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 1896 > Part 6
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Mount Park ·
7 13
P. J. Williams, building fences and backstops
122 85
Benj. Johnson, lumber
31 62
James Riley, labor on Ward 4 Play- ground 43 75
Gilcoine Bros., Merry Mount Park .
15 00
Receipts from rent of pasture and other sources .
113 00
Balance from appropriation
232 02
$613 00
CHARLES II. PORTER, WILLIAM B. RICE, GEORGE E. PFAFFMANN, Park Commissioners.
Report of Managers of Public Burial Places.
To His Honor the Muyor of the City of Quincy :
There never was a time when the cemeteries of the city have looked as well as they have this year. This, of course, is directly due to the care given by our Superintendent, and his work has stimulated those caring for their own lots, to give more and better attention. The custom of ordering lots cared for has been improved upon and to the great satisfaction of the Board we can say that no lot has received care this year unless the owners have signed a contract with the city, so that there will remain no bill of 1896 that can not be collected. This system of doing work in the cemeteries, only where a written order is given, should be extended during the coming year to everything in the department. There will then be no bad bills and the income will be greatly increased. It is with much gratification that we refer to the income of the department as will be noticed in the appended financial state- . ment. It is certainly a pleasure to say that the income has for the first time been greater than the expenses.
CARE OF LOTS.
In most all large cemeteries the cost for the care of lots is considerable, but the rules of those cemeteries are such that every lot must be kept in good condition. The price for care of
150
lots charged by the city of Quincy is small and there seems no good reason why owners should not be obliged to take advan- tage of the city's terms. We can never have a pretty cemetery until every lot is under the care of the department. The price of $3 per single and $2 for each additional lot, includes mowing the grass with lawn mowers, watering as often as may be necessary and, in fact, any minor matters that will make the lot look satisfactory to all concerned. There is no need of the owner doing one thing to their lot if they contract for its care by the department. By this we do not mean that if your lot has not been cared for for several years and is now covered with moss that the city will sod it or sow it with grass seed. If your lot is given to us in fair condition, we will make it look much better. Some owners think they are practising economy by letting their lots go without being dressed. It is a well known fact that we cannot continually drain upon the natural richness of the earth without soon impoverishing it. Nature must be aided and at the proper time. Great care has been taken to secure good dressing for the lots and more money is spent now for this material in one year than was formerly in several years. The cost for dressing a lot is $1 and this price hardly covers the actual expense. The lots are dressed late in the fall and when the spring opens the ground is saturated with nourishment and the grass takes an early start and grows vigor- ously even during the burning hot weather of summer. It has something to feed upon and keep it in a healthy condition. It is this one neglect that makes some of the lots cared for look below the standard. It is only a matter of time, however, that owners will see it to their advantage to pay this slight expense for dressing each year.
The Board is of the unanimous opinion that no lot should be cared for in the future unless the owner will agree to first put it in proper condition. This will stop nearly all complaints of poor care, for it is invariably the case where fault is found, that the lot has been placed under our care after having been neglected for many years and, consequently the soil is worn out and the grass nearly all dead. These complaints prevent other
151
owners from placing their lots under the care of the city and hence, works an added injury to the cemetery. Under the heading of "Statistics," will be found the number of lots cared for during the season of 1896.
Owners of lots in the oldest section of the cemetery do not, as a rule, give much attention to their lots except at Memorial Day. This is easily explained from the fact that the old custom of caring for cemetery lots in all country places, and it is held the same today, was to place flowers upon the graves at certain intervals and the scythe was used upon the grass about once during the season. The city of Quincy has grown out of that custom and the call is for a cemetery that will not be a constant reminder of the sadness of death, but shall be as cheerful, attrac- tive and beautiful as the landscape gardner can make it. We ask the co-operation of the lot owners in that part of the ceme- tery to assist us in making improvements.
THE LAWN SYSTEM.
The lawn system of connecting lots has been extended this season and has greatly improved parts of the cemetery. This system has met with much favor and the Board is repeatedly asked to extend it to other sections of the cemetery. The small amount of money which we have, makes it impossible to comply with all the requests, but each year, by doing a section, the whole cemetery will finally be laid out on this plan. Lot owners should make their requests early in the season so that provision may be made to have the work done at the proper time. It is the object of the Board to have all the lots level, for, how unsightly it is to see lots of various elevations and shapes, some covered with a few stray tufts of grass and others with moss and weeds, only to become brown and almost bare as the hot summer sun strikes down upon them. It is impossible to keep lots raised above the regular grade, in good condition. They soon become dry and parched by the sun and to be kept look- ing good, should have a fountain placed so as to continually keep them sprinkled.
152
IMPROVEMENTS.
About 1,200 feet of water pipe was laid this season and now nearly all sections of the cemetery may be easily reached for sprinkling with the hose.
New wooden steps were placed upon the lot to reach the Soldiers' Monument, to replace the old ones, which had become decayed and unsafe.
The surroundings of the Superintendent's office were greatly improved by a small ornamental plot placed in front of it and by the general repairs of the sanitary at the left. Further improvements are contemplated the coming season.
The employment of help in this department is placed entirely in the hands of the Superintendent and he employs only such men as are desirous and anxious to work. Our appropriation is small and the duty we owe to the citizens is to secure the most that we can for the money. Being a public burial place, no discrim- ination can be made in hiring labor, and the rule has been to keep during the whole season those men who show a willing- ness to render to the city full value for the wages they receive. Neither race, creed or politics enter into the employment of the men. The one requirement is that they shall be citizens and residents of Quincy.
The need of a chapel and Superintendent's residence was never more apparent than on Memorial Day. Many people were in the cemetery when the rain descended in torrents and they were compelled to seek shelter where they could find it. The city should make some move in this direction in the imme- diate future. The income to be derived, would pay the interest upon the investment, if suitable greenhouses were erected in addition.
The unsightly white stakes placed in the single grave plots have been partially done away with. In Plot L terra-cotta grave markers have been used and it is the intention to level the graves in this section so that the plot will appear more as a lawn. It will then receive perpetual care and will greatly improve the appearance of the cemetery. The remaining plots will be done in like manner.
153
The expense of building walls around the pond was too great to be undertaken this year as other improvements de- manded immediate attention. The coming season this work should be done on such parts as can prudently be undertaken with the funds at our disposal.
The Board would recommend that the restriction upon the sale and transfer of lots, as provided for in the city ordinance, should be abolished and the entire matter left in the hands of the Board of Managers. The main reason for this, is that it is inoperative at present and does not accomplish the desired end. The purpose for this restriction has long since ceased and it now works only as a very disagreeable injury to those old Quincy families, who have become residents of other places and have received deeds of lots from deceased relatives and are unable to have them transferred to their names. We have also found that non-residents have been able to secure lots in spite of this clause and as the advanced price in lots is the best preventative against having the poor of other cities and towns make a raid upon our cemetery, there remains no good reason for working an injustice to former Quincy residents.
STATISTICS.
Whole No. of lots contracted for care 316
There have been 192 burials and 5 removal in Cemeteries during the year 1896, as follows :
Mt. Wollaston Cemetery :
Adults,
62
Children, .
78
Died in other places :
Adults
37
Children, .
11
Old cemetery
4
154
Removals from :
3
Old Cemetery, .
1
Braintree,
Removed from Mt. Wollaston
1
to Randolph
FINANCIAL STATEMENT.
$4,600 00
Appropriation
4,500 36
Expended
$ 64
Balance .
STATEMENT OF RECEIPTS FOR 1896.
$3 00
Care of Lots, 1894 .
585 50
Care of Lots, 1895
435 00
Care of Lots, 1896
6 00
Grading 1894 .
10 00
Grading 1895
141 00
Grading 1896 .
305 50
Miscellaneous 1895 .
314 77
Miscellaneous 1896 .
30 00
Removals
46 50
Corner Posts .
24 00
Labor
111 00
Dressing .
1,511 00
Lots sold .
216 00
Graves sold
12 50
Wood sold
307 00
Opening Graves
537 36
Foundations
6 00
Setting posts
$4,602 13
155
PERPETUAL CARE FUND OF BURIAL PLACES
Cash on hand January 1, 1896,
$8,275 00
Received for perpetual care of lots, By interest,
800 00
340 84
Paid for care of lots, .
340184
Cash on hand December 31, 1896, .
9,075 00
$9,415 84
$9,415 84
Respectfully submitted,
JOSEPH H. VOGEL,
ELIJAH G. HALL,
JAMES E. MAXIM,
GEORGE H. WILSON,
FRED. F. GREEN,
Board of Managerse
Report of City Physi= cian.
To His Honor, the Mayor of the City of Quincy :
The following report of the City Physician is respectfully submitted.
The general health of the inmates of the almshouse has been good throughout the year. In the early part of the year there were four deaths of patients suffering from chronic diseases.
To the poor of the house, thirty-one visits were made.
To the outside poor, one hundred and fifty-three.
To the police department, eight.
To the office, including vaccinations, one hundred and. twenty-eight.
JOHH F. WELCH, M. D. City Physician.
Health Department.
To His Honor the Mayor of the City of Quincy :
The Board of Health, respectfully present their annual re- port for the year ending Dec. 31st, 1897.
The organization of the Board was made early in Febru- ary by electing Benjamin F. Curtis, chairman and Dr. J. H. Ash, secretary.
Mr. Timothy F. Ford was appointed Inspector.
We are pleased to report that during the last year the gen- .eral health of the city has been very good, no serious epidemic of contagious disease prevailing, nearly all the cases that have occurred, being of a mild type, yielding readily to medical treat- ment. The danger from diphtheria, that dreaded disease, has now by the use of anti-toxine been greatly lessened, and the death rate lowered. We have had 106 cases the last year and 10 deaths against 105 cases in 1895 and 16 deaths.
Another year's trial of the "Odorless Excavating Com- pany's" system for scavengering the city has proved beyond doubt that this important and disagreeable work has been per- formed to the entire satisfaction of the Board, and citizens also. Rigid rules and restrictions have been imposed on all who carry garbage, swill, etc., through the streets of our city, and we think that this business has been very much improved since the Board have taken it in hand-Licenses are only granted to tthose who comply fully with the restrictions imposed, and in
160
case of violation, prosecution and revocation of licenses at once. follow.
The Board unanimously recommend that a more efficient. service for the collection of the garbage of the city be main- tained. At present, we have only one team permanently em- ployed ; one team three days weekly, and a service of two days. weekly from June 15th to Sept. 15th at Hough's Neck and Rock Island.
We strongly recommend that three teams be employed! permanently making it possible to make two collections weekly from all parts of the city, and three collections weekly from the central populous part. By so doing it will be of great benefit to all, and the cleanliness and health of the city much im- proved.
Personal visits and inspections of all the public buildings,. schoolhouses, etc., have been made by the members and defects- and nuisances been remedied.
In the early summer petitions were received in regard to. an alleged nuisance at Teal Pond, Atlantic and at Hough's: Neck.
Personal visits were made by the members and the com- plaints carefully considered. The Board were not able to sug- gest any practicable remedy to abate the evils complained of, and were unanimously of the opinion that the alleged nuisances was not of such serious character as to warrant the adoption of. unusual proceedings.
The inspector of cattle has under our directions maintained a careful supervision of all dealers in fish, vegetables and pro- visions. A number of seizures of products unfit for food have been made, but so far no wilful exposure of decayed fish, vege- tables or provisions have been discovered; therefore no prose -- cutions have been authorized.
We are satisfied that by means of weekly inspections that our citizens have been the gainers, and that the quality of food. products offered for sale much improved.
161
A list of the deaths and contagious disease cases will be found below :
Total number of deaths in Quincy in 1896
346
Residents of Quincy who died in other places in 1896
15
Diphtheria
3 2 to co S. Fever
L& M. Croup
Measles
T. Fever
February
11
1
March
15
6
2
April
18
6
1
3
May
6
7
1
June
6
8
3
-
July
8
6
3
3
August
1
6
1
4
September
1
4
1
4
October
6
1
5
November
5
11
1
7
December
11
3
-
3
2
106
68
6
18
28
Grand total .
226
January .
18
1
1
1
We append to this the reports of the Inspector of the Board, Inspector of Cattle and Inspector of Plumb- ing.
BENJ. F. CURTIS, Chairman, JOHN H. ASH, M. D. JOHN A. McDONNELL.
Board of Health.
162
REPORT OF INSPECTOR.
GENTLEMEN :- I beg leave to submit my annual report for the year ending Dec. 31, 1896.
During the year the following nuisances were discovered and notices to abate the same was served :
Offensive vaults .
494
Offensive cesspools
201
Defective sink drains
41
Untrapped waste pipes .
23
Sewage flowing on surface
22
Filthy yards .
6
Defective vaults .
7
Sewage flowing into cellars
7
Offensive piggeries
3
Sewage flowing into brook
3
Wet cellar
Dead animals
2
Vault too near brook
1
While the number of nuisances reported may appear large, the owners of premises complained of in almost every case manifested a willingness to comply with the orders of the Board and I can say that the sanitary condition of the city is much improved over that of last year.
During the year I have made seven complaints to the Court of violations of the rules and regulations of the Board and the offenders were fined.
One hundred and eighty cases of diphtheria, scarlet fever and membraneous croup have been reported by attending physi- cians during the year. The rooms occupied by the patients have been in almost every case, fumigated by your Inspector. Occasionally the work has been done by the householder under the directions of the physicians.
Respectfully,
TIMOTHY F. FORD, Health Inspector.
163
REPORT OF INSPECTOR OF PLUMBING.
QUINCY Mass, Dec. 31, 1896.
B. F. Cutris, Esq., Chairman Board of Health.
DEAR SIR :- I herewith tender my third annual report as Inspector of plumbing of the city of Quincy. The work at- tended to during the past year, has been as follows :
No. new houses inspected 93
.6
66 stores
9
.. old houses
3
.. stores 66 2
" new school- houses 66
" Additions to
schoolhouses 66
1
new churches
1
Alterations
32
Total 134
Representing an aggregate (estimated) value of Twenty Thousand Dollars.
There have been two arrests made during the year for "Viola- tion of the City Ordinances, regulating Plumbing," on one of which a fine of ten dollars was imposed by the court, and the other placed on file with the approval of the Board of Health.
In view of the fact, that the starting of the Public Sewer is an absolute certainty during the coming year, I would recom- mend that the Board purchase and maintain a Smoke Test Apparatus, cost not to exceed thirty-five dollars, by means of which each and every householder could be satisfied, beyond a possibility of doubt, regarding the condition of the plumbing contained in his or her premises.
Respectfully submitted,
J. J. KENILEY, Inspector of Plumbing.
Inspector of Animals and Provisions.
To His Honor the Mayor of the City of Quincy :
I beg leave to submit the following report for the year end- ing December 31, 1896.
The intent of the law creating this office is to promote the public health by preventing the sale of diseased or unwhole- some meat or fish, rotten or decaying fruit or vegetables, and also the suppression of contiagous diseases among animals within this city:
According to Chapter 491, Acts 1894 it is the duty of any person knowing or having reason to suspect the existence of a contagious disease among any domestic animals within this city to notify the Board of Health or Inspector that they may notify the State Bourd of Cattle Commissioners who immediately send the State Inspector to take charge of the case.
In accordance with a vote passed by the Board of Health May 11, I was directed to inspect all stores where food stuffs were offered for sale, at least once in two weeks. This I have done and believing it for the best interest of the public health, I have visited them much oftener during the warm weather. I have also inspected daily the loads of peddlers who come to this city to sell meat or provisions. During the year I have seized and disposed of otherwise than for food, 3013 pounds of meat, 400 mackerel, 3 barrel of fruit and vegetables.
166
October 1, I was directed by the State Cattle Commissioners to inspect all cattle, sheep and swine within the city, also the stables where cattle are kept and to report the sanitary condi- tion of the latter to the State Cattle Commissioners. This work is not yet finished. I have reported four suspicious cases as tuberculosis, two of which have been destroyed.
During the year four cases of glanders occurred and the animals were killed.
Many of the stables where cattle are kept in this city are filthy and poorly ventilated and the attention of the Board of Health as well as the Cattle Commissioners has been called to them.
The following is a report of inspections :- Cows, 408 ; swine, 336; calves, 23 ; bulls, 5 ; oxen, 4 ; sheep, 1 ; stables, 121.
Respectfully submitted, TIMOTHY F. FORD,
Inspector of Animals and Provisions.
Milk Inspector.
QUINCY, January 1, 1897.
To His Honor the Mayor of the City of Quincy :
DEAR SIR; I beg leave to submit the following report for the year ending December 31, 1896.
Forty-three licenses have been issued for the sale of milk .. Thirteen persons have registered as dealers in milk. One per- son has registered as a dealer in butterine.
I have returned to the City Treasurer $28.50, the total re- ceipts of this office.
Very few complaints have reached this office, of the quality of the milk delivered in this city, and the samples which I have tested lead me to believe that our citizens are now well served. in this particular.
Since the establishment of this office by the City Council, 104 different persons or firms have registered as dealers in milk.
I wish to call special attention of all owners of cows to Sec- tion 3, of Ordinance No. 21.
Section 3. Every person who conveys milk in carriages or otherwise, for the purpose of selling the same in the city, shall annually in the month of May, be licensed by the Inspector in accordance with the provisions and subject to the penalties of the Public Statutes, to sell milk within the limits of the city and shall pay to the Inspector fifty cents to the use of the city.
Every person who sells milk, or offers it for sale in any store, booth, stand, or market place in the city, shall register in the
1
· 168
books of the Inspector and shall pay to him fifty cents to the use of the city. The Inspector shall pay over monthly to the City Treasurer all sums collected by him.
I also wish to call attention of all milk dealers to the legal standard of milk and refer them to Sections 1 and 2 of Chapter 398 of the Acts of 1896.
[CHAP. 398.]
AN ACT RELATIVE TO THE INSPECTION AND STANDARD OF MILK. Be it enacted, etc., as follows :
SECTION 1. Section seven of Chapter fifty-seven of the Pub- lic Statutes, as amended by Section seven of Chapter three- hundred and fifty-two of the Acts of the year eighteen hundred and eighty-five, is hereby amended by striking out all of said section, and inserting in place thereof the following :- Section 7. No person, by himself or his agents, shall sell, exchange or deliver, or have in his custody or possession, with intent to sell, exchange or deliver, milk from which the cream or any part thereof has been removed, unless in a conspicuous place upon « every vessel, can or package of more than two quarts capacity from or in which such milk is sold, exchanged or delivered, the words " Skimmed Milk," are distinctly marked in plain uncon- densed gothic letters not less than one inch in length, said marking to be in dark letters on a light ground, and to be on the vessel, can or package itself and not upon a detachable label or tag ; and unless in a conspicuous place upon every ves- sel, can or package of two quarts or less capacity from or in which such milk is sold, exchanged or delivered, the words " Skimmed Milk," are distinctly marked in plain uncondensed gothic letters, said marking to be in dark letters on a light ground, and to be either on the vessel, can or package itself or upon a detachable label or tag. Whoever violates the pro- visions of this section shall be punished by the penalties pro- vided in Section five.
SECTION 2. Section nine of Chapter fifty-seven of the Pub- lic Statutes, as amended by Section six of Chapter three hun-
169
dred and fifty-two of the Acts of the year eighteen hundred and eighty-five, and by Section two of Chapter three hundred and eighteen of the Acts of the year eighteen hundred and eighty- six, is hereby amended by striking out all of said section, and inserting in place thereof the following :- Section 9. In all prosecutions under this Chapter, if the milk is shown upon analysis to contain.less than thirteen per cent. of milk solids or, to contain less than nine and three-tenths per cent. of milk solids exclusive of fat, or to contain less than three and seven- tenths per cent. of fat, it shall be deemed for the purposes of this act to be not of good standard quality, except during the months of April, May, June, July and August, when milk con- taining less than twelve per cent. of milk solids, or less than nine per cent. of milk solids exclusive of fat, or less than three per cent. of fat, shall be deemed to be not, of good standard quality.
SECTION 3. Section four of Chapter three hundred and eighteen of the acts of the year eighteen hundred and eighty- six is hereby amended by striking out all of said section, and inserting in place thereof the following :- Section 4. Who- ever makes, canses to be made, uses or has in his possession any imitation or counterfeit of any seal used by any inspector of milk, collector of samples or other official engaged in the in- spection of milk, and whoever changes or in any way tampers with any sample taken or sealed as provided in section two, shall be punished by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars and by imprisonment in the house of correction not less than three nor more than six months -- [ Approred May 15, 1896.
Respectfully,
HENRY C. HALLOWELL, M. D., Inspector of Milk.
Report of Overseer of the Poor.
To His Honor the Mayor of the City of Quincy.
I have the honor to report :
The appropriation for the year 1896 was $9,000. The amount expended on Dec. 31, 1896, was $8,525.46 an itemized account of which is hereto appended which gives very nearly the standing of the department, there being but few outstanding bills.
The amount for Hospital Aid has been small on account of bills to the State not having been paid as promptly as we could have desired. There are now bills of considerable amount against the State which will no doubt soon be paid, but as the. amount received from this source is immediately paid to the Hospital it does not materially effect the actual expense of this department, other than showing a fictitious expense.
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