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 1905 > Part 9
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Amount collected during year 1905 . .
234.63
234.63
Amount uncollected January 1, 1906. . $2,752.31
Amount collected of interest 92.73
191
Tax of 1901.
Amount uncollected January 1, 1905. . $5,849.77
Amount abated during year 1905 1,479.23
Balance
$4,370.54
Amount collected during year 1905 . . 916.17 916.17
Amount uncollected January 1, 1906. . $3,454.37
Amount collected of interest 105.32
Street Sprinkling of 1901.
Amount uncollected January 1, 1905. . $59.28
Amount abated during year 1905 3.61
Balance
$55.67
Amount collected during year 1905. .
8.85
8.85
Amount uncollected January 1, 1906. . $46.82
Tax of 1902.
Amount uncollected January 1, 1905. . $5,500.06
Amount abated during year 1905 . .
942.69
Balance
$4,557.37
Amount collected during year 1995 2,539.24
2,539.24
Amount uncollected January 1, 1906. . $2,018.13
Amount collected of interest 384.94
Street Sprinkling of 1902.
Amount uncollected January 1, 1905. . $64.59
Amount abated during year 1905 . . 6.71
Balance
$57.88
Amount collected during year 1905. . 31.82
31.82
Amount uncollected January 1, 1906. . $26.06
162
Tax of 1903.
Amount uncollected January 1, 1905 .. €32,139.34 Amount abated during year 1905 1,670.87
Balance
$30,468.47
Amount collected during year 1905. . 26,835.09 26,835.09
Amount uncollected January 1, 1906. .
3,633.38
Amount collected of interest
2,481.50
Street Sprinkling of 1903.
Amount uncollected January 1, 1905. . $366.55
Amount collected during year 1905 ..
311.25
311.25
Amount uncollected January 1, 1906. .
$55.30
Tax of 1904.
Amount uncollected January 1, 1905. . $181,702.35
Amount abated during year 1905 1,678.10
Balance $180,024.25 Amount collected during year 1905 .. 149,001.09 149,001.09
Amount uncollected January 1, 1906. . $31,023.16 Amount collected of interest 4,652.5S
Street Sprinkling of 1904.
Amount uncollected January 1, 1905. . $1,675.49
Amount collected during year 1905 .. 1,354.69 1,354.69
Amount uncollected January 1, 1906. .
$320.80
Tax of 1905.
Total amount committed for collec-
tion $491,218.52
Amount abated during year 1905
10,680.11
Balance $480,538.41 Amount collected during year 1905 .. 300,440.73 300,440.73
Amount uncollected January 1, 1906. . $180,097.68 Amount collected of interest 203.60
193
Street Sprinkling of 1905.
Total amount committed for collec-
tion $3,713.62 Amount collected during year 1905 . . 2,045.32 2,045.32
Amount uncollected January 1, 1906. . $1,668.30 Main Sewer Apportionments of 1905.
Total amount committed for collec- tion $13,827.30
Amount collected during year 1905
. .
6,054.45
6,054.45
Amount uncollected January 1, 1906. .
$7,772.85
Amount collected of interest 7.96
Particular Sewer Apportionments of 1905.
Total amount committed for collec-
tion
$2,291.18
Amount collected during year 1905 ..
714.73
714.73
Amount uncollected January 1, 1906. . $1,576.45 Amount collected of interest 1.21
Sidewalk Apportionments of 1905.
Total amount committed for collec-
tion
$220.25
Amount collected during year 1905 . . 70.30 70.30
Amount uncollected January 1, 1906. .
$149.95
Excise Tax of 1905.
Amount committed for collection, viz. : Old Colony Street Railway Com- pany $3,292.97
Amount collected during year 1905 .. 3,292.97 3,292.97
194
Sewers.
Amount collected during year 1905 on
Sewer Construction . 25,246.38
Amount collected during year 1905 of Interest 1,094.95
Amount collected during year 1905 on Sewer Connection 5,969.74
Amount collected during year 1905 of Interest 121.57
Permanent Sidewalk.
Amount collected during year 1905 on
Permanent Sidewalk 618.72
Amount collected during year 1905 of Interest 36.30
Costs.
Costs collected during year 1905
1,975.85
Total amount of cash collected for
year 1905
$537,360.17
Respectfully,
JAMES H. CUNNINGHAM, Collector of Taxes.
195
Assessors' TReport.
To His Honor, the Mayor, of the City of Quincy:
The Board of Assessors herewith submit their annual report for the year 1905.
Warrants received and amount raised for current ex- penses by the assessment of taxes in the city of Quincy, for the financial year commencing January 1, 1905, by the Board of Assessors, were as follows:
A State warrant for the proportion of the City of Quincy of a State tax of $4,000,000.00 $28,880.00 A County warrant for the proportion of the City of Quincy of a County tax of $231,000.00 23,261.09
By the provisions of Chapter 488 of the Acts of the year 1895, entitled "An act to pro- vide for a Metropolitan Water Supply," we have been assessed for the year 1905 Of this amount, $8,450.84 is to meet the requirements of the sinking fund established under said chapter; $21,974.10 is to pay inter- est, and $5,407.56 is on account of the cost of maintenance and operation for the year 1905. By the provisions of Chapter 406 of the Acts of the year 1895, entitled "An Act to pro- vide for a system of sewage disposal for the Neponset River Valley," and of Chapter 424 of the Acts of the year 1899, entitled "An Act to provide for the con- struction of a High Level Gravity Sewer for the relief of the Charles and Neponset River Valleys," we have been assessed ..
35,832.50
28,960.81
196
Of this amount, $2,318.46 is to meet the requirements of the sinking fund established under said chapter; $12,661.08 is to pay inter- est, and $13,981.27 is on account of the cost of maintenance and operation for the year 1905. In accordance with the provisions of Chapter 407 of the Acts of the year 1893, entitled "An Act to establish a Metropolitan Park Commission," Chapter 550 of the Acts of the year 1896, entitled "An Act relative to the Metropolitan Parks and Boulevards," and Chapter 464 of the Acts of the year 1899, entitled "An Act to authorize the Metropolitan Park Commission to take, control and manage Nantasket Beach and adjacent lands and waters," we have been assessed
9,448 59
Of this amount, $1,822.46 is to meet the requirements of the sinking fund established under said chapter ; $4,358.10 is to pay interest. and $3,268.03 is on account of the cost of maintenance and operation for the year 1905. In pursuance of the provisions of Section 16. Chapter 47, of the Revised Laws, we have been assessed 5.04
Amount raised for municipal current expenses, based on the valuation of December 31,
1904, at $12.00 per $1,000.00
$284,976.94
City debt
77.942.00
Park debt
2,000.00
Interest, city debt
14,307.92
Interest, park debt
1,520.00
Interest, temporary loans
12.000.00
Aggregate of amounts
$519,134.89
197
8,768 polls, at $2.00 each, were recorded for assessment and included in the estimate that determined the rate of taxation for the current year
17,536.00
By the operation of the law providing for the supplementary assessment of omitted male persons liable to assessment under the pro- visions of Section 19, Chapter 11, R. L., there were added 55 polls, making the number as- sessed 8,823.
The amount of estimated receipts lawfully ap- plicable to the payment of expenditures of the year, as provided in Chapter 12, Sec- tion 37, R. L., were deducted $44,068.38
To which was added for overlay, as provided in Chapter 12, Section 55, R. L. . 10,509.55
SUMMARY OF AMOUNTS COMMITTED TO THE BOARD.
Appropriation order
$314,114.00
Debts and interest 107,769.92
Water maintenance and interest
75,795.00
Metropolitan water assessment 35,832.50
State tax 28,880.00
County tax
23,261.09
Metropolitan sewer assessment
28,960.81
Metropolitan park assessment
9,448.59
State highway tax 5.04
$624,066.95
VALUATION.
The valuation of the city May 1, 1905, as determined by the Assessors, and upon which the rate of taxation was levied, is as follows: Value of land
$9,756,475.00
Value of buildings
11,139,575.00
$20,896,050.00
198
Exemptions as provided in Section 5, Chapter 12, R. L. $54,825.00 Total valuation of real estate subject to taxa- tion 20,841,225.00
Valuation of personal property
other than bank stock sep-
arately assessed
$4,554,975.00
Value of shares of National Banks located in and taxable in the
city of Quincy
179,760.00
4,734,735.00
Total valuation $25,575,960.00
Tax rate 18.30
Taxes levied on property polls, personal and real estate 468,387.47
The valuation was also increased by assess- ments under the provisions of Section 85, Chapter 12, R. L. 119,925.00
The total valuation of the city, upon which taxes were assessed for the year 1905, when all assessments were made 25,695,885.00
A net gain over 1904 valuation 1,656,515.00
VALUATION BY' WARDS.
Real Estate.
Personal. Total.
Ward 1 $6,125,425.00
$7,392,800.00
Ward 2 3,051,125.00
$1,267,375.00 2.248,875.00 5,300,000.00
Ward 3
2,438,125.00
308,675.00 2,746,800.00
Ward 4
2,294,675.00
313,125.00
2,607,800.00
Ward 5
3,976,425.00
341,950.00 4,318,375.00
Ward 6
3,010,275.00
74,975.00
3,085,250.00
$20,896,050.00 $4,554,975.00 $25,451,025.00
SEWER ASSESSMENTS.
Main sewer, apportioned, assessments, with inter-
est
$13.827.30
Particular sewer assessments, apportioned and
otherwise, with interest 2,291.18
199
SIDEWALK ASSESSMENTS.
Sidewalk assessments, apportioned, with interest .. 220.25
SUMMARY FROM TABLE OF AGGREGATES.
Resident property owners 4,391
Non-resident property owners 2,034
Poll tax, only 6,915
Number of horses assessed
1,273
Number of cows and neat cattle
667
Number of swine
14
Number of dwelling houses
.5.168
Number of acres of land
.6,745.52
VALUATION OF PROPERTY EXEMPT FROM
TAXATION.
Literary $189,925.00
Benevolent 660,950.00
Religious 374,200.00
City of Quincy real estate and fire apparatus
878,925.00
BY COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.
Takings for Blue Hill Reservation, Quincy Shore and Furnace Brook Parkway.
Takings of 1894, 2,573.56 acres $128,675.00
Takings of 1900, 3,462,261 sq. ft. 173,113.05
Takings of 1901, 98,730 sq. ft. 4,936.50
Takings of 1902, 1,351,420 sq. ft. 63,167.00
Takings of 1903, 50,180 sq. ft. 1,700.00
Takings of 1905, 13,405 sq. ft.
1,500.00
The Assistant Assessors who served during the year were:
Joseph E. Bean
Ward 1
Henry C. Rodgers Ward 2
200
George Bowman Ward 3 Robert J. Hayes Ward 4
Charles R. Sherman Ward 5
T. L. D. Gurney
Ward 6
The polls returned by the Assistant Assessors, and those registered for the year, were 8,823 (a gain of 404 over the year 1904), made up as follows:
Precinct 1. 724
Precinct 2.
Total.
Ward 1
895
1,619
Ward 2
855
785
1,640
Ward 3
781
919
1,700
Ward 4
715
909
1,624
Ward 5
1.234
Ward 6
539
467
1,006
The personal property, consisting of horses, carriages and cows, assessed by the Assistant Assessors, is as follows:
Ward 1
$76,175.00
Ward 2
34,200.00
Ward 3
37,775.00
Ward 4
53,250.00
Ward 5
35,775.00
Ward 6
17,525.00
$254,700.00
The number of dogs returned by the Assistant Assessors is as follows:
Wards
1
2
3
4
5 142
6 Total
Male,
183
136
186
159
153-959
Female,
37
25
10
16
16
24-128
2 kennels
During the year there has been returned to this office by the Commissioner of Public Works 389 main sewer as- sessments, apportioned, and 300 particular sewer assess- ments. With these additions, the total number of individual accounts now kept in this office is, viz:
201
Main sewer assessments 1,931 Particular sewer assessments 255 Sidewalk assessments 27
Each one being divided into from three to ten parts; one part, with interest on the unpaid balance, being added, annu- ally, to the tax bill of every person affected by these assess- ments.
The Board fully appreciate the value of the recent sur- veys of the city. During the year the Board has had the fifth instalment of assessors' plans, covering ward six, pre- pared in the office of the city engineer. This gives the Board plans for five wards, namely, one, two, three, five and six; and, with the appropriation of $1,000 now before the City Council, it is hoped to complete ward four.
A radical change in the method of transacting the busi- ness of this office took place in the year 1900, with the intro- duction of the card index system. At the present time, every detail of change of property is carefully noted, and easy of reference. These conditions reflect credit upon the clerk and assistants, and we feel justly proud of the system.
With the large amount of sewer detail coming into the office it will be necessary to increase our clerical force if we are to continue our present satisfactory work. Many of our citizens find the office a great convenience with the plans and detail ready at hand, and the Board feels that it should have the proper amount of money to keep up the work.
CHARLES H. JOHNSON, WILLIAM B. GLOVER, JULIUS JOHNSON.
202
Report of Inspector of Milk
To His Honor, the Mayor of the City of Quincy:
The Inspector of Milk respectfully submits the following report :
During the year 1905-06 there have been no complaints or convictions for the selling of sub-standard milk. The State Inspector has reported no cases for investigation nor found any suspicious cases.
The advantages of a central location with regular office hours are apparent. More dealers have been seen personally and a large amount of useful information has come from these interviews. The amount collected for license fees is $23.50, which is slightly in excess of the collection of other years.
With the idea of increasing the revenue of this depart- ment, a list of all owners of cows throughout the city was made and the number owned by such.
This list was compared with the license books and it was found that nearly all were licensed who used wagons. The city ordinance requires that those carrying milk in a wagon should be licensed each year, but those dealing in milk from a store or house, or even delivering from a basket or hand barrow need pay but one fee, that of 50 cents for their license or more properly registration.
During the year 1906-07 a laboratory for the examina- tion of milk will be maintained at City Hall and all samples sent will be examined by the Inspector free of charge and a certificate given if desired.
Respectfully submitted,
FREDERIC J. PEIRCE, M. D.,
Inspector of Milk.
203
Thomas Crane Public Library.
To His Honor the Mayor of the City of Quincy:
The Trustees of the Thomas Crane Public Library sub- mit herewith their annual report, it being the thirty-fifth of the whole series since the establishment of the Library.
The Trustees of the Library have nothing especially new to submit. Nothing has happened to intermit the work of the Library which has gone steadily and quietly on. Changes in such an institution must naturally be of slow growth. That is the way they should be. Its policy is the development of years. There has been an increase in the cir- culation of something more than two thousand. Fiction has fallen off one per cent .; Juvenile fiction remained the same. Arts and Sciences has increased; General literature shows a slight falling off. So also do History and Religion. Educa- tional books have increased three-tenths of a per cent. The reading of religious books as well as works on education is never more than a fraction of a per cent., a very small frac- tion, it may be remarked.
During the past year the Trustees have been solicited to add to the Library standard books on naval topics as well as the conventional English and American reviews on that sub- ject. But the result has not been entirely encouraging. Now and then some one will ask for a work on naval engi- neering, but the inquiry is not frequent. It should be said that most of the books on the subject are extremely expen- sive and their purchase by the Library is somewhat of an ex- periment. The policy of the institution from the beginning has been against the supplying of special and valuable books. The Trustees desire the establishment of a general library,
204
not one for the use of occasional scholars. They are con- firmed in this policy by the result of experience. It is better to put the funds of the Library into books that are called for and widely read than into those that remain unread on the shelves save by the very few who can, if they desire such technical works, obtain them in the libraries of the near city.
It is, however, to be regretted that the higher orders of fiction show no greater increase, and that the bulk of reading in that direction appears to be devoted to the most ephem- eral kind. The percentage of General literature is lament- ably small, so also History, Biography, Travels. Some of the best minds of the day are engaged in these directions and the number of the most deeply interesting works is legion. It is difficult to understand their neglect. One can easily comprehend the small amount of religious reading, because the Library does not undertake to supply books of that kind. It would be impossible for reasons that can easily be seen. But education is advancing with such rapid strides that it has become essential for teachers to be specialists in their profession. Yet the demand for books of that kind during the past year has been six-tenths of one per cent. The call for really sound reading is insignificantly small. As to the circulation of books in the schools, by far the larger proportion of books taken for children by teachers has been juvenile fiction, showing a very large increase over the year before, almost double. This is no doubt owing to the fact that the Library has been largely patronized by teachers of the lower grades. Of course the general circulation is very largely youthful fiction, some of it extremely youthful. The Library authorities endeavor to guide their selection as best they can; they are guarded in their purchases. Now and then a foolish book will slip in, but it is thrown out as soon as they are made aware of the facts. On the whole, the Library will bear comparison with any other of its class.
The deed of the gift of Mr. Crane of the land mentioned in the report of last year has been passed over to the Library.
The exhibit of views from the Library Art Club during the year has included those of Florence, Nuremberg,
205
Venice, Germany, China, the Passion Play, etc. The statis- tics in connection with the Library are given below.
All of which is respectfully submitted. E. C. BUTLER, HARRISON A. KEITH, GEORGE W. MORTON, HENRY MCGRATH, HARRY L. RICE, CHARLES R. SAFFORD,
Trustees.
THOMAS CRANE PUBLIC LIBRARY.
During the year 1905 the Library was opened 304 days, and the number of books loaned was as follows:
Home Use.
Schools.
Fiction,
31,372
252
Total. 31,624
40.1
Juvenile fiction,
15,545
410
15,955
20.2
Arts and Sciences,
9,714
68
9,782
12.4
Periodicals,
8,844
8,844
11.2
General literature,
4,555
37
4,592
5.8
History,
2,332
129
2,461
3.1
Biography,
1,749
91
1,840
2.3
Travels,
1,552
66
1,618
2.
Poetry,
905
96
1,001
1.2
Religion,
599
599
.7
Education,
529
529
.6
77,696
1,149
78,845
Miscellaneous. (Library use )
6,213
Total circulation,
85,058
Names registered, 8,947. Names registered during the year, 1,057. Books purchased, 528; books loaned from the Bodley Club Library, 298; books replaced, 231; books re- bound, 779; gifts, 117; pamphlets, 229. Largest number of books issued in any one day, 504, on November 25. Small- est number, 63, on January 25.
206
TREASURER'S STATEMENT
THOMAS CRANE ENDOWMENT FUND.
Balance on hand Dec. 31, 1904 $22,470.46 Interest received on Mass. gold bonds,
3 1/2 per cent. reg., to July 1, 1905 630.00
Interest on deposits in Quincy Savings Bank 121.07
Paid Edson & Co. $82.80
Paid Suffolk Co. 75.00
Paid C. H. Buck & Co. 10.00
Paid Friend Crane 9.62
Balance on hand invested in Mass. gold bonds, 3 1/2 per cent. reg., and in
Quincy Savings Bank, Dec. 31, 1905
$23,044.11
$23,221.53 $23,221.53
COTTON CENTER JOHNSON FUND.
Balance on hand Dec. 31, 1904 $224.77
Interest on $2,000 gold bond Chicago Junction Railway 50.00
Interest on deposits in Quincy Savings Bank 6.83
Paid for books $215.05
Balance on hand Dec. 31, 1905
66.55
$281.60
$281.60
CATALOGUE FUND.
Balance on hand Dec. 31, 1904 . $1,579.05
Interest on $500 U. S. government bond at 4 per cent. . 15.00
Interest on deposits in Quincy Savings Bank 63.22
115.62
Fines and catalogues
Paid F. F. Green, printing
$60.00
Balance on hand Dec. 31, 1905
1,712.89
$1,772.89
$1,772.89
207
ENLARGEMENT OF LIBRARY GROUNDS.
Gift of Albert Crane.
Balance on hand Dec. 31, 1904
$0.63
11 months' rent
275.00
Stone posts
6.00
Insurance
$30.00
Tree
3.50
Repairing lawn mower
1.20
Water tax
20.00
Tulips
2.50
Work in Library
3.00
Carrying water into lawn
36.32
Balance on hand Dec. 31, 1905
185.11
$281.63
$281.63
Respectfully submitted.
GEORGE W. MORTON,
Treasurer.
208
Sealer of Weights and Measures
To His Honor the Mayor of the City of Quincy:
I hereby submit my report for the year ending Dec. 31, 1905.
Scales examined 353
Milk jars examined 544
Milk jars found large
1
Milk jars found small 2
Weights examined 1,070
Weights found (large) heavy 3
Weights found light 23
Weights condemned 4
Dry measures examined 214
Dry measures found large 0
Dry measures found small
2
Dry measures condemned
2
Wet measures examined 235
Wet measures found large 0
Wet measures found small 0
0
Wet measures condemned
Scales condemned 3
Total 2,456
Total for testing
$122.70
Cash paid City Treasurer 122.70
Amount expended was as follows:
1905.
May 24, Allen Bros. $9.00
May 24, M. I. Gatcomb 35.00
Aug. 9, F. F. Green 8.25
10.20
Sept. 12, Geo. W. Prescott & Son
Dec. 23. M. I. Gatcomb, for rent, sundries and horse
hire 112.55
Total $175.00
Yours respectfully, MAURICE I. GATCOMB, Sealer of Weights and Measures.
·
209
Report of Overseer of the Door.
To His Honor the Mayor of the City of Quincy:
In presenting the annual report of this department par- ticular attention should be given to the fact that while the City of Quincy has grown in population to nearly 30,000, an increase of over 100 per cent. since its incorporation, the an- nual appropriation for the support of the poor and needy has been but slightly increased. As a consequence each year there is a deficit. Such a condition is neither pleasing nor encouraging to an official. Everybody will concede that as the city grows so will the number of poor increase. The es- timate furnished by this department for the annual budget of 1905 was $10,500 and the expense has been $10,500.93. This certainly shows that the estimate was a conservative one.
Unlike any other department the Overseer of the Poor has practically no control over the actual amount to be ex- pended. The expense for families aided within the city and those supported in the Almshouse are always known, but among the families aided are those who have settlements in other places. The cost for them is taken from the appropria- tion and when the city is reimbursed the money goes into the treasury as a receipt. Last year there was received about $1.000 for these cases.
In addition to this drain upon the amount allotted comes the expense caused by the commitment of adults and children to state hospitals and institutions by the courts. In these cases the Overseer is helpless to offer any protest, as the commitment is made upon the recommendation of others under the provisions of the Revised Laws. The Overseer is only summoned in these cases so that he may secure informa- tion to determine the proper settlement and subsequent lia- bility for the payment of the expense incurred.
All persons living in other places within the State and re- ceiving aid and whose legal settlement is in Quincy, are sup- ported by those places and later the expense must be paid by this city under the provisions of the Revised Laws. It is im-
210
possible to accurately estimate what amount will be neces- sary to meet these obligations, but having found out that the average expense of the department for the past few years has been nearly $11,000, it is absolutely unreasonable to presume that the department can be supported with an appropriation of $9,000. The city may be limited with its finances, but be- before it undertakes new schemes, which create additional expense without added service, it should provide money enough to support its poor department without obliging it to exceed the amount appropriated. Here is one fact that should not be lost sight of, that the Poor Department cannot stop- its work when the appropriation is exhausted. Even though the office should be closed, when only money enough re- mained to support the Almshouse, the work would be con- tinued by the state and the city would later have to reimburse the state under the provisions of the Revised Laws. Perhaps under these conditions the state might be more liberal in dis- pensing aid than would this department.
ALMSHOUSE.
This institution is one of the best located in the state. It is upon high ground and from all sides comes pure, fresh air, which no doubt accounts for the excellent health of the in- mates. The grounds are adapted to making the Home look attractive and early as well as late during the past year the various flower beds were in full bloom and the walks and ap- proaches were kept trimmed and neat. The outside appear- ance certainly pleased those who passed by the Home, but the inside was seldom inspected, either from lack of interest or because our citizens were not aware that they are privi- leged to enter.
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