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 1906 > Part 8
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Amount uncollected Jan. I, 1907. .
$42.50
Excise Tax of 1906. .
Amount committed for collection,
viz: Old Colony Street Railway Co. $4,238.77
Amount collected during year 1906 4,238.77 4,238.77
Sewers.
Amount collected during year 1906 on Sewer Construction 9,551.59
190
Amount collected during year 1906 of Interest
337.29
Amount collected during year 1906 on Sewer Connection 5,916.84
Amount collected during year 1906 of Interest 17.50
Permanent Sidewalk.
Amount collected during year 1906 on Perma-
nent Sidewalk 26.39
351.86
Amount collected during year 1906 of Interest Costs collected during year 1906 1,741.37
Total amount of cash collected for year 1906 $557,529.54
In conclusion I wish to call your attention to the differ- ence in the statement of uncollected taxes and the amount uncollected as shown by the commitment books. These errors, while small, are the result of faulty bookkeeping in the past and are errors which are next to impossible to cor- rect.
Respectfully submitted, HENRY G. FAY.
Assessors' Report.
Quincy, Mass., February 15, 1907.
To His Honor the Mayor of the City of Quincy:
The Board of Assessors herewith submit their annual report for the year 1906.
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, 1906, by the Board of Assessors, were as follows:
A State warrant for the proportion of the City of Quincy of a State tax of $3,500,000.00 . . A County warrant for the proportion of the City of Quincy of a County tax of $225,000.00. . By the provisions of Chapter 488 of the Acts of the year 1895, entitled "An Act to provide for a Metropolitan Water Supply," we have been assessed for the year 1906
$25,270.00
22,656.90
46,314.16
Of this amount $10,651.63 is to meet the re- quirements of the sinking fund established under said chapter; $27,362.35 is to pay in- terest, and $8,300.18 is on account of the cost of maintenance and operation for the year 1906.
By the provisions of Chapter 406 of the Acts of the year 1895, entitled "An Act to provide for a system of sewage disposal for the Ne- ponset River Valley," and of Chapter 424 of the Acts of the year 1899, entitled "An Act to provide for the construction of a High
192
Level Gravity Sewer for the relief of the Charles and Neponset River Valleys," we have been assessed
Of this amount $2,365.95 is to meet the require- ments of the sinking fund established under said chapter; $13,348.38 is to pay interest, and $8,099.66 is on account of the cost of maintenance and operation for the year 1906.
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
Of this amount $1,775.71 is to meet the require- ments of the sinking fund established under said chapter; $4,934.73 is to pay interest, and $5,437.30 is on account of the cost of maintenance and operation for the year 1906.
In pursuance of the provision of Section 16, chapter 47 of the Revised Laws, we have been assessed
In accordance with the provisions of chapter 491 of the Acts of the year 1901 entitled "An Act to direct the Metropolitan Park Com- mission to construct a bridge over the Mys-
23,813.99
12,147.74
27.48
193
tic River between the cities of Somerville and Medford," and chapter 407 of the Acts of the year 1893, entitled "An Act to estab- lish the Metropolitan Park Commission," we have been assessed
Of this amount $17.68 is to meet the require- ments of the sinking fund established under said chapter; $142.54 is to pay interest, and $50.37 is on account of the cost of main- tenance and operation for the year 1906.
Amount raised for municipal current expenses, based on the valuation of December 31,
1905, at $12 per 1,000
City sewer
301,387.33 6,000.00
City debt
79,670.00
Park debt 2,000.00
Interest city debt 19,609.88
Interest park debt 1,440.00
Interest temporary loans 14,000.00
Aggregate of amounts $554,548.07
9,239 polls, at $2.00 each, were recorded for assessment and included in the estimate that determined the rate of taxation for the cur- rent year
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 II, R. L., there were added 104 polls, making the number assessed 9,343.
The amount of estimated receipts lawfully ap- plicable to the payment of expenditures of
210.59
$18,478.00
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the year, as provided in chapter 12, section 37, R. L., were deducted 47,828.40 To which was added for overlay, as provided in chapter 12, section 55, R. L. 9,998.1I
SUMMARY OF AMOUNTS COMMITTED TO THE BOARD.
Appropriation order $333,360.14
Debts and interest 116,719.88
Water debt, maintenance and interest 78,222.50
Metropolitan water assessment 46,314.16
State tax 25,270.00
County tax
22,656.90
South Metropolitan sewer assessment
23,813.99
Metropolitan park assessment
12,147.74
State highway tax
27.48
Middlesex Ave. or Wellington bridge
210.59
$658,743.38
VALUATION.
The valuation of the city May 1, 1906, as deter- mined by the assessors, and upon which the rate of taxation was levied, is as follows: Value of land $9,840,800.00
Value of buildings 11,642,375.00
$21,483,175.00
Exemptions as provided in section 5, chapter 12, R. L. 52,975.00
Total valuation of real estate subject to taxa- tion
21,430,200.00
Valuation of personal
property
195
other than bank stock, sepa- rately assessed $5,180,125.00
Value of shares of National Banks
located in and taxable in the
city of Quincy 176,760.00
5,356,885.00
Total valuation $26.787,085.00
Tax rate 18.60
Taxes levied on property polls, personal and real estate 498,598.88
The valuation was also increased by assess- ments under the provisions of section 85, chapter 12, R. L. 29,775.00
The total valuation of the city, upon which taxes were assessed for the year 1906, when all assessments were made, was . 26,816,860.00
A net gain over 1905 valuation of 1,120,975.00
VALUATION BY WARDS. (Not including valuation of bank stock.)
Personal.
Real Estate. $6,295,050.00
$7,666,650.00
Ward 2
2,751,100.00
3,178,525.00
5,929,625.00
Ward 3
328,925.00
2,487,900.00 2,816,825.00
Ward 4
315,750.00
2,269,450.00
2,585,200.00
Ward 5
343,825.00
4,182,900.00 4,526,725.00
Ward 6
90,850.00
3,024,225.00
3,115,075.00
$5,202,050.00
$21,438,050.00
Total.
Ward I
$1,371,600.00
$26,640,100.00
SEWER ASSESSMENTS.
Main sewer, apportioned, assessments with in- terest $12,979.69
.
196
Particular sewer assessments apportioned and otherwise, with interest 3,209.77
SIDEWALK ASSESSMENTS.
Apportioned sidewalk assessments, with interest 201.42
STREET WATERING.
Street watering assessments committed by the Commissioner of Public Works, in accord- ance with City Council Order No. 89, passed April 21, 1906 3,708.39
SUPPRESSING THE GYPSY AND BROWN-TAIL MOTHS.
In accordance with chapter 381, Acts 1905, as amended by chapter 286, Acts of 1906, the commitment of the Commissioner of Public Works amounted to $174.50
SUMMARY FROM TABLE OF AGGREGATES.
Resident property owners 4,532
Non-resident property owners 2,087
Poll tax, only 7,42I
Number of horses assessed 1,265
Number of cows and neat cattle
688
Number of swine
IO
Number of dwelling houses
5,252
Number of acres of land 6,725
VALUATION OF PROPERTY EXEMPT FROM TAXATION.
Literary $189,575.00
Benevolent 671,025.00
Religious 370,925.00
City of Quincy real estate and fire apparatus .. 887,125.00
197
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
Takings of 1906, 9,368 sq. ft.
372.40
The Assistant Assessors who served during the year were:
George K. Moorehead
Ward I
Joseph A. Delory Ward 2
William Pratt Ward 3
Robert J. Hayes
Ward 4
Charles R. Sherman Ward 5
Thomas L. D. Gurney
Ward 6
The polls returned by the Assistant Assessors and those registered for the year amount to 9.343-a gain of 520 over the year 1905, made up as follows:
Precinct I.
Precinct 2.
Total.
Ward I
743
940
1,683
Ward 2
1,106
92I
2,027
Ward 3
807
888
1,695
Ward 4
70I
885
1,586
Ward 5
. .
.
1,290
Ward 6
549
513
1,062
The personal property, consisting of horses, carriages and cows assessed by the Assistant Assessors, is as follows:
198
Ward I
$71,275.00
Ward 2
35,325.00
Ward 3
37,575.00
Ward 4
49,575.00
Ward 5
36,500.00
Ward 6
17,750.00
$248,000.00
The number of dogs returned by the Assistant Assessors is as follows:
Wards
I
2
3 190
4 152
5 I30
6
Total
Male
178
164
158
972
Female
33
26
20
9
15
35
138
Kennel
. .
I
. .
2
. .
2
5
During the year there has been returned to this office by the Commissioner of Public Works 41 main sewer assess- ments, apportioned, and 300 particular sewer assessments. With these additions the total number of individual accounts now kept in this office is, viz:
Main sewer assessments 1,90I
Particular sewer assessments
314
Sidewalk assessments
25
Street sprinkling 1,489
Gypsy moth 35
Each sewer and sidewalk assessment is divided into from three to ten parts: one part with interest on the unpaid bal- ance being added annually to the tax bill of every person affected by these assessments.
The work of this office is rapidly increasing, not only due to the growth of the city, but from the fact that all new matters of assessment seem to be landed in this office-the
199
latest being the gypsy moth assessments, so that more help will be needed to keep up the work.
The office today, we believe to be a credit to the city, due in a large measure to the care given to every detail by the clerical force, and our citizens find the office a bureau of information. The changes in method due to the introduc- tion of the card system since 1900 have been accomplished only by hard, patient work by the Board and office force; but the system now established, we believe to be of great value, so that the taxes levied on real estate are better equal- ized, which is the true basis of taxation.
During the coming year a start will be made on plans for Ward 4, which will be of great service. We believe the citizens at large are beginning to understand more fully just the problems that face the assessors, so that they are not called upon so much as in the past to take the responsibility of all the burden placed upon the citizens. We realize that real estate at present has all it can carry, but the citizens must. realize that the entire burden of the tax levied rests on real estate, as the personal in our city is of small amount in the large sum to be raised to keep our great corporation in motion.
The pace of our city for the next few years must be slow, otherwise we must have a fluctuating tax rate.
CHARLES H. JOHNSON, WILLIAM B. GLOVER, J. WINTHROP PRATT, Assessors of the City of Quincy.
Report of Inspector of Milk.
Quincy, Mass., Jan. 20, 1907.
To His Honor, the Mayor of Quincy:
Dear Sir: The inspection of milk has been conducted for the greater part of the year by Dr. F. J. Peirce, who resigned in October, when the present inspector was appointed.
Dr. Peirce's analyses of carefully selected and repre- sentative samples, show the milk to be of quite uniform qual- ity, especially in the case of the larger dealers whose product is more likely to meet the scrutiny of the State Board of Health.
In no case was the milk found adulterated. The small dealer is more apt to escape the notice of the State In- spector and for this reason, as well as for the general im- provement of the milk supply of the city, I believe it highly desirable that the city should adopt a standard of quality similar to that of the State Board of Health, as well as rules and regulations to govern her milk supply.
I would recommend the following regulations which are similar to those of the Boston Board of Health.
REGULATIONS FOR THE SALE AND CARE OF MILK.
Article I.
Section I. All persons in the city of Quincy engaged in the production of milk for sale, or in the' conveyance in car- riages for the purpose of selling, delivering or distributing
201
milk, in said city, shall, annually, on the first day of May, or within thirty days thereafter, make written application to the Inspector of Milk, on forms prescribed by the Milk Inspector, for a license. All persons in the city of Quincy before sell- ing milk, or offering it for sale in a store, booth, stand or market place, shall make written application to the Inspector of Milk, on forms prescribed by the Inspector of Milk, for a license.
Sec. 2. No person in said city shall engage in the busi- ness of producing milk for sale, or in the sale or distribution of milk in the city of Quincy, without a license so to do, under these regulations; said license to be revoked if the licensee fails to comply with the conditions of his license.
Sec. 3. No milk shall be sold, offered for sale or dis- tributed in the city of Quincy which was drawn from cows within fifteen days before or five days after parturition, nor unless the cows from which it was derived, have within one year, been examined by a competent authority, and shown to be free from diseases dangerous to the public health.
Sec. 4. Every person having a license to sell, deliver or distribute milk in the city of Quincy, shall keep a copy of the same constantly posted in a conspicuous place on his prem- ises, and shall have his name, the number of his license and his place of business marked in plain, uncondensed Gothic letters, not less than one inch in height, on all vehicles used by him in the conveyance and sale of milk.
Article 2.
Section I. No milk kept for sale or distribution shall be stored in any portion of a building which is used for the stabling of horses, cows or other animals, or for the storing of manure, or in any room used in whole or in part for domestic or sleeping purposes, unless the storage room for
202
milk is separated from other parts of the building to the satisfaction of the Inspector of Milk.
Sec. 2. No person engaged in the business of produc- ing milk for sale, or in the business of storing, selling or delivering milk in said city, shall store, cool, strain or mix said milk in any room which is occupied by horses, cows or other animals. All rooms in which milk is stored, cooled, strained or mixed, shall be provided with tight walls and floor and kept constantly clean. The walls and floors of said rooms shall be of such construction as to allow easy and thorough cleansing. The room or rooms aforesaid shall con- tain proper appliances for washing or sterilizing all utensils actually employed in the storage, mixing or cooling, sale or distribution of milk, and all such apparatus and utensils shall be washed with boiling water or sterilized with steam regu- larly after being so used.
Sec. 3. No urinal, water closet or privy shall be located in the rooms called for in the preceding section, or so situ- ated as to pollute the atmosphere of said rooms.
Sec. 4. All milk produced for the purpose of sale shall be strained, cooled or stored as soon as it is drawn from the COW.
Article 3. .
Section 1. Milk kept for sale in any store, shop, res- taurant, market, bakery or other establishment, shall be stored in a covered cooler, box or refrigerator. No vessel containing milk for sale shall be allowed to stand outside said cooler, box or refrigerator, except while a sale of said milk is being made. Every such cooler, box or refrigerator shall be properly drained and cared for, and shall be tightly closed, except during such intervals as are necessary for the intro- duction or removal of milk or ice, and they shall be kept only in such locations and under such conditions as shall be approved by the Inspector of Milk.
203
Article 4.
Section 1. All cans, bottles or other vessels of any sort, used in the sale, delivery or distribution of milk shall be cleansed or sterilized before they are again used for the same purpose, and all wagons used in the conveyance of milk for sale or distribution shall be kept in a cleanly condition and free from offensive odors. No person shall use a milk vessel as a container for any other substance than milk.
Article 5.
Section I. Every person engaged in the production, storage, transportation, sale, delivery, or distribution of milk, immediately on the occurrence of any case or cases of infec- tious disease, either in himself or in his family, or amongst his employes or their immediate associates, or within the building or premises where milk is stored, sold or distributed, shall notify the Board of Health, and at the same time shall suspend the sale and distribution of milk until authorized to resume the same by the said Board of Health. No vessels which have been handled by persons suffering from such diseases shall be used to hold or convey milk until they have been thoroughly sterilized.
Article 6.
Section I. No person, by himself or by his servant or agent, or as the servant or agent of any other person, firm or corporation, shall in the city of Quincy sell, exchange, or deliver or have in his custody or possession with intent to sell, exchange, or deliver, any milk, skimmed milk, or cream. which contains more than 500,000 bacteria per cubic centi- meter, or which has a temperature higher than fifty degrees Fahrenheit.
Respectfully submitted,
WM. G. CURTIS,
Inspector of Milk.
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-sixth of the whole series since the establishment of the Library.
There have been no great changes in the policy or the work of the Library since the last report submitted to your Honor. The Library has gone on its steadfast way. The Trustees have tried to administer its affairs wisely and eco- nomically. There have been some things they would like to have done but could not, owing to necessary limitations. They hope, however, to do them in the future.
At the close of the year Miss Amelia L. Bumpus, so long connected with the Library, handed in her resignation. For thirty-five years she has stood in her place with unre- mitting fidelity. Perhaps it is better that the words of the Trustees at their last meeting should be given entire: "Voted, That the Board of Trustees of the Thomas Crane Public Library have received with great regret the resigna- tion of Miss Amelia L. Bumpus. They assure her that her faithfulness and unfailing urbanity have received the approval of the Trustees and also of the patrons of the Library. Her service has covered the unusually long period of thirty-five years, beginning with the establishment of the Library, and she is to be congratulated on her approaching relief from
205
her daily labors." Many thanks and much unvoiced grati- tude, not only from those associated with her, but also from the public whom she has served so long and well, go with her into her well-earned retirement. It has been a good life and a faithful one.
Miss Alice G. White, who has shared with Miss Bumpus the responsibilities of Library management, will assume the entire charge of the Library on Feb. 1, 1907.
The Library building having become inadequate to the needs of its service, Mr. Albert Crane, with unfailing gener- osity toward the city, has already matured plans for an addi- tion to his first gift. the present beautiful structure. It will consist of a wing toward the north, thoroughly equipped with the latest modern conveniences, the upper portion to be used as a stack room, and the lower for a children's reading room and stack room. The plan now is for the books to be entirely removed from their present alcoves and the entire space to be devoted to a reading room. This if carried out will be a valuable improvement to the Library, bringing it as nearly as possible up to date.
During the past year the Trustees have sold the old house on Washington Street near Coddington Street, built for Gideon F. Thayer years ago, in which Mrs. Esther Hay- den for a long time kept the only drug-store in Quincy. The building has been torn down, and the land on which it stood, also the valuable gift of Mr. Crane to the city, will be incor- porated with the Library grounds.
The exhibit of views from the Library Art Club during the year has included the following: Ireland, Alaska, The Alhambra, Scotland, Paris, The Yellowstone, India, Famous Pictures, Views along the B. & M. R. R., Photographs of Lancaster and Milton, etc.
206
The statistics connected with the Library are given below.
All of which is respectfully submitted,
E. C. BUTLER, GEORGE W. MORTON, HARRISON A. KEITH, HARRY L. RICE, HENRY MCGRATH, CHARLES R. SAFFORD.
During the year 1906 the Library was opened 305 days, and the number of books loaned was as follows:
Home Use. Schools.
Total.
Fiction
31,614
I19
31,733
4I.T
Juvenile fiction
14,170
234
14,404
18.5
Arts and sciences
9,486
90
9,576
12.4
Periodicals
8.753
· ·
8,753
II.3
General literature
3,623
3IC
3,933
5.0
History
2,198
4I
2,239
2.0
Biography
2,100
180
2,280
2.9
Travels
1,779
3I
1,810
2.3
Poetry
I,II6
123
1,239
1.6
Religion
727
. .
727
.9
Education
476
. .
476
.6
76,042
1,128
77,170
Miscellaneous (Library use)
5,054
82,224
Names registered, 9,830. Names registered during the year, 883. Books purchased, 488; books loaned from the
207
Tabard Inn Library, 140; Booklovers' Library, 135; books replaced, 328; books rebound, 799; gifts, 159; pamphlets, 175. Largest number of books issued in any one day, 601, on February 10. Smallest number, 93, on August 17.
TREASURER'S STATEMENT.
1906.
Thomas Crane Endowment Fund.
Balance on hand Dec. 31, 1905 . ... $23,044.I I
Interest on Mass. 31/2 per cent. Gold Bonds 630.00
Interest on deposits in Quincy Sav- ings Bank 130.65
Paid Dwight T. Curtis, gas fixtures and labor 71.72
Balance on hand Mass. State Bonds 31/2 per cent, Reg. and in Quincy Savings Bank ...
Balance on hand Dec. 31. 1906 23,733.04
$23,804.76 $23,804.76
Cotton Center Johnson Fund.
Balance on hand Dec. 31, 1905 ... $66.55
Interest on $2,000 Chicago Junct.
Railway Gold Bonds . . .
100.00
Interest on deposits in Quincy Sav- ings Bank 3.46
Paid for books 89.45
Balance on hand Dec. 31, 1906
80.56
$170.01 $170.01
208
Catalogue Fund.
Balance on hand Dec. 31, 1905 . .. $1,712.89
Interest on $500 Govt. Gold Bond 20.00
Interest on Deposits Quincy Sav- ings Bank 60.48
Received from catalogues and fines
93.15
Paid George W. Prescott
60.00
Paid C. Cochrane 52.32
Balance on hand Dec. 31, 1906
1,774.20
$1,886.52
$1,886.52
Enlargement of Library Grounds-Gift of Albert Crane.
Balance on hand Dec. 31, 1905 . . . $185.II
Received from rent of building ... 205.00
Received return premium on In- surance Policy 4.80
Received for old furnace, range and bath tub, sold at auc- tion 33.50
Received for building and under- pinning 181.50
Paid water bill $20, ins. $30, adver- tising sale of building $9.75, commission on sale $IO 69.75
Paid for carpenter's labor, repair- ing fence, setting glass, nails and spikes $6.15, commission on sale of fur- nace, etc., $3.50 9.65
209
Balance on hand Dec. 31, 1906
530.51.
$609.91 $609.91
Respectfully submitted,
GEORGE W. MORTON,
Treasurer.
Sealer of Weights and Measures.
Quincy, Mass., Dec. 31, 1906.
To His Honor, the Mayor of the City of Quincy:
I hereby submit my report for the year ending Dec. 31, 1906:
Scales examined 557
Scales condemned 5
Milk jars examined 3,744
Milk jars found large
4
Milk jars found small
6
Weights examined 1,643
Weights found heavy
27
Weights found light 20
Weights condemned 0
Dry measures examined 298
Dry measures found large O
Dry measures found small
C
Dry measures condemned 0
Wet measures examined 192
Wet measures found large
0
Wet measures found small
0
Wet measures condemned
O
Total 6,496
Total for testing $177.98
Cash paid City Treasurer 177.98
Amount expended was as follows:
Feb. 19, To Boston Nickel Plating Co. $10.00
.
211
Apr. II, To W. & L. E. Gurley
13.30
Apr. 23, To G. W. Prescott & Son
1.00
May 9, To Miller's Express . 1.00
May 23, To Malden Specialty Co.
1.50
May 23, To F. F. Green & Co.
5.75
Oct. I, To F. F. Green & Co.
2.25
Dec. 19, To E. F. Hayden
89.55
Dec. 27, To Nathan Ames & Co.
.65
Total
$125.00
Yours respectfully,
EDGAR F. HAYDEN, Sealer of Weights and Measures.
Report of Overseer of the Poor.
-
To His Honor the Mayor of the City of Quincy:
In presenting the annual report of this department for the year just ended, I would call to your attention the fact that the annual appropriation is not large enough to meet the necessary requirements of the department. This is a condition which has existed since 1894 and every Overseer has been confronted with a deficit. To those who know the facts this has been expected and the City Council has very willingly provided sufficient funds to meet the unpaid bills, but to the average citizen and taxpayer the matter assumes quite another phase. They look upon the situation in an en- tirely different light. They believe, and rightly too, that every department should live within the amount which the Mayor says is sufficient and which the City Council has ap- propriated. They censure the official and cast reflections if he is reappointed. No man with any sense of ambition or pride enjoys being continually placed in such a position. It is discouraging.
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