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 1895 > Part 6
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Respectfully submitted, JAMES M. CUTTING,
Inspector of AAnimals and Provisions ..
Police Department.
To His Honor the Mayor of the City of Quincy:
SIR-In accordance with the ordinance governing the Police Department I have the honor to submit this, the seventh annual report of the department for the year ending December 31st, 1895.
The Police Department now is organized as follows: Chief of police, eight regular and three special officers, detailed as follows: One regular officer at Police Station nights, one de- tailed on inspection duty, one on day patrol and five regular and three special officers on night patrol. The work of the depart- ment has been done as well as could be expected under existing conditions that we have been obliged to endure.
Synopsis of work accomplished :
Number of lodgers accommodated 2.201
Number of arrests
559
Number of cases tried in the East Norfolk District
Court
552
Males
538
Females
21
Married
188
Single
371
Adults
460
Minors
99
Residents
368
Non-residents
191
156
The offences for which arrests were made :
Assault
58
Assault on an officer
.
.
2
Assault with dangerous weagon
1
Assault, felonious .
2
Breaking and entering with intent to steal
11
Breaking, entering and larceny
9
Breaking and entering
. 1
4
Building bon fire
1
Contempt of Court
5
Cruelty to animals
5
Dipsomaniac
1
Disturbing the peace
35
Disturbance on cars
2
Drunkenness
306
Disorderly conduct
1
Embezzlement
·2
Fraud
Insane
9
Indecent exposure
1
Interfering with officer
1
Keeping unlicensed dog
1
Larceny from a building
1
Larceny
26
Lewd cohabitation
1
Malicious mischief
14
Neglect of family
1
Out of town officers
5
Profane and indecent language
6
Reckless driving
1
Rape
1
Stubbornness
1
Suspicious person
1
Threat
1
Tramps
4
Truancy
1
.
Bastardy
157
Unlawful taking .
1
Violation Lord's day
liquor law
6
park rules
7
6.
Board of Health rules
4
City Ordinance
6
tobacco law .
1
NATIVITY OF THOSE ARRESTED.
Canada
.
15
England
16
France
2 Finland
20
Germany
11 Ireland
164
Italy
28 Russia
2
Nova Scotia
23
Newfoundland
3
Sweden
18 New Brunswick
3
Norway
1 P. E. Island .
10
Scotland
25 United States
219
Arabia
1
DISPOSITION OF CASES.
Committed to Dedham jail
61
on sentence
14
for non-payment of fine
41
66 in default of bail
6
66 to Lancaster home
1
Westboro Reform School
$1 61
6. State Farm
1
66 Foxborough
1
66 Insane Asylum .
9
יי Quincy Home
1
Sherborn Home .
1
Walpole Truant School
2
Paid fines
305
Discharged .
33
1
·
·
Concord Reformatory
158
Released
48
Placed on probation
10
Placed on file
13
Held for Grand Jury
16
Turned over to out of town officers
Turned over to friends
1
Settled by mutual consent
19
Settled by paying cost
1
Appealed cases
5
Committed to Lyman School
Committed to State Board L. and ('
·)
Continued cases
10
Defaulted cases Total
559
Aggregate of fines imposed by the Court
$2,225 66
Aggregate of fines paid
1,732 66
Amount of property reported stolen
2,618 75
Amount of property recovered
1,889 75
Comparison of Police work since Quincy became a City :
TOTAAL ARRESTS. DRUNKENNESS.
LODGERS.
1889
185
94
864
1890
216
108
629
1891
293
135
509
1892
396
230
468
1893
420
218
626
1894
380
206
1876
1895
559
306
2201
MISCELLANEOUS WORK.
Accidents reported
1
Complaints investigated
105
Cows found and cared for
4
Defect in streets reported
11
Defect in sidewalks reported
32
Disturbances suppressed without arrest
40
1
159
Dead bodies found
2
Doors found open and secured
47
Dogs killed
3
Fire alarms rung in by officers
5
Still alarms given
1
Fires extinguished without alarm
3
Horses found cast
14
Horse blankets found .
1
Horses found and cared for .
11
Horses killed
1
Injured persons cared for
Lost children returned to parents
21
Leaks found in water pipe. .
7
Leaks found in water main .
8
Lights furnished in dangerous places .
11
Obstructions removed from railroad track
18 143
.. " (incandescent )
317
66 gas
859 20
Safe door found open and reported
1
Teams found and returned to owners
10
Teams taken from drunken drivers
6
Windows found open and secured
93
Pocket books found and returned
3
Runaway horses caught
1
Bicycles found and returned to owners
4
1
Fire alarm boxes reported out of order Dangerous electric wires reported down Goods left out on sidewalk
18
2
Obstructions removed from street
Street lights out (electric arc)
oil
The Police have done good service the past year and worked together harmoniously, and conducted themselves in a manner to command the respect of all with whom they have come in contact. Their lot is not an agreeable one and often their patience has to be very elastic. It is now time that this
160
"Plant" was set out in proper shape to grow, as it surely will even faster than we wish. It should be equipped with proper and necessary officers to fill responsible positions. In my opinion the ordinance governing this Department should be amended to better suit the present condition. There are now three special officers doing regular duty while two regular officers are doing "detached" duty. The specials should be made permanent and the two regular officers' grade be removed from that of patrolmen. Every body of men should have some one at the head to look to for orders when cases arise out of the usual order, as they are liable to at any time, and there should be some office created to fill this need in this city. In the night time, now, there is no one officer on duty higher in command than any other (and eight-ninths of the patrol duty is done in the night), and it is necessary that some one should have the authority to direct. I recommend that an office be created to supply this want, and also the office of In- spector of Police be created. The pay of the Police in justice to themselves should be on the graded system. An officer is worth more the second and still more the third than he is the the first year of his service. The pay of the Police in this city is below that of any other in the State of its size and lower than it ought to be for the kind of men that are on the force. There is no reason in the argument usually used that because a good officer wants good pay his place can be filled cheaper. A pusillanimous officer is dear at any price. A police officer has to endure all kinds of weather and look after everyone's welfare, receive all the abuse that the public wish to bestow, be a general director of everybody at some time, and answer questions that are altogether out of his jurisdiction. The hazardous nature of his duty should be considered. He is liable to accidents in many ways, to be set upon at any time of night, and he may be in a crowd of people that are law-abiding and yet not one in ten would lift a hand to help him. The unusual amount of thieving the past year has required the service of one officer to look after this special work. Officer Daniel R. McKay has at- tended to this in addition to his other work, and proved him-
161
self to be the right man in the right place. He has worked early and late and recovered and returned to the lawful owners prop- erty to the amount of more than four times his pay, and many of the thieves have been caught and are now serving sentences.
LIQUOR LAW.
Daniel R. McKay was appointed liquor officer about the middle of June and has attended to that duty. Every complaint of violation of the law has been investigated and every inkling of a sale of liquor in Quincy has been traced to terminate as a bubble or brought to prosecution. The officers one and all are interested in this work and give cheerfully all the aid in their power in ferreting out any suspicious places. The past year we have had five cases in court for illegal selling. The 1st was fined ($75 00) seventy-five dollars and committed to jail for non-payment of fine, 2d fined ($75 00) seventy-five dollars and appealed to Superior Court, and fined ($100 00) one hundred dollars there and paid, 3rd was on an old warrant of long standing and the case continued for good behavior, 4th fined (50 00) fifty dollars and paid, 5th fined (70 00) seventy dollars, appealed and case still pending.
Two search warrants have been issued by the Court :
1st. There were no liquors found.
2d. About (88) eight-eight gallons of beer was seized but ordered returned by the Court. The enforcement of the liquor law requires nothing less than eternal vigilance, not only on the part of the police but of every sober-minded and law-abiding citizen. The man that comes to me and says that he knows where there is liquor sold in Quincy and will give no more in- formation in regard to it, or offers to sell his knowledge of the case for a certain price, I consider an enemy to good govern- ment. The person that is in possession of such facts and with- holds them from the police rather than be mixed up in the case, has some consideration, but still he is not doing his duty as a
162
good citizen. I beg leave to bring to your notice the condition of this Department. We have to work under difficulties by not being properly equipped for business. As far as equipment goes it is just where it was twenty-four years ago when six cells for a lock-up were built in the cellar under the Town Hall. There is no other department in the city whose growth of business has exceeded this and still we have to put up with the accom- modations and no modern appliances whatever for doing the business more than the town had at that time, when they cared for (243) two hundred and forty-three persons in one year, and the past year there has been nearly (3000 ) three thousand cared for and crowded into the same space. If we intend to keep in line with our neighbors and not be overpowered by the enemy we must be put in shape to meet any emergency. I do not wish to enumerate all the wants of the Department in this report, (please see report for 1894), but I do want the Committee on Police to make a personal and thorough examination and satisfy themselves that nothing has been asked for that is not absolutely needed, and then try to remedy the evil.
The demands on the Police grow as time passes, and more men are called for each succeeding year. These demands are attended to to the best of our ability, and the supply for the call will have to be attended to as they are pressed upon the city. Financially this Department has been run within the ap- propriation the past year. The transfer of ($50 00) fifty dol- lars from the appropriation for the enforcement of the liquor law to the appropriation for Police Station was caused by money being paid for the latter for the support of prisoners in the lock-up from Randolph, Braintree and Weymouth that were committed by order of the Court to await further exami- nation. This money is all refunded to the city, but is not placed to the credit of the Department from which it was taken. The same condition will present itself every year unless there are fifty dollars more appropriated for the Police Station.
In conclusion I desire to express my thanks to His Honor the Mayor for his council and support, to His Honor the Judge and also the Clerk of the East Norfolk District Court for
163
many favors shown, to all members of the Police Department for their faithful service and to any and all citizens who have in any way assisted me in the discharge of my duty.
Respectfully submitted,
JOSEPH W. HAYDEN, Chief of Police.
Thomas Crane Public
Library.
To His Honor the Mayor of the City of Quincy :
The appropriation by the City for the use of the Public Library the past year was $5,600-$70 less than the previous year. This money has been expended, in a general way, for the ordinary purposes and expenses. There has been, however, some unusual ones to be taken into account. A new catalogue has become an imperative necessity. The Committee would have been glad to issue a new edition of the one already in use, but on account of the large attending expense it was thought not expedient. They therefore adopted the card system now in general use in the better class of libraries. It is now in pre- paration, and a portion of it is already in use. A printed fiction list will probably be prepared and issued during the coming year.
Improvements of various kinds have been made. The number of periodicals has been increased. A much larger
166
number of books has been rebound, also a larger number has been replaced. The whole number of books purchased during the year is 870. Of these, of course, the majority is fiction, but beyond this many valuable books upon art, science and the re- cent questions of the day, have been added. It is hoped that the ensuing year will show a still larger increase in this direc- tion. The ideal of a library is a place where any one can find anything he desires. Of course this cannot be realized within our necessary limitations ; still we hope to carry out, as far as may be, the generous purpose of the founder, and the plan of the gentlemen who have preceded us.
It will be seen that the circulation of this year has been less than that of last. This is accounted for by the prevalence of diphtheria at the beginning of the year. In spite of this, however, the school circulation has been considerably larger. It is hoped that the entire circulation may be substantially in- creased during the coming year.
During the year a bequest of $20,000 has been made by Mrs. Clarissa I. Crane, lately deceased, the widow of Mr. Thomas Crane, to whose memory the beautiful Crane Memorial Hall was erected. Perhaps it will be well to give the elause of the will entire.
" To the Trustees of the Thomas Crane Public Library of Quincy, Massachusetts, a body corporate, the sum of twenty thousand dollars, to be known as the 'Thomas Crane Endow- ment Fund.' In trust to be used and applied as follows: The income thereof for all or any of the following purposes, namely : for repair of the Library building, for improvement of the Library grounds and for the purchase of works of art for the Library; and at any time at the option of said Corporation, to use and apply the principal and any unexpended income for the enlargement or extension of the Library grounds, or for the erection of a building or buildings to be used in connection with the said Library, but in no case shall this legacy or any part thereof be used to enlarge or alter the present Library building." The executors have two years from April, 1895, in
167
which to pay all legacies without interest, and they are to pay any legacy duty or succession tax.
E. C. BUTLER, G. W. MORTON, H. A. KEITH, WILLIAM H. PRICE,
CHARLES T. BAKER, HENRY MCGRATH.
Trustees.
STATISTICS OF THE THOMAS CRANE PUBLIC
LIBRARY.
During the year 1895 the Library was opened 304 days.
PUBLIC.
SCHOOLS.
TOTAL.
PER CENT.
Fiction
22,484
545
23,029
32.8
Periodicals
18,567
181
18,748
26.7
Juvenile Fiction
13,867
1,526
15,393
21.9
History . .
2,136
510
2,646
3.7
Arts and Sciences
2,388
178
2,566
3.6
General Literature
1,983
193
2,176
3.1
Travels .
1,499
565
2,064
2.9
Biography
.
1,373
161
1,534
2.2
Poetry
1,147
193
1,340
1.9
Religion
310
1
314
.4
Educational
265
265
.3
66,019
4,056
70,075
12,987 names are now registered; 609 names registered during the year. Books purchased, 516; books replaced, 360; magazines and periodicals purchased, 130; books rebound, 728 ; books presented, 67 ; pamphlets, 88.
168
Treasurer's Statement.
Balance on hand income from Cotton
Center Johnson Fund, Dee. 31st, 1894 $100 50
Interest on same in Quincy Savings Bank to October, 1895 4 04 · Interest on $2,000 bond at 5 per cent. to Dec. 31, 1895 100 00
$204 54
Balance on hand income from Albert Crane Fund, Dec. 31, 1894 $100 87
Interest on same in Quincy Savings Bank to October, 1895 ·
4 06
Interest on $500 bond at 5 per cent. to Dec. 31, 1895 25 00
$129 93
Balance on hand income from Cata- logue Fund, Dee. 31, 1894 $526 37
Received from sale of Catalogues and Fines 72 80
Interest on deposits in Quincy Sav- ings Bank 21 47
Received interest on $500 bond at 5
per cent. to Dec. 31, 1895 25 00
Bonds deposited in Boston Safe De- posit and Trust Company $3,000 00
$645 64
Respectfully submitted, GEORGE W. MORTON,
Treasurer.
Report of the Fire De= partment.
To His Honor the Mayor of the City of Quincy :
In compliance with the requirements of the City ordinance, I hereby present my second annual report for the year ending December 31, 1895, containing a statement of all fires and the alarms for the year ; the loss and insurance on the same as far as could be ascertained; a list of the permanent force of the department and their ages; a schedule of the property under their charge ; also :
ORGANIZATION.
The force consists of one Chief and six Assistant Engineers, six permanent men and sixty-four call men, four Hose con- panies with ten men each, one Ladder company of twelve men one Combination Chemical Engine and Hose wagon with ten men, one Hose wagon at Hough's Neck with one thousand feet of hose, and volunteer company, with steward to take care of the same.
APPARATUS.
The apparatus consists of one steam fire engine in good condition, one combination chemical engine, one ladder truck, two hose carriages, four hose wagons, three hose reels, one ex- press wagon for fire alarm purposes, one exercise wagon loaded with one thousand feet of hose, ready at all times at Central
170
Station in case of a large fire, one chemical engine, one hand engine.
I will still recommend, as before in my last report, a Central Fire Station to be built between Squantum street and the old car house lot of the Quincy and Boston Street Railway. I will also recommend this station to be built at once, as the fire pro- tection in that part of the city is very bad.
The number of horses in the Department owned by the city is eight. We have in service 8,350 feet cotton hose, rubber lined, 1,000 feet which is in poor condition ; 150 feet linen hose. The water supply continued to be good. New hydrants have been added in nearly all parts of the city, thereby increasing the facilities of the Department to get a supply of water and to use shorter lines of hose. Fifty-four new hydrants have been added during the past year, making the whole number 332. I would recommend putting in 50 hydrants on the old line of pipes, as that would give shorter lines and better fire protection.
RESERVOIRS.
The reservoirs are 16 in number, and are in about the same condition as they were a year ago.
FIRE ALARM.
There have been 7 signal boxes added the past year, there- fore giving better fire protection in the different parts of the city.
CONCLUSION.
In closing this report I desire to tender my sincere thanks to Hon. Wm. A. Hodges for his interest in the welfare of the Department, to the Council for all favors rendered me during the year, to City Auditor Hall and Treasurer Burgin for all favors rendered me during the past year; to Chief of Police Hayden, officers and men, for the efficient manner in which they performed their duties at all fires; to the Committee on Fire Department, for the interest they have manifested in the busi- ness of the Department; to City Electrician Wight for the pains
171
taken at all times to keep the fire alarm in order; to my associ- ates of the Board of Engineers, officers and members for the prompt and efficient manner in which they have discharged the duties, thereby maintaining the reputation of the Department for efficiency.
FIRES AND ALARMS.
There were 62 alarms during the year ; 53 bell alarms and 9 still alarms.
The value of property, $188,730 ; loss $15,413.89
Insurance upon same, $101,555.
Loss on property for 2 years, $28,672.89 with 115 alarms,
PERMANENT FORCE.
AGE.
Charles P. Costa
49
Michael P. Barry
34
Gilbert M. Wight
45
Henry T. Brown
36
John J. Faircloth
38
Charles Weeks
39
FIRE ALARM-Location of Boxes.
BOXES.
12 Sea street, corner of Palmer.
14 Hough's Neck engine house.
21 Granite and Cranch streets.
23 Hancock street, opposite Cottage avenue.
24 Corner Adams and Whitwell streets.
25 Newcomb and Canal streets.
26 Unitarian church, Hancock street.
27 Washington street, front Universalist church.
28 Corner Hancock and School streets.
172
32 Corner Franklin and Independence avenue.
35 Corner Hancock and School streets.
36 Corner Pleasant and Quincy streets.
37 Corner Franklin and Water streets.
38 Corner Liberty and Plain streets.
39 Corner Penn and Liberty streets.
138 Corner Brooks avenue and Centre street.
41 Corner School and Granite streets.
42 Junction Granite and Water streets, Jones' corner.
43 Corner Common and Copeland streets.
45 Junction Granite and Water streets.
46 Old Granite engine house.
47 Bates avenue and Grove street.
48 Corner Willard and Robertson streets.
49 Willard street and Larry place.
441 Corner Smith and Quarry streets.
442
Hitchcock's Quarry.
443 Corner Hayden and West streets,
51 Mellen Bray & Co's Tubular Rivet Factory.
52 Corner Farrington street and Elmwood avenue.
53 Corner Warren and Winthrop avenue.
54 Corner Hancock and Fenno streets.
56 Wollaston Hotel, corner Beale street and Newport ave.
57 Corner Beach and Willow streets, Norfolk Downs.
58 Corner Adams and Beale streets.
59 Beale street and Central avenue.
151 Corner Billings and Rawson roads.
152 Corner Billings and Beach street.
61 Corner Hancock and Squantum streets.
62 Corner Hancock and Atlantic streets.
63 Atlantic bridge.
64 Corner Billings and Newbury streets.
65 Corner Squantum street and Faxon road.
67 Corner Squantum and Atlantic streets.
68 Squantum.
71 Corner Mill and Washington streets.
72 On church, corner South and Washington streets.
173
73 Corner Howard and Winter streets.
74 Corner Washington and River streets.
75 Corner Main and Sumner streets.
76 Corner Wharf and Washington streets.
171 Whicher's factory, Union and Main streets.
172 Glencoe place and New Road.
135 Weymouth.
137 Braintree.
158 Milton.
162 Boston.
General Alarm,-Twelve blows, followed by box number.
Recall,-Two blows, "fire all out. "
One Session School,-2-2 three times. Test,-One blow, 7 A. M., 5 P. M.
Three blows calls Chief to the Central Station.
Six blows, followed by box number, call Supt. of Water Works.
Police Call,-3 three times.
Militia Call,-4 three times.
FIRE RECORD 1895.
January 1, 5.30 A. M., bex 41 .- Wooden house of Susan Hart- ney,
Value of building,
$3,000 00
Damage to building,
290 00
Insurance upon,
1,500 00
Insurance paid, 290 00
Value of contents,
1,100 00
Damage to contents,
305 00
Insurance upon,
300 00
Defective Flue.
174
February 1, 2.15 A. M., box 42 .- Wooden house of John Fallon, Value of building, $1,400 00
Damage to building, 500 00
Insurance upon, 1,200 00
Value of contents,
150 00
Damage to contents, 100 00
Insurance upon,
200 00
Unknown.
February 3, 11.30 P. M., box 53.
False.
February 23, 12.10 P. M., box 26 .- Grain store of A. J. Rich- ard & Sons,
Value of building,
$4,500 00
Damage to building, 100 00
Insurance upon, 4,500 00
Value of contents, 4,750 00
Damage to contents, 100 00
Insurance upon,
4,750 00
Spark from engine.
February 23, 2.30 P. M., box 41 .- Henhouse of James Smith, Value of building, $25 00
Damage to building, 20 00
Drying out-house.
February 27, 10.10 P. M., box 41 .- House of Mr. G. L. Baxter, Value of building, $400 00
Damage to building, none
Matches.
March 3, 7.06 P. M., box 49 .- House of Edward Trask,
Value of building, $1,500 00
Damage to building, 500 00
Insurance upon, 1,500 00
Supposed to be incendiary.
175
March 21, 1.35 P. M., box 43 .- House of heirs of Thomas Con- way,
Value of building,
$1,000 00
Damage to building,
10 00
Value of contents,
300 00
Damage to contents,
15 00
Lighting paper.
March 18, 4.55 P. M., box 26 .- Tool house of N. Y., N. H. &. H. Railroad,
Value of building,
$250 00
Damage to building,
250 00
Spark from engine.
March 19, Still alarm,-Tool house of N. Y., N. II. & II. Rail- road,
Value of building,
$250 00
Damage to building, none
Spark from engine,
April 5, 4.08 P. M., box 441 .- Blacksmith shop of Charles H. Hardwick & Sons.
Value of building,
$350 00
Damage to building, 2 00
Insurance upon,
275.00
Value of contents,
200 00
Damage to contents, none
Burning paper.
April 8, 8.05 P. M., box 37 .- Barn of heirs of Ann Hardwick,
Value of building,
$400 00
Damage to building,
300 00
Insurance upon,
300 00
Insurance paid,
300 00
Value of contents,
25 00
Damage to contents,
25 00
Unknown.
176
April 28, 11 P. M., box 46 .- House of Thomas J. Lamb,
Value of building, $2,800 00
Damage to building, 345 00
Insurance upon, 2,000 00
Value of contents,
700 00
Damage to contents,
625 00
Caused by lamp.
April 10, 1 A. M., box 62 .- Tool house of Patrick Lyons,
Value of building. $30 00
Damage to building, 30 00
Value of contents, 10 00
Damage to contents,
10 00
Supposed to have been struck by lightning.
April 10, box 28 .- Grass fire off Greenleaf street.
April 18,-Still alarm, Merry Mount Park.
April 11, 1 A. M., box 64 .- House of Leroy S. Carter,
Value of building, $5,000 00
Damage to building, 5,000 00
Insurance upon, 8,000 00
Value of contents, 2,000 00
Damage to contents, 2,000 00
Insurance upon,
2,500 00
Caused by open grate.
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