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 1902 > Part 10
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Oct. 24. Box 56. 2.25 p. m. 200 Beale street, owner John Tabb, occupant John Tabb, value of building $3,000, loss on building $13 ; insurance on building $2,500, val-
87
ue of contents $1,000, loss on contents $20 ; insurance on contents $1,000 ; cause unknown.
Oct. 27. 3.00 p. m. Still. Norfolk Downs, grass fire.
Nov. 3. Box 73. 7.25 p. m. Fore River Ship yard, boat, value $20,000 ; loss $20; insurance $20,000; cause un- known.
Nov. 4. Box 446. 11.15 p. m. false alarm.
Nov. 9. 5.30 p. m. Still. Off Pine street, grass fire.
Nov. 10. Box 69. 3.50 p. m. Montclair, brush fire.
Nov. 19. Box 72. 2.55 a. m. Chubbuck street, owner Abbie Phillips, occupant Charles Pease ; cause rats and matches ; value on building $3,000, ; loss on building $329 ; insur- ance on building $1,500 : value of contents $600 ; loss on contents $30; insurance on contents $400.
Nov. 19. 5.00 p. m. Still. tree near Mansion School.
Nov. 22. . Box 62. 12.30 p. m. Newbury street, owner Na- thaniel W. Safford, cause chimney: value of building $800; loss on building $30 ; insurance on building $800. Nov. 22. Box 171. 1.20 p. m. South street, owner W. H. Doble, cause child with matches; value of building 82,000; loss on building $480; insurance on building $2,000 ; value of contents $2,000; loss on contents none ; insurance on contemts $2,000.
Nov. 22. Box 43. 5.30 p. m. West street, owner James Nightingale, occupant none ; cause incendiary ; value of building ; $800; loss on building $375; insurance on building 8800.
Nov. 28. Box 62. 9.15 p. m. Walnut street, owner Sylvia Ramsdell, occupant none ; cause incendiary ; value of building $700; loss on building $700; insurance on building $700.
Nov. 29. 7.30 a. m. Still. Cor. Copeland and West streets junction box, owner N. E. T. Co.
Nov. 30. Box 136. 1.00 p. m. Water street, owner John A. McDonnell, occupants John Marshall and Robert E. Foy, cause unknown ; value of building $3,500; loss on buil- ding $10 ; insurance on building $3,000; value of con- tents $1,000 ; loss on contents $30 ; insurance on contents none.
88
Nov. 30. 4.30 p. m. Still. Merry Mount Park, grass. Nov. 30. 5 p. m. Still. South street, woods.
Dec. 4. Box 32. 3.00 a. m. Franklin street, owner heirs of Joseph Adams, occupant Arthur C. Pettee ; barn ; cause unknown ; value of building $3,000; loss on building $1,500 ; insurance on building $1,500; value of contents $1,900; loss on contents $935; insurance on contents $1,125.
Dec. 9. 1.15 p. m. Still. Cottage street, owner Wm. Garrity, cause thawing frozen pipe ; value of building $4,000; loss none ; insurance $4,000; value of contents $1,500; loss on contents none ; insurance on contents $1,500 ;
Dec. 9. Box 53. 9.00 p. m. Grand View avenue, owner Mr. Lacy, cause chimney ; value of building $4,000 : loss on building none ; insurance $2,500; value of contents $2,500 ; loss on contents none ; insurance $2,000.
Dec. 10. 10.00 a. m. Still. Hancock street, owner Horton House, cause chimney ; value of $3,000 ; loss on building none ; insurance $2.500 ; value of contents $1,500 ; loss none.
Dec. 13. 4.55 p. m. Still. Wollaston ave., owner Mr. Ester- brook, cause chimney ; value of building $4,000; loss on building none; insurance $3,500; value of contents $2,000 ; insurance on contents $1,500 ; loss on contents none.
Dec. 15. 7.00 p. m. Still. 11 Clive street, owner Mary M. Thorn, occupant Mary W. Thorn ; cause lighted lamp ; value of building $5,000 ; loss on building none ; insur- ance $5,000 ; value of contents $2,500 ; loss on contents $72.50 ; insurance on contents $400.
Dec. 16. 2.00 p. m. Still. Beale street, Old Colony St. Ry. Co. ; electric car ; value of car $1,500; damage to car none; insurance on car $1,000 ; loss on contents $100 ; insurance $1,000.
Dec. 24. Box 73. 5.45 p. m. Quincy avenue, owner Mr. Jo- han M. Richards, occupant Mrs. John Eldridge ; value of building $8,000 ; loss on building none ; cause chimney ; insurance $8,000 ; value of contents $3,500 ; loss on con- tents none ; insurance $2,500.
PETER J. WILLIAMS,
Chief Engineer.
89
Report of Sewerage Commis= sioners.
To His Honor the Mayor of the City of Quincy :
At the beginning of the year the main sewer to Atlantic had been completed to a point on Rawson road. With the coming on of the winter season the Board had care- fully considered the question whether to continue at work dur- ing the winter or to suspend operations till spring. On the one hand if the work were continued there would be the added ex- pense caused by frost in the ground, winter storms, and the cost of heating the brick and sand used on the work. On the other hand if the work were stopped there would be the expense of taking down and putting up the trench machine which was used on the work, the filling up of a considerable amount of sewer trench for which the material would have to be carted from a borrow pit and the cost of a new pump well and of making a fresh start when the work was opened again. It was finally decided that a saving would be made by continuing the work without interruption. The main sewer to Atlantic has been completed. Work on lateral sewers was begun about April first and sewerage has been provided for most of the thickly settled streets of Atlantic east of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad. The easterly portions of Web- ster and Appleton streets and other lands east of Squantum street in that vicinity naturally drain towards the east and must
90
wait for sewerage until a sewer is built along the shore. This sewer when built will be tributary to the main sewer in Rawson road and will provide sewerage for the territory east of that now sewered at Atlantic and Norfolk Downs.
Upon petition lateral sewers have been built during the year in other sections. Prominent among these are sewers in Ward 3 built to care for the drainage of land in the vicinity of Nightingale avenue and Centre street. It was expected that this work would be completed before the close of the year but . the amount of water, fine sand and boulders encountered near the bottom, and the deep excavation have delayed the work and it will take till about the middle of January to complete the connection between Nightingale avenue and Centre street. When this is finished all the sewers in this locality which have been petitioned for will be in working order.
The designing and preparations for the construction of a main sewer to Quincy Point have taken a good deal of time and attention. Borings were made on the route that had been pro- posed for this sewer, namely, from the present main sewer · at the corner of Elm street and Bigelow street through Glencoe place to Scammell street, thence following the lowest part of the valley and the line of the ditch and brook flowing into Bent's creek to Howard street. These borings sbowed a much larger amount of rock than had been anticipated, and made it desirable to further consider the advisability of building the main sewer for Quincy Point on the other route that was considered when the system was first planned, namely, leaving the existing main sewer at Canal street near Newcomb street and running along the low lands on the north side of the district. A survey and borings were made. These were carefully studied and compared with those on the other proposed line and it appeared that the difficulties to be encountered as well as the probable cost would be less than by the other route, which, but for the amount of rock to be excavated, would be the natural line. The Commissioners were confirmed in this judgment by the opinion of Consulting Engineer, Henry H. Carter of Boston, who was employed to assist in investigating the subject.
91
For a large part of the distance this line runs through private property and as soon as the route was decided we began nego- tiations for the right of way. About twenty-five distinct owner- ships were crossed by the line as proposed and considerable time was consumed in the negotiations, In all but two cases, and these for short distances, the amount to be paid for the rights of way have been agreed upon with the owners, and in most cases releases have been executed by the owners and they have received payment in full for the easement taken.
As soon as the right of way had been secured we advertised for bids for building a section of this sewer extending from the main sewer at Canal street to the lower end of Edison street. Only three bids were received and these appearing to the Board to be too high they were all rejected. Two of the gangs em- ployed by the day having completed the work on which they were engaged were put at work on the Point main. To begin work on this sewer at Canal street would necessitate the use of a steam pumping outfit, and the one owned by the city was en- gaged in the building of the sewer in Nightingale avenue. We ascertained that by beginning farther down part of the sewer could be built without pumps and the start was accordingly made near the bath house and the sewer was built along the foot of the bank for a distance of about 1243 feet. A begin- ning was also made at the foot of River street and several hun- dred feet of sewer have been built through land of Henry M. Faxon.
Sewer pipe was ordered for a portion of this line in Sep- tember with the understanding that all pipe furnished should be shipped in season to reach Quincy not later than Nov. 15. Shipments were delayed, however, and the cars were on the way in some cases nearly six weeks, so that we were obliged to lay off part of the men for lack of pipe. The last car was de- livered late in December. As this pipe is quite expensive and is very likely to become damaged if kept on hand over winter, we decided to lay what we have on hand before stopping the work for the season. It will be all laid within a few days.
So much time was consumed in determining the location of
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the Point main and in acquiring the right of way that less has been accomplished on this work than was anticipated at that time when the last appropriation was made; at the same time in response to petitions for sewer extensions in other sections of the city, a considerable larger sum has been expended for such extensions than was planned at that time.
The expenditures for the year 1902, from the appropria- tion for construction are summarized as follows :
Pay rolls 856,296 77
Stock and tools 29,713 32
Rent, office and stock yard 265 00
Office expenses, including telephone, lighting, stationery etc., ,
191 07
Paid for land, rights of way and land and other damages 7,882 38
Expenses attendant upon the trial of the Tirrell case including verdict . 1,056 54
Paid George E. Thomas, building over Scavenger's tank .
352 00
Miscellaneous .
269 33
Total
$96,026 41
Balance of 1901 appropriation $19,363 05
1902 66 27,984 46
1902 66 60,000 00
$107,347 51
Unexpended balance
$11,321 10
On February 17, and April 18, sewer assessment notices included in Schedules 8 and 9 were sent out. These schedules comprised the sewer assessment on five hundred and fifty-three (553) parcels of land and aggregated $22,580.02.
Of these two hundred and fifty-five (255) aggregating $10,936,76 were apportioned, most of them into (10) parts at the request of the owners.
93
Record and assessment plans of the sewers built in 1902 are being made and the sewer assessment notices will be sent out in a few weeks.
The disposal of the waste taken by the City Scavenger from cesspools and vaults has, for a long time furnished the Board of Health with a difficult problem. After considerable investiga- tion it was determined to take this material into the sewerage system. The sewers would, however, become clogged if it were dumped into them without treatment, so a tank was designed into which the waste material could be dumped, disintegrated and properly diluted with water. Screens and a settling basin were provided to intercept the larger and heavier solids while the matter held in suspension is carried away and disposed of by the sewerage system. The tanks, screens and settling basin were covered with a suitable building. Two of these disposal stations have been built, one at South Quincy on land owned by the city on the extension of Penn street, and the other on a lot bought for the purpose on Quincy street, Ward 5. The South Quincy station has been completed and operated. It seems to do admirably the work for which it was designed. A little work remains to be done on the station in Ward 5.
During the year 275 connections have been made with the public sewers. The labor and stock has been entirely furnished by the city, except in a few cases where the property owners made the excavation on their own land. The total length of the connections made aggregates 13,253 feet. They have been put in at a cost of $6927.86 which has been assessed upon the owners. The average length of the connections has been 48.2 feet, the average cost $25.19 or $0.52} per foot.
Of these connections 42 cost less than 40 cents per foot.
88
cost between
40 50
and
50
cents
per
foot.
89
66
66
13
66
70
80
66
66
8
66
80
90
66
66
66
4
66
66
90
66
100
66
66
66
60 70
66
66
24
60
66
66
66
7 cost more than one dollar per foot.
94
Nearly one-half of these connections were made with sewers built during the year 1902. Many applications for sewer connections were made months before the sewers were ready for use showing that the construction of the sewers was not in ad- vance of the demand for them.
There are about 1960 houses on streets in which sewers have been built. The total number of connections made to date is 952, or over 48 per cent of the total number. A large pro- portion of the houses not connected have not plumbing that will pass the requirements of the Board of Health for connecting with the sewer, and the owners are deterred from making use of the sewer by the cost of the plumbing changes.
At the beginning of the year there was a balance of 82248.99 to the credit of the appropriation for house connec- tions. On June 3d, an additional appropriation of 86000 was made. The expenditures charged to this appropriation during the year were $7155.44 leaving an unexpended balance of $1093.54.
The claim of the heirs of C. Phillip Tirrell for damages suffered by reason of the taking of a portion of their land for sewer purposes was tried before a jury at Dedham in January when the plaintiffs secured a verdict of $876.54.
Tbe claim of John Sheehan & Company for extra work on the section of the sewer built by them is still pending in court, the case not yet having come up for trial.
During the year 1903 the main sewer for Quincy Point should be completed and several miles of lateral sewers tribu- tary thereto should be built. We are informed by the Chief Engineer of the Metropolitan Sewer that it is expected that that sewer will be in operation in about a year. That being the case, sewers should be built for portions of West Quincy dur- ing the year 1903, so as to be ready for use upon completion of the Metropolitan Sewer. We believe that some portions of West Quincy are in urgent need of sewers and believe that the city should have sewers in readiness so that they can be used as soon as the Metropolitan Sewer Commission will allow us to drain into their sewer.
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When Wards 2 and 4 are sewered as outlined above, there will be no further call for large annual appropriations for sewer construction. The main parts of the system will have been completed and comparatively small annual appropriations will provide for the building of such extensions as may, from time to time be necessary.
Respectfully submitted, FRANK E. BADGER, A. F. SCHENKELBERGER, WILLIAM T. ISAAC.
Board of Sewerage Commissioners.
97
Report of Assessors.
To His Honor, the Mayor of the City of Quincy :
The Board of Assessors herewith submit their annual report for the year 1902.
Warrants received and amount raised for current expense by the assessment of taxes in the City of Quincy for the finan- cial year commencing January 1, 1902, by the Board of Asses- sors, were as follows :
A State warrant for the proportion of the City of Quincy, of a State tax of $1,500,000. $10,155 00
A County warrant for the proportion of the City of Quincy, of a County tax of $140,417.61 .
13,584 27
By the provisions of Chapter 488 of the Acts of the year 1895, "An Act to provide for a Metropolitan water supply," we have been assessed for the year 1902 By the provision of Chapter 406 of the year 1895, "An Act to provide for a system of sewerage disposal for the Neponset River Valley," and of Chapter 424 of the Acts of the year 1899, entitled, "An Act to provide for the construction of a High Level Gravity Sewer for the relief of the Charles and Neponset River Valleys," we have been assessed
24,379 11
10,809 10
98
$6,791 89 asssessed In accordance with Chapter 407 of the Acts of the year 1893, entitled "An Act to establish a Metropolitan Park Commis- sion." Chapter 550 of the Acts of the year 1896, entitled "An Act relative to the Metropolitan Parks and Boule- vards." Chapter 464 of the Acts of the year 1899, entitled, "An Act to authorize the Metropolitan Park Com- mission to take, control and manage Nantasket Beach, adjacent land and waters, we have been for the year 1900 . .
66 1901 . 7,485 24
יי 1902 includ-
ing interest §638.18 on
unpaid assessments of
1900 and 1901
8,759 80
In accordance with Chapter 432 of the Acts of the year 1900 entitled, "An Act relative to the repairs of the State Highways," we have been assessed . Amount raised for Municipal currentexpense Debts and interest
Aggregate of amounts .
Seven thousand five hundred fifty-four polls were recorded for assessment and in- cluded in the estimate that determined the rate of taxation for the current year at $2.00 each
By the operation of the law providing for the supplementary assessment of omitted male persons liable to assessment under the provisions of Section 19. Chapter 11, R. L., there were added 123 polls, making the number of polls assessed 7,677.
$23,036 93
22 41 253,932 45 123,646 84
$459,566 11
$15,108 00
99
The amount of estimated receipts lawfully applicable to the payment of expendi- tures of the year as provided in Chap- ter 12, Section 37, R. L., were deducted 62,737 53
To which was added, as provided in Chapter 12, Section 55, R. L., for overlay, amounting to 3,805 86
Valuation
The valuation of the City May 1, 1902, as determined by the Assessors, and upon which the rate of taxation was levied, is as follows :
Value of land
$9,448,925 00
Value of buildings
9,760,900 00
$19,209,825 00
Exemptions as provided in Chapter 12, Sec- tion 5, R. L. .
$75,625 00
Total valuation of real estate subject to taxa- tion
19,134,200 00 Valuation of personal property other than bank stock separately assessed $2,839,850 00
Value of shares of National
Banks located in and
taxable in the City of
Quincy .
182,6-42 00
Total valuation of personal estate .
$3,022,492.00
Total valuation
$22,156,692 00
Tax rate
$17 40
Taxes levied .
385,921 50
100
The valuation was also increased by assess- ments under the provision of Section 85, of Chapter 12, R. L. 25,650 00. The total valuation of the City upon which taxes were assessed for the year 1902, when all assessments were made 22,182,342 00
A net gain over 1901 valuation 846,542 00.
Sewer and Sidewalk Assessments
Main sewer assessments appor-
tioned
87,105 37
Interest on same 2,263 94 .
$9,369 31
Particular sewer assessments
(apportioned and other- wise)
$1,354 57
Interest on same
.
128 34
1,482 91
Sidewalk assessments appor-
tioned £
203 18
Interest on same .
.
The total number of persons assessed in the City of Quincy for the year 1902 :
Resident property owners ·
4,119
Non-resident owners
1,782
Poll tax only
5,771
Number of horses assessed
1,329
" cows and neat cattle assessed
640
" acres of land assessed . 6,518
" dwelling houses assessed
4,725
Valuation of Property Exempt from Taxation
Literary
$91,275 00
Benevolent
725,425 00
Religious . .
·
359,775 00
City of Quincy real estate and fire apparatus 846,725 00
.
69 42
272 60.
101
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Takings for Blue Hill Reservation, Quincy Shore and Fur- nace Brook Parkway :
Takings of 1894
2,573,56 100 acres
$128,675 00
" 1900 3,462,261 sq. ft. 173,113 05
" 1901 98,730 6 4,936 50
66 " 1902 663,340 33,167 00
Metropolitan Sewer 11,175,257
69,525 00
Takings for year end-
ing Dec. 31 '02
688,080
30,000 00
The Assistant Assessors who served during the year were :
Henry P. Kittredge,
Ward 1.
Albert Keating,
יי 2.
William J. Parker, 66 3.
William H. Teasdale, 66 4.
Parker Sheldon,
66 5.
T. L. D. Gurney,
66 6.
This is the second year in which the polls and tangible personal estate, consisting of horses, cows, cattle and carriages, were assessed by the Assistant Assessors.
The polls returned were 7,554, showing a gain over 1901 of 533.
The personal return was substantially the same in value as in 1901.
We think the practical experience and acquaintance with persons and localities gained by the assistants is valuable to the City, and if their services are again retained, increased results may be looked for.
The Board, during the year, had the first instalment of Assessors' plans in the Ward 2 set, prepared in the office of the City Engineer. They have been arranged in convenient sheets, giving in detail the streets, name of owner, names of adjoining owners, indications of buildings thereon, area of each parcel, etc. In future transfers or subdivisions of any of this property, new owners names being substituted and changed areas, if made,
102
makes a continuous and accurate record plan of all property that is plotted and is an important aid to correct assessments. The benefits to be derived by the city in the installing of this feature, perfecting our new system of assessment, became so apparent to the Board in the practical work in Ward 2, we made a request to your Honor that you recommend to the Council a further appropriation to continue the work. Such action was taken and $1,000 was appropriated, which amount is being used in preparing plans of Ward 1; and this year, we believe, with their aid, Houghs Neck, a considerable puzzle heretofore, will be correctly assessed. We furthermore recommend for the ensuing year a continuance of appropriation that other sections of the City be surveyed and plotted.
During the past year there has been returned to this office by the Sewer Commissioner, 256 main sewer apportionment assessments, and 331 particular sewer assessments.
Also by the City Council, 8 apportioned sidewalk assess- ments.
With these additions the whole number of individual accounts now kept in this office are, viz. :
Main sewer assessments 1,118
Particular
427
Sidewalk 29
each one being divided into from three to ten parts, one part with the interest on the unpaid balance, being added annually to the tax bill of each person affected by these assess- ments.
In the remodelling of City Hall the Board has been pro- vided with more convenient and desirable office room than for- merly, and is especially appreciative of the vault space provided for its books and records sufficient for many years and permit- ting what has not been possible for a long time, the keeping of them at hand, as the vaults of the Public Library and the City Treasurer have been the receptacle of most of them heretofore. Whereas now we have all the valuation books from date of the incorporation of Quincy in 1792 as a town, to the present time standing on our shelves in rotation, and permitting an economy
103
in the time necessary to trace back an assessment and learn its history quickly. Furthermore, the preservation of these valu- able records is now assured,-for if once destroyed they could not be replaced,-and the City is to be congratulated that the risk is reduced to a minimum.
The Board most highly values the work of its clerical assistants, and their unfailing courtesy due to our citizens and all others having business with this office, and hopes our con- tinued relations will be equally satisfactory.
The Board wishes further to record its appreciation of the hearty cooperation and, sincere efforts of his Honor, the Mayor, in furthering its work.
JAMES THOMPSON, CHARLES H. JOHNSON, 'WILLIAM B. GLOVER,
Board of Assessors.
105
Solicitor's Report
February 1, 1903.
To His Honor the Mayor of the City of Quincy :
I herewith submit to you my report as Solicitor for the year 1902 :
The following cases were pending against the city when I took office :
Sarah E. N. Edwards trustee, vs. City of Quincy.
Annie M. Bates and W. W. Jenness vs. City of Quincy.
John Sheehan vs. City of Quincy.
Hannah T. Duffy vs. City of Quincy.
G. Rovedder vs. City of Quincy.
Charles A. Stanley vs. City of Quincy.
Albion P. White vs. City of Quincy.
Thomas J. Lamb vs. City of Quincy. Julius Johnson vs. City of Quincy.
George S. Baker vs. City of Quincy.
L. H. Joslin vs. City of Quincy.
A. N. Merrill vs. City of Quincy.
Patrick F. Downey vs. City of Quincy.
George Howard vs. City of Quincy.
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