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 1897 > Part 5
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the street should be turned over to the Commissioner to be kept in repair for one year, at the expense of the department doing the work.
During the year, general repairs were made on nearly every street, in many cases making notable improvements. Close attention was given to cleaning streets, gutters and basins. Many sidewalks were built and repaired and 773 square yards of concrete sidewalk resurfaced. The trees and grass were properly trimmed and fences erected and repaired in dangerous places. 69 street signs were erected, 7 street crossings put in and paved gutters laid on Beale, Grand View, Central, Wash- ington, Hancock, Liberty and Centre Streets. 67 permits were issued for opening streets, moving buildings, parades etc.
The following material was put on streets and sidewalks or otherwise handled : 2000 tons of crushed stone at a cost of 81 cents per ton for material, quarrying and crushing : 7635 loads of gravel, of which 4851 loads were bought at a cost of $526.77, the balance being obtained from cellars and the city pit; 1131 loads of granite chips taken from stone sheds, free of cost ; 2865 loads street scrapings and 496 loads of ashes.
Of the total amount expended, approximately $15,300 was used on streets ; $2,800 on sidewalks and $3,200 on cleaning and incidental work.
The item of credits noted below are reimbursements from the Street Railway Co., Sewer and other departments for work performed :
Appropriated by Council
$18,000 00
Credits .
3,539 67
$21,539 67
EXPENDED ON HIGHWAYS.
Maintenance
$1,514 55
Labor . .
15,329 02
Repairs .
467 48
129
Supplies . .
684 41
Material, gravel and paving
956 32
$18,951 78
EXPENDED ON CRUSHER.
Rent of Quarry
$125 00
Labor
1,045 99
Supplies .
280 98
Repairs .
168 31
1,620 28
EXPENDED ON ROLLER.
Labor
$617 84
Supplies .
142 38
Repairs .
26 51
$786 73
Balance
180 88
$21,539 67
WATERING STREETS.
The Legislature of 1897 enacted a law compelling assess- ments to be made per linear foot of frontage on streets watered, after the Council had passed an order as in former years author- izing the assessment to be made according to the valuation of the property abutting on streets watered. It was then neces- sary for the Council to make an amendment to their first order and for a survey to be made of the streets watered and an entire re-arrangement of our books.
The amount of frontage on streets watered that can be legally assessed is as follows :
Ward 1,
32,114.56 feet
Ward 2, 16,875.86
Ward 3, 13,509.13
Ward 4,
19,263.06
130
Ward 5, Ward 6,
13,714.80 feet
10,712.06
Total, 106,189.47 feet.
The total amount ordered assessed by the Council was $2,200, making the rate $.022 per foot and allowing a safe mar- gin for abatements. We have now seven districts and own only six carts, the seventh being hired each year. This expense soon equals the cost of a new cart, therefore I would recommend the purchase of an additional water cart.
Appropriation,
$4,400 00
Expended,
4,400 00
SPECIAL APPROPRIATIONS.
In May, $17,000.00 was appropriated for paving and curb- ing Copeland Street. Upon consultation with the Sewer Com- missioners it was deemed advisable to postpone paving until the sewer had been laid. Several vexatious delays in the sewer construction and unfavorable weather made it impossible to complete the paving before winter set in.
In July, $1200.00 was appropriated for Miller Stile Road ; $500.00 for Whitwell Street and $400.00 for Brook Road. These sums were not sufficient to do the work necessary but were made to cover as much as possible.
$300.00 was appropriated for a new Tide Gate at the Alms- house ; the old wooden one being replaced by a substantial stone one with two gates, and the ditches deepened.
In December 1896, Newcomb Street Extension was laid out and $2500.00 appropriated for the grading. This exten- sion was necessary on account of being on the line of the main sewer and the grading of the street is being done with surplus material from sewer trenches ; consequently the work progres- ses slowly and will take nearly a year for its comple- tion.
Faxon Road was accepted in August and $1000.00 approp- riated for land damage and grading. This street has been brought to the sub-grade and some gravelling done, but was
t
131
not completed on account of anticipated settling of the sewer trench.
$250.00 was appropriated for a new Garbage-House, which has been completed and proves a great improvement.
In December, appropriations were made for the following : Widening Sea Street, $1000.00, Widening Squantum Street, $500.00, Permanent Sidewalks, $7000.00, Acceptance and Grad -. ing of Billings Road and West Elm Avenue, $2500.00, Win- throp avenue Drain, $1000.00 and Relocation of Pleasant Street, $1000:00.
These orders passed so late in the year that it was deemed impracticable to commence work on them until the Spring of 1898.
In concluding this review of my second year's work in this department, I beg to express my gratitude and appreciation to His Honor the Mayor for his valuable assistance and advice, and also desire to thank the members of the City Council, heads of departments and all my assistants for their kindly co-opera- tion and interest.
Respectfully submitted, CHARLES F. KNOWLTON, Commissioner of Public Works.
-
133
Report of the Assessors.
-
To His Honor the Mayor of the City of Quincy :
The Board of Assessors herewith submit their annual re- port. We have assessed upon the polls and estates of the City of Quincy for the year 1897 the following sums :
City tax levy voted by the City Council $195,000 00 Notes and interest falling due during the
year
119,231 21
County tax (less polls ) 6031
10,476 92
State tax 66
5,746 50
Overlayings
8,173 71
Polls 6031 .
12,062 00
Total to be raised $350,690 34 Tax rate 1897
. $18.80 per thousand
TABLE OF AGGREGATES.
Value of assessed personal estate, exclud- ing resident bank stocks . .
$2,268,100 00
Resident bank stock . 186,546 00 .
Total personal estate .
·
$2,454,646 00
134
Value of assessed real estate :
Buildings
$7,876,000 00
Land .
7,681,500 00
Total real estate
$15,557,500 00
Total real and personal estate
18,012,146 00
431,631 00 Gain .
WARD VALUATION.
PERSONAL ESTATE REAL ESTATE TOTAL.
Ward 1, $1,130,100 00
84,716,250 00
$5,846,350 00
Ward 2, 281,800 00
1,593,275 00 1,875,075 00
Ward 3,
295,075 00
2,006,325 00 2,301,400 00
Ward 4,
271,600 00 2,037,925 00
2,309,525 00
Ward 5, 282,025 00
3,047,950 00
3,279.975 00
Ward 6,
57,500 00
2,155.775 00
2,213,275 00
Resident bank
stock,
186,546 00
186,546 00
$2,454,646 00
$15,557,500 00 $18,012.146 00
Tax raised on personal property excluding resident bank stocks
$42,640 28
Tax raised on resident bank stocks
3,507 06
real estate . 292,481 00
" polls (6031)
12,062 00
Total to be raised
$350,690 34
Number of houses assessed
3940분
Gain .
.
176
Number of horses assessed
1352
coWS
637
135
Omitted and reassessed taxes as follows :
On property, real and personal .
$281 06
Polls added for state election 113
226 00
66 " city 26 52 00
Total .
$559 06
Literary and Benevolent Institutions and houses of Re- ligious worship in Quincy are valued for real estate and per- sonal property at $932,521.00 but are exempt from taxation. Real estate, fire apparatus, owned by the City of Quincy, in- cluding School houses, parks, City Hall, Water Works, Play- grounds etc., amount to $817,888 and are exempt from taxa- tion. There is also $93,625.00 as valued by the Assessors in real estate belonging to widows, minors and unmarried females which by law is exempt from taxation.
Respectfully submitted, JOHN FEDERHEN, 3D, WALTER R. FEGAN, THOMAS F. DRAKE, JOHN CURTIS, JAMES A. WHITE, CHARLES R. SHERMAN, B. R. REDMAN,
Assessors of Quincy.
137 .
Report of Tax Collector.
To His Honor the Mayor of the City of Quincy :
Tax of 1893 :
Balance due city, Jan. 1st,
1897 .
$5,681 24
Cash paid treasurer $42 66
Abated 1,674 17
Balance due city Jan. 1st,
1898 $3,964 41
$5.681 24
· Tax of 1894 :
Balance due city Jan. 1st
1897
$7,461 55
Cash paid treasurer .
$1,993 68
Abated . 319 88
Balance due city Jan. 1st, . 1898 .
5,147 99
$7,461 55
138
Tax of 1895 :
Balance due city, Jan. 1st
1897 .
$25,506 26
Cash paid treasurer
$15,109 71
Abated .
466 94
Balance due city, Jan. 1st,
1898 .
$9,929 61
$25,506 26
Tax of 1896 :
Balance due city Jan. 1st,
1897 .
$123,366 72
Cash paid treasurer
$80,717 23
Abated ·
1,383 16
Balance due city Jan. 1st,
1898 .
$41,266 33
$123,366 72
Tax of 1897 :
Amount of warrant $354,453 94
Cash paid to treasurer to Jan. 1st 1898 .
$224,142 44 .
Abated
1,281 46
Balance due city Jan. Ist,
1898 .
$129,030 04
$354,453 94
WATSON H. BRASEE,
Collector.
139
Report of Park Com= missioners.
To Ilis Honor the Mayor of the City of Quincy :-
The Board of Park Commissioners respectfully submit the following report :
The sum of $500 was appropriated for the use of this Com- mission and $434.38 has been expended, leaving a balance of $65.63, which with $100 received from rent of pasture has been returned to the City Treasury.
Following the usual policy this sum has been devoted to general repairs and such improvements as came within our means.
The work of the Sewer Commission has detracted from the appearance of Merry Mount Park the past year but all trees have been protected as carefully as possible and in a short time the natural growth will conceal many of the scars that now of- fend the eye.
The pavilion has been repaired and painted, rows of seats placed for the accommodation of spectators at ball-games and the fences repaired.
At the Ward 4 Play ground the back-stop was rebuilt and the bridge over the brook placed in a safe condition.
A new wire fence was erected around the Ward 3 Play- ground to protect adjoining property and the true lines defined. The large back-stop built the previous year having been de-
140
stroyed and taken away, the Board considered it was not ap- preciated and decided not to provide a new one.
To permit access to Faxon Park two men were employed for a month cutting and burning the underbrush. The work was done in August that the growth might be killed more ef- fectually, but owing to the rapidity of the growth we believe it will not be wise to expend more money in this direction until some action is taken toward laying out the Park and providing suitable approaches. The annual appropriation will not permit this Board to bear this expense.
The great natural advantages of the Ward 2 Play-ground make it one of the most attractive and popular in the City. Shade trees have been set out the past year and for the con- venience of the large number of visitors who spend the day there, a supply of water is needed, which can be easily obtained by laying a line of pipe from Hill street at a very small expense.
The Park System has been added to by the purchase by the City Council of a strip of shore front on the north side of Sea street, between Shelton road and the Bit. The sum of $1,500, was appropriated to be taken from the balance remain- ing to the credit of the appropriation for Play-grounds.
In November the Metropolitan Park Commission sub- mitted papers and plans relating to the taking of a small tri- angle of land additional to the Blue Hills Reservation between Randolph avenue and Forest street and requested the concur- rence of the. Quincy Board which was assented to. Plans and papers are on file.
FINANCIAL STATEMENT.
DR.
Appropriation
$500 00
141
CR.
Martin Pfaffmann, trees at Ward 2 Play-ground $13 75
P. J. Williams & Co., building and repairing fences and back- stops 246 63
Geo. A. Tripp, painting pavilion at Merry Mount Park 13 00
Geo. E. Thomas, repairing pavilion at Merry Mount Park . 12 00
Daniel Ford, labor at Faxon Park Eugene Kenealey, labor at Faxon Park
78 75
40 25
Balance £
$65 62
$500 00
Respectfully, CHARLES H. PORTER,
WILLIAM B. RICE, GEO. E. PFAFFMANN.
Board of Park Commissioners.
143
Public Burial Places.
To His Honor the Mayor of the City of Quincy :
Another year has passed and the Managers of Public Bur- ial Places offer their report for the work done. It is apparent to us that the appropriation made for this department is too small to do the work as it should be, and we feel that the cir- cumstances warrant a larger sum for next year. The actual ex- pense to the city being so small. In 1896 the income was more than the expenses, making a profit to the city of $2.13. This year the showing is of the average. The city for many years having made an appropriation of $1,100 with income, the actual expense to the city was therefor $1,100. This year the appropriation was $4,600 and the income has been $3,326.39 making the expense to the city $1,273.61 with several hundred dollars of bills still uncollected. The appropriation which we receive $4,600, is spent in the most judicious manner and only such improvements, actually necessary, are made in addition to the regular work required. Piece by piece each year some improvement is completed, and being done permanently, a gain is continually made.
We were compelled this season to regrade a section of the new part, which was graded some five years ago under contract and the lots sold with the understanding that they were properly graded. This was an unlooked for expense. We might add, that since a permanent superintendent, three years ago, has been employed, all work in the department is done under
144
his management and direction and by the regular employees, who receive the established rate of wages for the city, $1.75 per day of nine hours.
PERPETUAL CARE.
The Perpetual Care Fund continues to increase and we are constantly receiving applications for information on the subject. The Board recommend all lot owners to inquire into this mat- ter and if not possible now, make some provision, that at their death, the lots will be forever cared for.
LAWN SYSTEM.
The lawn system commenced three years ago under Super- intendent Nicol is continued and on all new plots no other plan is used. In other sections of the cemetery where several lot owners agree, the cross-walks are filled in and the lots placed on the same grade. Only a certain amount of this work can be done each year owing to the small appropriation.
AN OFFICE.
The want of a better office has been apparent for some time. The building in the cemetery answered this purpose for many years and the accommodations it afforded was no credit to a city like Quincy. Last year the Commissioner of Public Works was requested to make the place suitable as a place of reception for our citizens. Lack of funds prevented him from doing anything for us, but we received a promise that a sum to cover the needed repairs would be made in his estimate for 1897. That promise was redeemed and with many thanks to Commis- sioner Knowlton, the citizens have a much more suitable place. With the repairs made on the building, this department furnished the office in a permanent manner. In the place of an old small pine table, a handsome, though not expensive, oak roll top desk has been substituted, and in place of a painted pine chair, a broken back settee and several old boxes, a half dozen oak chairs serve for rests for those having business at the office.
145
This work has been done with as little expense as possible and the furnishings were purchased with an idea of permanancy. The office is a great improvement over what it was a year ago and still it is not the kind of an office the city should have.
The good work of cutting down trees, where they are too thick has progressed, until now the lot owners in some cases, request the superintendent to reduce the number of trees on their lots, if need be. We are glad to notice this interest, be- cause in some places there is so much shade, that the grass and plants will not grow and headstones and monuments are ruined or disfigured by moss and pollen. Adjacent lot owners suffer from this nuisance and they can remedy such evils by a written complaint to the managers. Nearly all the trees received special attention this year and in their clean coats, seemed to stand up, proud of at last been properly cared for.
SHOULD BE ENLARGED.
Mt. Wollaston cemetery is now almost entirely utilized. Nearly all the land has been laid out in lots and properly graded. During the coming year the city should make some move toward enlargement. The addition of the Almshouse lot will of course provide for a few years, but by that time other avail- able land will be so much increased in value that the city must pay a high price. No better tract of land can be added than a portion of the Adams farm. The city should purchase the whole of the present residential section of this estate from Sea street across to the water front reserving a part for a park and the remainder for burial purposes. With this addition the wants for cemetery purposes would be met for many years to come.
THE OLD CEMETERY.
The Old Cemetery received good care and this year looked much improved. There are few burials in this cemetery and the health of the city should make its further use out of the
.
146
question. The old tombs along the street are many of them past use and your board would recommend that proper action be taken to discontinue them. After this is done they should be torn down and the ground levelled. This can be done in a judicious manner and the appearance in the vicinity much im- proved.
STATISTICS.
Whole No. of lots contracted for care . 371
By yearly contract
301
By perpetual care
70
There have been 202 burials and 30 removals in Cemeteries during the year 1897, as follows :
Mt. Wollaston Cemetery :
Adults . 78
Children
69
Died in other places :
Adults .
39
Children
18
Old cemetery
3
Removals from :
Old Cemetery 9
Mt. Wollaston Cemetery
16
Removed from Mt. Wollaston to other places 5
147
FINANCIAL STATEMENT.
Appropriation
$4,600 00
Expended
4,514 15
Balance
$85 85
STATEMENT OF RECEIPTS FOR 1897.
Care of Lots, 1895 .
$9 00
Care of Lots, 1896 .
347 50
Care of Lots, 1897 .
530 00
Care of Lots, 1898
3 00
Sodding, 1895
2 00
Grading 1895
12 00
Dressing 1896
75 00
Regrading Lots
91 00
Myrtling Graves
16 00
Removals
98 50
Partial Payments
125 00
Labor
9 75
Dressing
121 00
Lots sold
810 00
Graves sold
80 00
Wood sold
3 00
Opening Graves
592 00
Foundations .
327 64
Boundary posts
27 00
Removal of stone
8 00
Setting stone .
8 00
Sodding .
8 00
Seeding
7 00
Trimming
3 00
Mowing .
2 00
Sowing lots
16 00
Use of Receiving Tomb .
2 00
$3,326 39
148
PERPETUAL CARE FUND.
Cash on hand January 1, 1897
$9,075 00
Added during the year
700 00
Interest on same
360 00
Paid for care of lots
360 00
Cash on hand December 31, 1897
9,775 00
$10,135 00
$10,135 00
C. C. JOHNSON CARE FUND.
Deposited in Quincy Savings Bank
×150 00
Interest on same
6 06
Paid for care of lot
$6 06
Cash on hand December 31, 1897
150 00
$156.06
$156 06
Respectfully submitted,
JOSEPH II. VOGEL,
ELIJAH G. HALL,
JAMES E. MAXIM,
GEORGE H. WILSON,
FRED. F. GREEN,
Board of Managers.
14.
Report of City Phy=
sician.
To His Honor the Mayor of the City of Quincy :
The following report of the City Physician for the year ending December 31st, 1897 is respectfully submitted :
To the sick of the Almshouse I have made twenty-six visits.
The number of inmates of the Alshouse has been fully up to the average of past years, with no deaths. This fact is worthy of notice, and an endorsement of the healthfullness of the institution, especially, when it is know that nearly every in- mate is the victim of some chronic ailment.
Attendance on the outside poor, called for one-hundred and twenty-seven visits.
Office visits, twenty-five.
There were twenty-three calls to the Police Department. Attendance on two sessions of the District Court in police cases, and examination of twelve applicants for police service.
Two-hundred vaccinations of school children as required by the rules of the board of health.
JOHN F. WELCH, M. D., City Physician.
151
Health Department.
To His Honor the Muyor of the City of Quincy:
The Board of Health respectfully submits its report for the year ending December 31, 1897.
The Board organized in February last with Benj. F. Curtis chairman and Dr. John HI. Ash secretary.
During the past year there has been little of note concern- ing contagious diseases : Scarlet Fever and Diptheria, the most dreaded of children's diseases have been limited in num- bers and mild in degree of severity. Measles of a light type has been very prevalent during the late winter and spring months.
The following is a summary of contagious diseases reported during the past year.
Diptheria ..
Scarlet Fever .
Measles . . . . .
Membra's Croup ~
"Typhoid Fever . 2 20 2 3
January
12
11
22
February
2
4
66
1
March
()
7
92
0
0
April
()
8
78
0
0
May
3
1
95
0
2
June
()
0
65
0
0
July
1
0)
14
0
0
152
August
0
()
3
0
()
September
1
L
2
1
1
October
2
1
1
0
3
November
1
2
0
0
1
December
0
3
1
0
1
Total
22
41
439
2
13
The number of deaths attributed to the above diseases was as follows :- Scarlet Fever, 2; Diptheria. 1; Membraneous Croup, 1; Typoid Fever, 4; Measles, 1; Measles with Pneu- monia or other complication 3. It is very evident the above constitutes a low death rate. Diptheria, most all physicians admit, is now bridled by antitoxin. The Board has this year made arrangement with druggists in Atlantic, Wollaston and Quincy whereby the State Board's antitoxin may be had free of expense by physicians; tubes for facilitating the diagnosis of Diptheria by cultures are kept on hand at the above places for the use of all physicians.
The apparent high death rate of Typhoid Fever, 33, per centum, is due to circumstance rather than to the disease. Many physicians fail to report their cases although instructed so to do and the knowledge of such cases never reach us while the deaths are bound to, hence the death rate is seemingly high. It is a fact that during a recent year there were more cases re- reported by the city papers than to the Board of Health.
Measles have had a large ran through our city upwards of 439 cases were reported and it is safe to say that several hun- dred cases occurred that were not reported to this office. The reason of this is,-many mothers look upon the disease as tri- fling hence no physician is employed and the Board is none the wiser of its presence as no report is made. Cases of measles not reported to the Board often fail in reaching the principal of the school in the district in which lives the child, and the child or children are innocently allowed to return to school too soon, often during the period of disquamation or scaling and the presence of such individuals are the centres of infection of
153
their little associates. The same facts could be related in mild cases of Diphtheria and Scarlet Fever ; it is positive that from the mildest case the severest form of contagious disease can arise. This source of annoyance and danger could be over- come by the introduction of daily medical inspection of schools which would be a step in advance.
A perusal of the summary of diseases will in a measure be convincing of the advisability of such a step. In January there were 22 cases of measles reported; this number increased in February and March reaching 92; there was a falling off in April, 78 cases being reported, diminuation, in a measure, be- ing due to the short April recess; with return to school the maxiumum 95 cases was reached in May, then fast diminishing and disappearing during the summer recess. Scarlet Fever, and Diphtheria though less in number behaved likewise.
In cases of Searlet Fever, Diphtheria and Membraneous Croup a rigid quarantine is placed on the house and at the end of the disease a thorough disinfection is conducted by the In- spector of the Board. The old method of sulphur ignition is dispensed with and reliance placed upon the germicidal action of formaldehyde gas as generated from wood alcohol burned in generators. The Board is convinced that the change has been effectual in better results.
The system of scavanger work continues by contract. The Board is satisfied with its conduction as complaints are compar- tively unknown at this office. The contract expires during the current year and the Board recommends a renewal of the same.
The collection and disposal of garbage is an important fac- tor in bettering the sanitary condition of our city. The Board of Health has been ever watchful to improve such ; increasing the number of collections and extending the, various routes whenever possible ; as a result the entire city receives two col- lections each week and the thickly populated centre three. Owing to the increase in amount of garbage collected and the delapidated condition of the garbage shed a new building has
154
been erected which will meet all requirements for several years to come.
Early in the year the Board by vote requested the inspec- tor of animals and provisions to inspect at reasonable periods the various markets, provision stores and report their condition to the Board of Health. This has been faithfully performed. Reports of such inspections have been kept at City Hall and some seizures have been made. There has been no prosecutions. But such system of inspection cannot fail to be conducive of improvement, acting beneficially to the consumer which class includes us all.
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