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 1907 > Part 7
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Amount collected during year 1907 of interest 21.93
19I
Permanent Sidewalks.
Amount collected during year 1907 on
Permanent Sidewalks
$1,765.00
Amount collected of interest
125.67
Costs collected during year 1907 ..
$1,738.95
Total amount of cash collected, year
1907
545,551.65
From the foregoing it will be noted that the books are open to 1894. Every effort has been made during the last three years to collect all accounts that appear to be due. The books from 1894 to 1902 may be closed, with the exception of the City of Boston account, and suit should be entered to determine whether this assessment is valid and collectible. This assessment was first levied in 1890, and the real estate assessments remain unsettled to date; the City of Boston claiming that its holdings at Squantum, so called, are exempt from taxation.
A careful examination reveals the fact that there are various errors in the Collector's books, this being particu- larly true in the case of the older record books. A revision by the Assessors and Auditor should be made, to determine the amount actually owed the city and charged to the Col- lector for collection.
Yours very respectfully,
JAMES H. CUNNINGHAM,
Collector of Taxes.
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Assessors' Report
Quincy, Mass., January, 1908.
To His Honor the Mayor of the City of Quincy :
The Board of Assessors herewith submit their annual report for the year 1907.
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 I, 1907, were as. follows :
A State warrant for the proportion of the city of Quincy of a State tax of $4,000,000.00 $31,320.00
A County warrant for the proportion of the City of Quincy of a County tax of $170,000.00 18,286.85
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 as- sessed for the year 1907
Of this amount $11,933.59 is to meet the requirements of the sinking fund established under said chap- ter, $29,211,10 is to pay interest, and $8,882.45 is on account of the cost of maintenance and operation for the year 1907.
50,027.14
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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 Neponset River Valley," and of Chapter 424 of the Acts of the year 1899, enti- titled "An Act to provide for the construction of a High Level Grav- ity Sewer for the relief of the Charles and Neponset River Val- leys," we have been assessed .... $29,239.00 Of this amount $2,443.69 is to meet the requirements of the sinking fund established under said chapter ; $18,643.75 is to pay interest. and $8,151.56 is on account of the cost of maintenance and operation for the year 1907.
In accordance with the provisions of Chapter 407 of the Acts of the year 1893, entitled "An Act to es- tablish a Metropolitan Park Com- mission," 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 Nantas- ket Beach and adjacent lands and waters," we have been assessed .. $12,910.28 Of this amount, $1,939.54 is to meet the requirements of the sinking fund established under said Chapter, $6,-
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507.63 is to pay interest, and $4,- 463.II is on account of the cost of maintenance and operation for the year 1907.
In pursuance of the provision of Sec- tion 16, Chapter 47 of the Revised Laws (State Highway Tax), we have been assessed $114.65
Amount raised for municipal current expenies, based on the valuation of December 31, 1906, at $12 per $1,000.00
314,759.16
City sewer
32,904.48
City debt 77,060.00
Park debt
2,000.00
Interest city debt
19,568.82
Interest park debt
1,360.00
Interest temporary loans
1 5,000.00
Aggregate of amounts $604,550.38
9,159 polls, at $2.00 each, were record- ed for assessment and included in the estimate that determined the rate of taxation for the current 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 1892polls, making the number assessed 9,341,-including 62 which are exempt under the
$18,318.00
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provisions of Chapter 416, Acts 1906.
The amount of estimated receipts law- fully applicable to the payment of expenditures of the year, as pro- vided in Chapter 12, Section 37, R.L., were deducted $59,879.95
To which were added for overlay, as provided in Chapter 12, Section 55, R.L. 8,923.50
SUMMARY OF AMOUNTS COMMITTED TO THE BOARD OF ASSESSORS.
Appropriation order $341,910.00
Debts and interest 114,988.82
Water debt, maintenance and interest 77,779.00
Sewer debt, maintenance and interest . 39,524.50
Metropolitan water assessment
50,027.14
State tax
31,320.00
County tax
18,286.85
South Metropolitan sewer assessment 29,239.00
Metropolitan park assessment 12,910.28
114.65
State highway tax
$716,100.24
VALUATION.
The valuation of the city May 1, 1907, as determined by the assessors, and upon which the rate of taxation was levied is as follows:
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Value of land
Value of buildings
$10,021,325.00 12,145,475.00
$22,166,800.00
Exemptions as provided in clauses 9 and II, Section 5, Chapter 12, R. L., also Chapter 416, Acts 1906 .. 89,000.00
Total valuation of real estate subject to taxation $22,077,800.00
Valuation of personal property other than bank stock separately as- sessed $4,895,225.00
Value of shares of National Banks lo- cated in and taxable in the City of Quincy 197,530.00
5,092,755.00
Total valuation
$27,170.555.00
Tax rate
19.70
Taxes levied on property polls, person- al, and real estate The valuation was also increased by as- sessments under provisions of Sec- tion 85, Chapter 12, R.L. 17,200.00
535,051.19
The total valuation of the city upon which taxes were assessed for the year 1907, when all assessments were made, was A net gain over 1906 valuation of
27,187,755.00 370,895.00
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VALUATION BY WARDS. (Not including valuation of bank stock.)
Personal
Real Estate.
Total.
Ward I
$1,489,400.00
$6,532.375.00
5,503,400.00
Ward 2
2,259,700.00
3,243,700.00
2,884,100.00
Ward 3
332,025.00
Ward 4
334,950.00
2,337,225.00
2,672,175.00
Ward 5
388,125.00
4,331,900.00
4,720,025.00
Ward 6
103,350.00
3,085,400.00
3,188,750.00
$4,907,550.00 $22,082,675.00 $26,990,225.00
SEWER ASSESSMENTS.
Apportioned main sewer assessments, with interest
$12,150.04
Particular sewer assessments appor- tioned and otherwise, with interest
$2,876.63
SIDEWALK ASSESSMENTS.
Apportioned sidewalk assessments, with
$175.60
interest
STREET WATERING.
Street watering assessments committed by the commissioner of public works, in accordance with City Council order No. 61, passed April 15, 1907 $3,706.32
2.552,075.00
$8,021,775.00
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SUPPRESSING THE GYPSY AND BROWN-TAIL MOTHS.
In accordance with Chapter 381, Acts
1905, as amended by Chapter 268,
Acts 1906 and Chapter 521, Acts 1907, the commitment of the com- missioner of public works amount- ed to $1,151.96
SUMMARY FROM TABLE OF AGGREGATES.
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Resident property owners 4,735
Non-resident property owners 2,133
Poll tax, only 7,363
Number of horses assessed
1,254
Number of cows and neat cattle
722
Number of swine 12
Number of dwelling houses
5,421
Number of acres of land 6,718.
VALUATION OF PROPERTY EXEMPT FROM TAXATION.
Literary $245,700.00
Benevolent 655,350.00
Religious 369,950.00
City of Quincy real estate, and fire apparatus .. 995,750.00
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The Assistant Assessors who served during the year were:
Ward I
George K. Moorehead,
Ward 2
Joseph A. Delory,
Peter L. Litchfield, 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 9,341-a decrease of two from the year 1906, made up as follows :
Precinct. I.
Precinct 2.
Total.
Ward I
743
966
1709
Ward 2
888
879
1767
Ward 3
848
904
1752
Ward 4
715
979
1694
Ward 5
.
. .
I351
Ward 6
548
520
1068
The personal property, consisting of horses, carriages, and cows, assessed by the assistant assessors, is as follows :
Ward I
$91,400.00
Ward 2
39,775.00
Ward 3
38,150.00
Ward 4
58,400.00
Ward 5
51,275.00
Ward 6
24.975.00
$303,975.00
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The number of dogs returned by the assistant assessors is as follows :
Wards
I 2
3
4
5
6 Total.
Male
183
147
183
160
I44
I60
977
Female
30
30
25
IO
I2
38
I45
Kennel
I
I
I
3
During the year there has been returned to this office by the commissioner of public works 84 main sewer assess- ments, apportioned, and 210 particular sewer assessments. With these additions, the total number of individual accounts now kept in this office is, viz. :
Main sewer assessments 1,883
Particular sewer assessments 424
Street sprinkling
1,502
Sidewalk assessments
25
Gypsy moth 356
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 detail work of this office is rapidly increasing, and with the changes in view under the new ordinance, it becomes necessary to provide larger office room for the office. The citizens find here a bureau of information, especially since the introduction of the plans; therefore, for the convenience of the public I believe a clerk should be appointed to devote all the time to this work.
We realize that the burden of taxation is a heavy load
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to many of our citizens ; this is due in a large measure to the tremendous interest account, and also the small amount of personal property in our city.
The introduction of the card system has proved to be of great benefit, and the office today by the efficient work of the force, is well arranged in every detail.
We hope that in the future the city may have a lower fixed rate and with it a decrease in valuation in some sections, believing that this will be a great inducement to outside cap- ital to seek investment here.
CHARLES H. JOHNSON, WILLIAM B. GLOVER, J. WINTHROP PRATT,
Assessors of the City of Quincy.
Report of Inspector of Milk
January 1, 1908.
To His Honor, the Mayor of the City of Quincy :
The Inspector of Milk submits the following report for the year ending December 31, 1907 :
The quality of the milk supply is found to remain nearly constant from year to year. An analysis of a representative number of samples has shown no adulteration, but in most cases the total solids of the milk have been slightly below standard, showing that the tendency is to produce quantity at the expense of quality.
Consumers have from habit accepted the milk brought to their doors; and except in cases of actual adulteration no great fault has been found.
Mindful of the splendid work being done by progressive communities, I have made a personal inspection of all the city milk supplies within our borders, as a result of which I find that measured by present-day standards the Quincy milk supply is in a very unsatisfactory condition.
Formerly we were content if milk contained the proper amounts of fats and solids and was free from adulteration. It is just as important as ever that the milk should show the proper amount of fats, and solids and not be adulterated, but it is even more important for the health of the com- munity that milk shall contain a minimum amount of germ
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life, and that it shall be free from disease producing bac- teria.
Milk as it comes from the healthy cow is free from germ life, but milk as it is delivered at our doors in. this city, con- tains on an average several million microbes to the teaspoon- ful. It is clear then that the milk is contaminated. The germs which grow and multiply very rapidly in milk are introduced through dirt; from the cow; the milker; the utensils; and the air, all of which sources, unless special precautions are taken, are teeming with germ life.
The remedy for this condition of affairs is scrupulous cleanliness on the part of the milk producer.
We must not lay too much blame on the producer for the present state of affairs; most of them are prepared to meet the demands of the public. But the consumer must realize that the extraordinary cleanliness that is necessary for the production of good milk is expensive.
Satisfactory milk cannot be sold in Quincy today for less than nine or ten cents per quart, and such milk as would pass the strict requirements of the inspector must cost from twelve to fifteen cents. But even at these prices it still re- mains our most economical food substance.
It is highly desirable that the city adopt a standard of cleanliness. The following are reasonable requirements and should be demanded; viz .: That the cows be healthy. That they be given good food and water. That they be kept in clean barns, same to have tight ceilings and smooth walls, the whole to be frequently whitewashed. That the udders be thoroughly cleaned before milking. That the milkers have clean hands and garments. As soon as the milk is drawn it should be removed to a proper milk room, away from the stable. The milk must be aerated, cooled to below 40 de- grees F., and bottled at once and kept at a low temperature until delivered. All utensils, cans and bottles must be thor- oughly cleaned and sterilized before using.
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The most practical way of attaining and maintaining such a standard is for the inspector to publish at frequent intervals names of producers who conform to such a stand- ard.
To carry on this important work a small laboratory must. be maintained. Such a laboratory is also one of the urgent needs of the Board of Health. The two departments are so naturally allied and their work so overlaps that it would seem desirable to combine them, to the end of greater efficiency and economy.
With such a laboratory for making proper tests it will. be practical to maintain a high standard of milk.
During the past year letters have been sent to twenty producers recommending improvements in their plants, and . in nearly all cases they have cheerfully complied.
It will be the aim of the department to maintain a higher standard this year. The inspector has been greatly aided in his work this year by courtesies extended by the Board of Health.
The amount collected from licenses has been 25 per cent. greater than any previous year, viz .; $37.50.
This department has no appropriation and I urgently ask that an appropriation be made to secure and maintain a proper milk supply for the city. The amount required will depend upon whether a combination of the two departments is af- fected or not. The amount would not be large and the re- turn to the city in health and lowered infant mortality would. be many fold.
Respectfully submitted,
WILLIAM G. CURTIS,
Inspector of Milk.
Thomas Crane Public Library
Trustees' Report
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-seventh of the whole series since the establishment of the library.
The work of the library has been performed during the past year under limitations so serious that it became ques- tionable with the trustees if the library had not better be closed until the finishing of the new part of the building. Owing to the unwillingness of the librarian it was, however, not done. And it reflects great credit upon her and her as- sistants that there has been any circulation at all. It has been accompanied with the greatest inconvenience both to the pub- lic and the attendants. The result, however, has justified the judgment of the librarian. Instead of a decrease of a third or a half, as was expected, it has not greatly fallen off. The changes in the older part of the building necessitated the re- moval of the books from the 'alcoves, and the accommoda- tion had to be of a makeshift kind. The difficulties con- nected with it were insuperable. We got along, however, the best we could under such adverse conditions.
It had long since become manifest that the library ser- vice was not adequate to its needs, and modern conveniences were imperative. The beauty and esthetic effect of the older
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building were unquestionable, but it lacked adaptation to administrative needs. In our necessity we turned to the same kind hand that has through the past bestowed an unstinted stream of benefaction upon us. We did not turn in vain. Again that hand was opened and an addition to the library has been erected at an expense equal to, if not exceeding, the cost of the original structure. It is thoroughly equipped with every modern convenience, is built with solidity and care from top to bottom, and is practically fire-proof. Mr. Aiken, the architect of the new building, has worthily car- ried out the idea of Mr. Richardson the architect of the older building, having been in his office at the time of its erection and thoroughly conversant with its details.
The basement story will be devoted to the children's li- brary. It is a cheerful, pleasant room, finished in white oak, the walls tinted light green, with low shelving, floor of Port- land cement to be covered with cork carpet, the entrance upon Spear St. In some respects it will be the best room in the building. It is commodious, and if the city will supply it with the necessary reading we know of no superior room of the kind. Much good may be accomplished, for this may be said with regard to the children of Quincy, they do ap- preciate the library. This room communicates with the floor above by two stairways and there are elevators to lift and lower the books to and from the upper stories.
The advantage of the stack room may be seen at a glance. It is large, light, accessible, convenient. It is fitted with the most approved steel stacks having capacity for up- wards of 40,000 volumes. It also has a floor ,of Portland cement which will be covered like the room below with cork carpet. The stacks are three stories in height with glass flooring. They are low enough to be easily accessible, with a window at the end of each. The librarian's and cataloguer's rooms are close to the steel door which separates the addition from the older part.
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The leading difficulty of the library has been the lack of a reading room. This has been entirely rectified. The public can have no possible cause of complaint providing the city will give them books enough to read. There will be room sufficient, the entire front of the library being devoted to their uses. The present alcove shelving has been entirely re- moved and the space devoted to the service of private read- ing and study. It is hoped that the public will appreciate the privileges accorded to them by the beneficence of Mr. Crane, and that the city will generously second his efforts. in this direction. It is a great thing that he has done. We have no institution more complete or one combining more qualities that make for the highest and best. We must not forget that it is a free and not a grudging gift, and that its ample support is a duty incumbent upon the city.
Entering the front of the building one looks directly down the stack room which is a little raised above the level. This could not be helped, the necessary height of the chil- dren's room being responsible for it. At the end of the vista is the collection of stained glass windows removed from the main hall. Directly in front will be the delivery desk, the card catalogue in the alcove at the right. The panelling above this alcove, between the beam and the slope of the roof, has been removed. On either side of the fireplace are- the memorial windows. The reading room will be lighted by chandeliers depending from the ceiling, the tables having low and independent lights. The cases for the reference books. are around the sides at the left.
The trustees recognize that the enlargement of the li- brary requires an extended administration and larger ex- pense in nearly every direction. Mr. Crane has doubled the plant, and that means a greater outlay for lighting, heating, attendance and book supply.
The library has hitherto been conducted upon a narrow margin. If it has not accomplished all that it might have
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done it is due to the fact of increased demands and changing conditions that it found itself entirely unable to meet. The thirty-seven years since its establishment have seen great changes in its patronage. A largely different class of books is demanded now. The character of our population is differ- ent. The call is still for fiction, but there is an increasing call for books which the library could not furnish because it could not afford them. It is sadly deficient in books of ap- plied industry. It has almost nothing of the useful arts of an up-to-date nature. There are a large number of books needed by the teachers for the uses of the children, which if pro- vided would increase the work with the schools. A thousand dollars does not go very far towards supplying the require- ments of a city like Quincy, and that is all the committee have been able to expend in the book department.
It is thought by the trustees that a thorough renovation of the library is needful before the removal of the books to their new quarters, and this will require the closing of the library for the shortest possible time.
For the details of the working of the library for the past year see the librarian's report.
All of which is respectfully submitted,
E. C. BUTLER, Chairman, HARRISON A. KEITH, Secretary, GEORGE W. MORTON, Treasurer, HARRY L. RICE, CHARLES R. SAFFORD, HENRY MCGRATH.
21I
TREASURER'S STATEMENT.
1907.
Thomas Crane Endowment Fund.
Balance on hand Dec. 31, 1906
$23,733.04
Rec'd interest on Mass. Gold Bonds
3 1-2 per cent. 630.00
Rec'd interest on deposits in Quincy Savings Bank 177.32
Paid for stocks
$102.00
Paid for gas fixtures
15.50
Paid for insurance
107.86
Paid for sewer connections
45.68
Paid Mr. Newcomb for extra help
30.00
Balance on hand Dec. 31, 1907
24,239.32
$24,540.36 $24,540.36
Cotton Center Johnson Fund.
Balance on hand Dec. 31, 1906 $80.56
Interest on $2,000 Chicago Junct.
Railway Gold Bonds
100.00
Interest on deposits in Quincy Say- ings Bank 3.55
Paid for Books
173.90
Balance on hand Dec. 31, 1907
IO.2I
$184.II $184.11
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Catalogue Fund.
Balance on hand Dec. 31. 1906 $1,774.20
Int. on $500 Go'vt 4 per cent. Bond . . 15.00
Bond expired 500.00
Interest on deposits in Quincy Sav- ings Bank 72.69
Received from catalogues and fines
193.44
Paid Miss Cochran
168.75
Paid Miss Holbrook
26.00
Paid Geo. W. Prescott & Son
215.00
Paid Michelson Bros.
38.10
Balance on hand Dec. 31, 1907
2,107.48
$2,555.33
$2,555.33
Enlargement of Library Grounds.
Gift of Albert Crane.
Balance on hand, Dec. 31, 1906
$530.51
Paid Crotty and others, labor filling
up and grading cellar
93.40
Carting and transplanting shrubs
3.00
Express on elm trees
1.32
Grass seed
8.27
Iron Roller
5.00
H. T. Whitman, loam
23.10
Edward J. Sandberg, loam
53.75
Labor, removing trees
2.40
Tulip bulbs
6.25
Balance on hand, Dec. 31, 1907
334.02
$530.51 $530.51
Respectfully submitted, GEORGE W. MORTON, Treasurer.
Report of Librarian
Quincy, Mass., January 1, 1908.
To the Trustees of the Thomas Crane Public Library:
Gentlemen,-I have the honor to submit the following report for the year 1907.
It is an evident fact that the library has not been doing any of its work under normal conditions since the beginning of May last. By the removal of the entire collection to tem- porary stacks and the upper floor, the circulating department has continued its work as usual. In cramped quarters, with artificial all-day light a necessity, dust, noise, and confusion, the aim has been steadily followed to allow no unnecessary noise, and to deny nothing within the resources of the library to such of its patrons as cared to avail themselves of its privileges.
It has been very gratifying to note that, in spite of these inconveniences, many readers have come for study and refer- ence work, as shown by the figures below (over 4500), which represent the library use from the stack collection only. This shows that the public library, so far from being a luxury, is a necessary part of the educational life of the people. For such students and all others we hope that the permanent im- provements which Mr. Crane's generosity is now making pos- sible will offset these temporary disadvantages.
The circulation has been seriously curtailed by the un- usual number of books needing rebinding. This has been due to several reasons, gas, heat, poor binding, a great many new books after a very brief period of use having to be rebound,
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etc. By the change early in the year to another bookbinder who has done very satisfactory work, it is hoped to gradu- ally get the whole collection in proper condition.
The classified list of books during 1906 contained, be- sides, the cumulation of all fiction added to the library since the publication of the fiction list in 1898, thus making in two printed alphabets author and title lists of the entire fiction in the library to date. Instead of the usual 16 pages, the annual list, therefore, comprised 58 pages.
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