
8 80
Nelson Hersey, moving
6 00
R. E. Townsend, milk
7 07
Charles C. Hearn, vaccine virus
6 05
A. G. Durgin, medicine
5 10
S. F. Willard, medicine
65
City drug store, medicine
75
Jennie Leavitt, nurse, (charged to
Fairhaven)
3 00
130
Mary Pierce, nurse, (charged to Fair-
haven)
11 50
Daniel Shea, board 12 00
Pratt & Curtis, groceries
1 35
W.'A. Hodges, milk and bread
10 14
Saville & Jones, shoes
22 00
Old Colony railroad, fares
3 06
Julia White, nurse
7 00
John Hall, ambulance and burial
44 00
Almshouse, supplies to outside poor
861 05
$5,366 11
Cr.
Town of North Andover
$6 75
Edward Capen, account C. V. Saville G. W. Saville, account C. V. Saville
113 28
Com. of Mass., state paupers support Com. of Mass., state pauper burial
15 00
Town of Norwell
219 32
City of Boston
6 11
Michael A. Berry, board M. J. Berry
50 00
Taunton Lunatic Hospital
27 39
Cash refunded, poor person
3 25
Town of Phillipston, M. E. Chickering
27 18
George A. Marden, State Farm
4 00
Com. of Massachusetts
1 90
Town of Fairhaven
54 87
City of Lawrence
26 05
Poor person, cash refunded
3 50
$5,366 11
$645 51
Cost of outside poor
$4,720 60
Net cost of almshouse
$1814 44
Net cost of outside poor
4,720 60
Total .
$6,535 04
Appropriation
$6,500 00
56 64
30 27
131
OUTSIDE POOR-Expense Account.
AT TAUNTON LUNATIC HOSPITAL.
Mary J. Berry, support
$169 46
Herbert N. Colby, support
169 46
Henry J. Gore, support
169 46
Clara Grignon, support
141 60
Mary Coughlin, support
127 40
Albert B. Lowe, support
104 95
John T. Lynch, support
189 89
Catherine Larkin, support
64 53
Loring B. Newcomb, support
159 25
Eugene Nye, support
169 46
Poor person, support . ·
30 64
Catherine V. Saville, support
169 46
Louisa S. Wilson, support .
169 46
Ellen Crowley, support
35 29
AT WESTBORO HOSPITAL.
Edward Fish, support
$84 50
Nettie L. Packard, support
.
76 14
Manilla N. Randall, support
103 08
Josephine Bigelow Prescott, support
41 79
AT WORCESTER INSANE HOSPITAL.
John Cullen 1892, support
$42 71
Alice McLay 1892, support
42 72
John Cullen 1893, support .
169 45
Alice McLay 1893, support
169 48
AT THE DIPSOMANIAC HOSPITAL.
Eben F. Crane, support
$43 64
James Fegan, support
39 93
AT STATE FARM.
William McGlone, support
$182 80
132
AT STATE ALMSHOUSE.
Annie J. Randall, support
$182 80
IN BOSTON.
Susan B. Abbott, aid .
$52 00
Margaret Cluse, aid .
16 94
Joseph Berry, aid
16 00
James Davidson, aid .
17 00
Timothy Sullivan, aid
3 63
Ellen Garland, aid
2 86
Catherine Gurley, aid
6 88
IN BROCKTON.
Maggie Joy Wade, aid
$121 16
Mrs. William Welsh, aid 48 54
IN CAMBRIDGE.
Mary Gallagher, aid
$7 62
IN LAWRENCE.
Annie McLeod and children, care and
burial
$52 00
IN CHELSEA.
Daniel Fish, aid
$3 50
IN MILTON.
Eliza Perry, aid
$58 25
IN RANDOLPH.
Mrs. John E. Glover, aid
$14 60
Mrs. John E. Glover, 1892, aid .
16 50
133
IN QUINCY.
Chas. Horan, (charged to Cambridge,)
$19 00 aid
John A. Cook, (charged to Whitman,) aid 16 00
Mrs. Wm. Barrett
Fuel
$39 25
Shoes
13 75
Groceries
133 17
$186 17
H. E. Chickering, (charged to Phillip- ston)
Medicine
$0 75
Fuel
3 50
Groceries
10 19
Nurse .
7 00
Bread
1 74
$23 18
Mrs. Jerry Connolly
Fuel
$47 25
Groceries
105 58
$152 83
Hugh Dawson, (charged to State)
Fuel
$9 53
Groceries
3 65
$13 18
Jennie Dolan
Fuel
$27 00
$27 00
Catherine Turley
Fuel .
.
$7 33
Groceries
·
30 06
$37 39
134
Mrs. Ellen Ford
Fuel
$3 53
Groceries
17 33
$20 86
Ebenezer Harmon
Rent
$36 00
Milk
8 40
$44 40
Mrs. Bridget Hartrey
Fuel
$34 25
Rent .
72 00
$106 25
Mr. John Hartney
Fuel
$40 50
Rent
72 00
$112 50
James Haverhan, (charge to Lynn and State),
Fuel
$10 25
Groceries
32 59
$42 84
Mrs. Robt. Higgins
Fuel
$9 00
Rent
39 00
Groceries
4 45
$52 45
Hastings children, (charged to Fall River)
Rent
$72 00
Fuel
6 75
Patrick Kane, (charged to Lawrence)
Fuel
$9 06
Medicine
65
Groceries
6 34
$78 75
$16 05
135
Mrs. Kate Kelliher
Fuel
$21 65
Rent .
10 00
$31 65
Mr. J. Keniley, (charged to State)
Fuel
$10 16
Groceries
3 50
$13 66
Kate Le Brick
Fuel
$22 49
Groceries
26 16
$48 65
Rose McCarty
Ambulance
$2 00
Medicine
2 40
Fuel
29 65
Groceries
33 17
$67 .22
Mrs. E. Mageson
Fuel
$22 50
Groceries
2 00
$24 50
Adam Mckenzie, (charged to State)
Fuel
$12 81
Shoes
2 00
Groceries
29 00
Rent
12 00
$55 81
Jules Martelle
Shoes
$5 00
Fuel
6 75
Groceries
. 6 03
$17 78
136
Mary Ryan
Fuel
$17 58
Groceries
40 48
$58 06
Amab Robbideau
Fuel
$6 05
Groceries
24 39
$30 44
Mrs. W. B. Rose, (charged to Fair- haven)
Fuel
$2 70
Nurse
14 50
Milk
7 07
Moving
6 00
Groceries
21 45
$51 72
Fred Roulard
Fuel
$3 53
Groceries
4 50
$8 03
Charles Helbrum
Fuel
$5 78
Rent
6 25
Groceries
14 59
$26 62
Mary Sullivan
Fuel
$29 80
Rent
5 00
Groceries
63 85
$98 65
Mrs. Sarah Spargo
Fuel
$10 50
Groceries
1 50
$12 00
137
Michael J. Sullivan (charged to Brain- tree),
Shoes .
$1 25
Groceries
23 83
$25 08
Eliza Van Heest (charged. to State)
Medicine
$1 25
Fuel
23 06
Groceries
6 00
$30 31
Mrs. Armstrong, fuel
8 25
Ann Corcoran, fuel
10 53
Poor person, (refunded) fuel
3 50
Mrs. Nathaniel Carter, fuel
14 00
Elizabeth Clarke, fuel
12 53
Michael Drohan, fuel
3 90
Mrs. Thomas Foley, fuel
6 75
Elmira Gibson, (State) fuel
7 45
Thomas Hayes, ambulance
2 00
George R. Higgins, burial .
20 00
Mary Harmon, burial,
20 00
Mrs. John Long, (State) fuel
11 25
Sarah Logan, rent
12 00
Lawrence Leavitt (charged to Ran- dolph), fuel
11 28
Mrs. Leavitt, fuel
3 78
Mrs. Madigan, fuel
3 65
Mrs. Madden, fuel
6 75
Paupers, fares
3 06
Vaccine Virus
6 05
William Mulligan, medicine
1 45
James Ryan, fuel
3 80
Benjamin Rivers, groceries
1 71
Mrs. Jane Stuart, fuel
6 75
Lucius Thayer (charged to Andover),
fuel
14 25
138
Ward family (charged to Randolph), board
12 00
Mr. Kerrigan, groceries 4 12
William Linehan, groceries
2 00
Honora Falvey, groceries
23 98
Poor person, (refunded) groceries
78
Edward Vanner, (charged to State), groceries .
2 53
Thomas Boyd, groceries
1 50
Jane Stewart, (State) wood
2 25
Lizzie Erickson, (State) groceries
3 00
Jane Sullivan, Lawrence, .
12 91
Matthew Finnen, (charged to Boston),
groceries .
2 04
Mary Nelson, (charged to Boston), groceries .
59 62
Travelling expenses
8 80
$5,366 11
REPORT OF PARK COMMISSIONERS.
To His Honor, the Mayor of the City of Quincy :
The Board of Park Commissioners respectfully submit the following report :
The sum of $1,000 was appropriated at the beginning of the year for the support of the Parks of Quincy. There was also received from various sources the sum of $125.50, making the total sum at the disposal of the Commissioners $1,125.50. Of this sum there has been expended $625.63, leaving an unexpend- ed balance of $499.87. The largest part of the amount expended was used at Faxon Park in cutting out trees and removing the underbrush and marking the exact boundaries. A small amount of work yet remains to be done at this park, which when completed, your board feel confident, will show the natural beauties of it, and make it a delightful breathing spot for the city. We are to be congratulated in having two such beautiful natural parks as are Merrymount and Faxon. It is to be hoped that there will never be undertaken by any of the future boards of Park Com- missioners any effort to destroy by artificial improvements, the natural beauties of these two resorts.
In the report of the Park Commissioners of last year, atten- tion was called to the report of Mr. Eliot, which contained a scheme looking to the laying out of a boulevard or shore drive along the shore front of our city and the widening of Sea street.
Your Commissioners emphasize the recommendations of last year and hope that some steps may be at once taken to carry out the scheme proposed. No expenditure of money is required, un- less it is wise to widen Sea street immediately. The improve- ment of Furnace brook was clearly outlined in Mr. Eliot's report.
140
For many reasons it is wise to act upon this scheme. Furnace brook is the natural line for the Trunk sewer from Ward 4 which will have to be built in the near future, and any work which improves this brook aids in the still greater scheme of sewerage, which problem is one year nearer in its needs.
The Board of Metropolitan Park Commissioners have taken a large tract of land on our westerly boundary. The Park Com- missioners have given their consent to such takings.
We are unable to file with this report a plan of the takings. As soon however as a copy can be procured, it will be filed with the City Clerk.
PLAY GROUNDS.
In accordance with the recommendation contained in the report of last year's Board of Park Commissioners, and after a hearing before the City Council, the Council passed an order which was approved July 26, 1893, authorizing a loan for play ground purposes to the amount of $50,000. In accordance with that vote your Commissioners located play grounds in Wards 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, and of the sum ordered by the Council have used or will use when the deeds are passed, about $43,000.
The land taken for the play ground in Ward 2, is located near Point Holes, and was formerly owned by Mrs. Waterhouse, Mrs. Tobey and Mrs. Hayward. Being unable to agree upon a price, and believing that the assessed valuation was ample for the same, your Commissioners have taken the land by the process of eminent domain, and have awarded as the price for the same, the sum at which it is valued by the Board of Assessors of the city for the year 1893. A portion of this land reaches the water and there are about eight acres in the taking.
Ward 3 .- Your Commissioners have purchased as the play ground in this ward land lying south of Water street and east of Granite street about five acres in all. The deeds have been made out and titles examined, and paid for and therefore is in our control. There are two approaches to this land, one from Water street on the north 60 feet in width and one from the south 30 feet in width.
141
Ward 4 .- Your Commissioners have purchased land for the play ground in this ward lying northerly of the old base ball grounds off Hall place and in addition, John Quincy Adams, Esq., has given a tract of land lying on both sides of Furnace Brook and adjoining this land. The gift, together with the purchases, makes rather more than 20 acres.
The Commissioners have thus secured a part of Furnace brook which they can improve, and wise action in securing that part between this point and that part in control of the Com- missioners at Merrymount Park, will carry out the suggestions made earlier in this report.
The location of play grounds in Wards 5 and 6 has been delayed by reasons entirely beyond the control of your Com- missioners. They are in hopes, however, that in a very few days all matters in relation to the same will have been arranged, the grounds located and deeds made, and full control of the lots selected, vested in the city.
Plans showing the takings and purchases when all details are completed will be made and a copy of them will be filed in the office of the City Clerk and also in the office of the Park Commission.
Your Commissioners request that the sum of $1,000, together with all income be placed at their disposal to be ex- pended by them in maintaining the parks and play grounds for the year ensuing.
CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS, CHARLES H. PORTER,
WILLIAM B. RICE,
Park Commissioners.
PUBLIC BURIAL PLACES.
To His Honor, the Mayor of the City of Quincy:
The Managers of Public Burial Places respectfully submit their fifth annual report.
HANCOCK STREET CEMETERY.
This cemetery has received the usual care, the amount ex- pended thereon being one hundred dollars. But few burials have been made here, and as far as possible it has been the aim to discontinue its use.
MOUNT WOLLASTON CEMETERY.
The sum of $1,375 has been received from sale of lots.
The amount collected for labor on lots is $1,268.
The " repair fund " for " perpetual care " of lots designated, has been increased by $1,050, and now amounts to $7,375.
Good progress has been made on the " Greenleaf Extension " by grading and suitable connection with the original cemetery, and lots will be laid out and numbered according to the plan, and ready for sale the coming season.
The Council appropriated the sum of $1,100, and to this added estimated income of $3,300, a total of $4,400. The income actually received and paid to the City Treasurer is as follows :
144
Collected for unpaid bills for labor on
lots in 1892
$412 00
For labor on lots in 1893
1,268 00
For lots sold in 1893 .
1,375 00
For single graves sold in 1893
20 00
For hay sold in 1893
43 92
For non-resident assessments 1893
38 00
For income of Repair Fund 1893
253 00
For income of Repair Fund
special deposit, 1893
30 94
$3,440 86
Appropriation by Council
1,100 00
$4,540 86
Amount received in excess of appro-
priation .
140 86
Amount in excess of expenditures,
$4,266.91, as appears by the
Auditor's report
$273 95
If there are any unpaid bills against this account it is due wholly to the neglect of parties to present the same, but the amount must be very small.
Repectfully submitted,
JOHN HALL, Chairman. GEORGE L. GILL, Secretary.
HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
To the Hon. William A. Hodges, Mayor of Quincy :
The Board of Health begs leave to submit the following re- port for the year 1893.
The board was organized February 11, 1893, by the choice of John H. Dinegan as chairman and Benjamin F. Thomas as secretary. Mr. James H. Cunningham was appointed Inspector. This was a necessary move as your board was informed by the Civil Service Commission that the incumbent was approved of by them at the urgent request of the Board of Health and as a matter of necessity after a non-competitive examination in which the applicant received less than 66 per cent. In an advertised competitive examination of all applicants at which the then incumbent did not appear, Mr. Cunningham passed an exam- ination with a result of 87-83% per cent. That it was a good choice the result of his work will show.
The number of meetings held during the year was nineteen.
Your board strongly recommends that plumbing regulations or ordinances be enacted by the Council as a matter of safety to the public health. The Inspector is powerless without them in many cases. The brooks have been thoroughly cleaned under the direction of the Inspector and the board has every reason to believe that the work has been economically, thoroughly and conscientiously done. The secretary furnishes the following group of statistics with the assurance to yourself and the citizens of Quincy that it is not a thorough statement. The physicians are negligent in their duty of reporting contagious diseases and until they are brought up to the law the same state of affairs
146
will exist. As an instance of the neglect of the physicians, the board cites the following case: "The board gave to Mr. Brown, the undertaker, a transportation certificate for a body to be carried to Canada; the second day after a postal reached the office notifying us that the person was affected with a contagious disease." There has been more cases reported in the DAILY LEDGER than to the Board of Health.
Croup ...
Diptheritic ..... .
Croup .....
Membranous. . .
Diphtheria.
Scarlet Fever .. ..
Measles ...
Scarlatina .. .. . .
Typhoid Fever ...
Small Pox .. .. . ..
January
0
0
2
19
15
2
0
0
February
0
1
0
2
45
5
0
0
March
1
0
0
3
49
8
1
0
April
0
0
0
7
72
6
1
0
May
0
0
3
5
53
9
1
0
June
0
0
2
3
12
1 0
1 0
0
August
0
0
0
0
2
2
2
0
September
0
0
1
11
2
2
5
0
October
0
0
0
7
0
0
12
0
November
0
0
1
1
0
0
5
0
December
0
0
2
4
0
0
1
0
Total
1
1
13
62
252
35
29
0
FINANCIAL REPORT.
The financial report for the year 1893 is as follows :
INSPECTOR.
Appropriation
$500 00
Paid Adam S. Vogel
.
$27 75
James H. Cunningham .
472 00
$499 75
Unexpended balance
$0 25
0
July
0
0
2
0
2
147
PRINTING AND SUNDRIES.
Appropriation
Paid B. F. Thomas, stamps
$1 00
Green & Prescott, printing and advertising 48 75
F. F. Green, printing and advertis- ing .
28 50
Quincy Monitor, advertising
19 00
James H. Cunningham, stamps
4 50
McGovern Bros., printing
9 50
Carriage hire
10 00
McGovern Bros., printing
10 50
Carriage hire
6 00
J. H. Dinegan, stamps
1 00
Unexpended balance
$11 25
BROOKS.
Appropriation
$500 00
Paid, E. Sandberg, labor on Furnace
brook
$187 25
E. Sandberg, labor on Phipps
street brook
.
13 50
E. Sandberg, labor on Town
brook
74 00
E. Sandberg, labor on Sachem
brook
111 00
E. H. Erickson, Teal pond
2 00
E. Sandberg, labor on brook Granite and Copeland streets
35 00
P. F. Hughes, retaining wall on Furnace brook 30 00
$452 76
Unexpended balance
$47 25
$150 00
$138 75
148
ABATING NUISANCES.
$300 00
Appropriation
Paid, burying dog
$2 50
Patrick Fitzpatrick, filled around tide-gate at Teal pond 24 00
Whittaker & Gerrish repairs on man- hole at tide-gate 6 25
Whittaker & Gerrish for foot bridge
over Town brook
44 75
Unexpended balance . 12 00
$255 25
The table of nuisances discovered by the Inspector and the Board's action thereon will be found in the report of the In- spector to the Board.
Respectfully submitted,
JOHN H. DINEGAN, B. F. THOMAS, Dr. C. O. YOUNG,
Board of Health.
Quincy, Jan. 22, 1894.
149
REPORT OF INSPECTOR.
To the Board of Health of Quincy :
GENTLEMEN : - I beg leave to submit the following report. Number of nuisances discovered, 306; number abated 298, as follows :
Nuisances,
Discovered.
Abated.
Unclean privy vaults
80
80
Unclean cesspools
67
67
Bad surface drains
26
23
Broken and defective sink drains
21
21
Imperfect privy vaults
23
23
Sewage running into brook
19
15
Defective cesspools
12
12
Piggeries .
10
10
Sink drains stopped up
9
9
Untrapped sinks
9
9
Filthy yards
7
7
Open cesspits
4
3
Filthy cellars
4
4
Sewage running into street
4
4
Sewage running under house
3
3
Unburied carcasses
2
2
Stagnant pools of water
2
2
Privy too near well
2
2
Obstructions in brook
2
2
306
298
.
A difference will be noted between my report and the re- ports of previous years in the number of uncleaned privy vaults and cesspools a much larger number having been reported in former years. Your inspector has not included in his report a large number of cesspools that had not been cleaned during last spring as in his judgment they were not nuisances and were not likely too become such if left uncleaned for some time; only such as really were a menace to the public health have been re- ported as nuisances.
150
Under the head of bad surface drains, 26 are reported and this is only a small number of a very objectionable feature of our city. Some action should be taken by the board looking to having the custom of allowing the sewage to discharge on the surface of the ground discontinued. It is a very difficult matter to decide which are good and which are bad, if indeed any of the surface drains in this city are good. An ordinance or regulation that cesspools shall be provided for the reception and retention of sewage and affixing a penalty for failure to comply with same within reasonable time would undoubtedly reach this case and would cause all to be used alike.
The number of piggeries discovered was 10, all of which were abated on short notice. The city will be found to be remarkably free from nuisances caused by the keeping of pigs.
Another matter is the custom of house owners in draining their houses into the brooks. This is a bad and very dangerous practice as it really makes an open sewer of our brooks. Some discharge openly into the brooks and others through "blind drains." The first are easily detected and abated but the latter after being covered almost defy detection. The ordinance re- garding cesspools would take care of this matter.
Another matter that I wish to call the attention of the board to is the poor plumbing done in our city. In the absence of any plumbing law or ordinance governing the plumbing, the work is done in the most slip-shod manner, the cheapest and oldest ob- solete materials and appliances are used. The traps are for the most part the $ or siphon trap one-and-one-half inches in diameter, and in ten cases I found dwelling houses that had not even this trap. Few if any traps are vented and in only a few does the soil pipe run through the roof.
The brooks have been thoroughly cleaned under the direc- tion of the Inspector this year. Furnace brook was thoroughly cleaned from above Cross street to Eaton's pond. The brook known as Phipps street brook has been deepened. Sachem brook in Wollaston was cleaned and deepened its entire length. The Copeland street brook or ditch was connected with Town brook by opening a ditch through land of W. Williams on Water street, thus abating what for years has been a nuisance danger-
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ous to all in the vicinity known as Brewer's corner. Town brook has been cleaned from the Canal to Water street.
The land in rear of Drake's factory has been thoroughly drained by having the ditch opened and by the city constructing a deeper and larger culvert under Elm street.
Another nuisance of long standing that has been abated is the nuisance caused by T. A. Whicher & Co. discharging their exhaust into the street. The oil and waste water formed filthy pools on the street and vacant lot near factory and was the cause of sickness and many complaints. This nuisance was abated after many delays to the satisfaction of all concerned.
There still remains some obstruction in the brooks, one being a bridge on Miller street or avenue that is built on posts driven into the bed of the brook. These posts catch and hold all the rubbish that comes down the brook and at times almost chokes the brook. The posts should be removed and bridge raised as it is less than two feet above bed of brook.
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