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 1908 > Part 9
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The Elks of our City are doing many charitable works, among them sending out to the worthy poor, at Christmas, about one hundred and thirty baskets, filled with all the good things of the season, each basket including a turkey. The cost of this was about four hundred dollars. It was my pleasure to see these baskets before they were delivered, and these poor people must have appreciated them very much.
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About six hundred, in all, ate their Christmas dinner through the generosity of the Elks of our City.
The sick have been carefully attended to by Dr. Hallow- ell, our City Physician. To those in the Almshouse, and to those outside needing his services, he has been a very careful official, always thoughtful for those coming under his care, and always ready night and day, to alleviate the sufferings of the poor.
. I wish to take this opportunity to thank all those who have assisted me in any way, and especially I wish to thank the Charitable Societies for the kindness and aid they have rendered me during the past year. I also wish to thank the Superintendent and Matron at the Almshouse, who have faithfully carried out all orders issued by the Overseer.
The following is the financial statement for the year :
Appropriation
$13,005.45
Expended Outside Poor $6,558.85
Expended Almshouse net 3,780.66
Expended 1907 Deficit Bills
1,831.09
Total Amount expended December 31, 1908. $12,170.60
1
EXPENSE OF THE OUTSIDE POOR
Provisions
$3,502.01
Coal
348.81
Clothing
100.82
Medicine
1.89
Rent
548.00
Board
90.70
Burials
155.31
Transportations
51.80
Institutions
958.26
Other Hospitals
209.55
Other Cities & Towns
289.70
204
Telephone
84.50
Nursing
20.00
Wages
54.87
Clerical
100.00
Miscellaneous
42.63
Total Amount expended for Outside Poor
December 31, 1908 $6,558.85
EXPENSE OF THE ALMSHOUSE
Salary of Superintendent
$650.00
Wages
381.00
House Supplies
4,498.21
Stable Supplies
834.55
Medicine
15.45
Clothing
178.13
Fuel
339.60
Electric Lights
119.06
Telephone
29.07
Hardware
67.10
Express
6.41
Furniture
45.82
Lumber
15.98
Miscellaneous
102.29
Total Amount expended December 31, 1908 $7,282.67
Credit by Supplies to Outside Poor 3,502.01
Net cost of Almshouse during year $3,780.66
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ALMSHOUSE
Number inmates January 1, 1908 . . 12
Number admitted during year . 13
Total number during year
25
Discharged during year 7
Died during year
1
Total 8
Number in Almshouse December 31, 1908 17
Number of families aided temporarily 206
Number having settlement in Quincy 119
Number having settlement in other cities or towns 16
71
Number having no settlement, (State charges) Number of cases fully supported
34
In Almshouse
25
In Institutions
7
In Private families
2
DISCHARGED
Almshouse
7
Private Families
0
Institutions
0
DIED
Almshouse
1
Private Families
1
Institutions
1
Number cases fully supported December 31, 1908
24
Respectfully submitted,
JAMES H. ELCOCK,
Overseer of the Poor.
-
Report of City Physician
Quincy, Mass., January 1, 1909.
To His Honor, the Mayor of the City of Quincy :
Sir :
I have the honor to submit the following as the report of the City Physician for the year ending December 31, 1908.
Visits to Almshouse
23
Visits to Outside Poor 165
Cases of Childbirth
4
Office visits and Vaccinations
75
Visits to Police Station
19
Deaths
2
Very respectfully,
HENRY C. HALLOWELL, M. D.,
City Physician.
207
Public Burial Places
Quincy, Mass., January 1, 1909.
To His Honor the Mayor:
The Managers of Public Burial Places respectfully sub- mit the following report for the year 1908.
In the supervision and general care of the Public Burial Places, it has been the policy of the managers each year to grade and divide into lots a section of the unimproved land in Mt. Wollaston Cemetery. This policy has been con- tinued during the year 1908 over as large an area as was possible without exceeding our appropriation. There is yet an unfinished section adjoining Sea street, north of the main entrance, which we hope to see completed during the com- ing year.
The income from the Charles E. French fund has been expended in accordance with the terms of the will, on the Han- cock Cemetery. This sum added to what could be taken from the usual appropriation, is barely sufficient for the ordinary care of the grounds, and we earnestly recommend that a special appropriation be made to rebuild the wall on the Hancock street side of the cemetery.
The resources, expenditures and receipts of this de- partment for the year ending December 31, 1908, are as follows :
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210
Resources Exp'itures Balance
Appropriation of 1908 . . $4,000.00
Balance of appropriation
of 1907 74.29
Receipts from foundations
and regrading 699.65
Income from the several
funds 1,179.02
Total $5,952.96
Salaries
$1,074.96
Extra Clerical work
50.00
Payroll, labor 4,322.08
Cemetery supplies & equipment . 253.48
Office supplies, telephone, etc. .. 76.22
Total $5,776.74
Unexpended
$176.22
Receipts Paid into City Treasury
Care of lots $1,774.50
Sale of lots 2,170.00
Opening graves 990.00
Foundations and regrading 699.65
Income from trust funds
1,179.02
Miscellaneous
57.00
Total $6,870.17 Excess of rec'ts over expenditures
$1,093.43
Perpetual Care Fund
Amount of fund Jan. 1, 1908
$24,713.00
Plus accrued interest 1,003.23
Plus amount added during the year 1,350.00
Total $27,066.23
Less amount paid for care of lots
1,003.23
Amount of fund Dec. 31, 1908 $26,063.00
211
C. C. Johnson Fund
Amount of fund Jan. 1, 1908
$150.00
Plus accrued interest 6.06
Total $156.06
Less amount paid for care of lot 6.06
Amount of fund Dec. 31, 1908
$150.00
Charles E. French Fund $3,000.00
Plus accrued interest 169.73
Total $3,169.73
Less sum used in care of Hancock
Cemetery 169.73
Amount of Fund Dec. 31, 1908 $3,000.00
Statistics
Total number of interments in 1908
259
Mt. Wollaston Cemetery
258
Hancock Cemetery
1
Adults
151
Under 21 years of age
108
Died in Quincy
182
Died in other places
77
The total number of lots cared for in 1908
765
By perpetual care 190
By yearly contract
575
Respectfully submitted,
ALBERT W. FAY, Chairman, W. W. MITCHELL, Clerk.
1
JOHN Q. CUDWORTH, A. O. DIACK, J. H. VOGEL,
Managers of Public Burial Places.
ยท
Report of City Solicitor
Quincy, Mass., Feb. 1, 1909.
Hon. William T. Shea, Mayor,
Dear Sir :- I herewith submit my report as City Solici- tor for the past year :
GRADE CROSSINGS
The commission appointed in 1907 to determine and re- port to the Superior Court plans for the abolition of the Sa- ville and Water Streets grade crossings, held several public hearings in the Council Chamber, City Hall, during the year.
Plans were submitted by the city, the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad Company and other parties in- terested.
The city's plan in each case provides for the depression of the tracks of the railroad company and an overhead street bridge on the lines of the present crossing with approaches with easy grades.
The hearings were completed January 16th, 1909, and the Commissioners now have the matter under advisement.
LEGISLATIVE MATTERS
Early in the year 1908 I represented the city before a committee of the Legislature and opposed a bill providing for the construction of a new bridge across the Neponset River between the cities of Boston and Quincy.
213
214
The Legislature by a resolve referred the matter to the Metropolitan Park Commissioners with instructions to inves- tigate and report to the Legislature of 1909, on the desirability of such a bridge.
Later in the year the Commissioners gave a public hear- ing to all parties interested.
I attended the hearing and stated in behalf of the city that Quincy considered its portion of the bridge in very good condition, and that at most it would require but the expendi- ture of a small sum to put it in a condition that would meet the requirements of the public over it for several years; that the Boston end of the bridge needed rebuilding, there was no reason why Boston should not do this work itself, and that under the circumstances, Quincy would strongly protest against being obliged to expend a large sum of money for the purpose of building a new bridge.
The Metropolitan Park Commissioners on January 11, 1909, reported to the House of Representatives as follows:
"The existing bridge referred to in the resolve connects Neponset Avenue in Boston with Hancock Street in Quincy, and forms part of the main highway between the eastern part of Boston and the cities and towns south and southeast of Neponset River. It has no present connection with any por- tion of the park system, but forms part of the only direct road by which connection may be made with park roads to Quincy Shore and to the easterly end of Blue Hill Reservation. It is an old-fashioned pile structure, of which a portion 135 feet long, including the draw, is within and is maintained by the city of Boston; and the remaining portion, 600 feet long, is within and is maintained by the city of Quincy. The Bos- ton portion has a roadway 24 feet wide, with one side-walk five feet wide, which narrows to 22 feet and 3 feet respectively across the draw. The Quincy portion has a roadway 32 feet wide, with sidewalk 7 feet wide. The draw is a two-leaf hand-lift steel basenle draw, of 38 feet opening for vessels, above a channel which, curving 75 feet nearer the Boston side of the river than the draw opening of the new railroad bridge a short distance below, makes the passage of vessels very diffi- cult.
.
215
The Boston portion of the bridge is in a bad condition, and is likely soon to become unsafe. The Quincy portion of the bridge is in fair condition, but will require repairs within a few years at an estimated cost of $7,500, which the engineer estimates is an amount equal to the entire present value of this portion of the bridge.
Upon these facts and after personal inspection of the bridge and its approaches, the Board is of the opinion that it is desirable that the entire bridge be rebuilt at once upon its present location of a width of 60 feet, with steel girders upon concrete or stone piers ;and that the sidewalks be 8 feet wide; the roadway 44 feet wide, paved with wooden block, with loca- tion for two car tracks in the centre; and that the draw be relocated over a new channel in alignment with the railroad bridge, and be built of the single-leaf rolling type, operated by electricity, with an opening 50 feet wide for vessels. It is rec- ognized, however, that only the Boston portion is unsafe and inadequate for present needs. If, for this reason, it be deemed advisable to postpone rebuilding the Quincy portion of the draw, the Board recommends that the Boston portion be re- built at once in the form suggested above, and that at the same time the channel be relocated and enough of the Quincy por- tion be rebuilt of a relocation of the drawbridge over the new channel and in alignment with the railroad bridge draw be- low.
The Board has given careful consideration to the relation of this bridge to any existing or proposed boulevards in its vicinity, and is of the opinion that, if rebuilt in its present location ,as suggested, and with double-rail location for cars in the centre and paved with wooden block, it will furnish com- fortable and adequate accommodations for all pleasure travel which now needs to be provided for, if there is any extension of the boulevard to its neighborhood."-(House Bill No. 1,246.)
The bill is now pending before the Committee on Roads and Bridges of this year's Legislature. The committee will give a hearing on this matter in the near future.
216
If a new bridge is constructed as suggested by the Metro- politan Park Commissioners the expense of the construction and maintenance of the same should not be borne by Boston and Quincy alone. The Counties of Norfolk and Plymouth and the towns and cities of the Greater Metropolitan District and also the Commonwealth should be compelled to bear their share of the expense.
The City Council on January 4th, 1909, requested the Mayor to petition the Legislature to amend the City Charter so that the Mayor would be the chairman of the School Com- mittee, ex-officio, without the power of voting.
Under instructions received from the Mayor I prepared and caused to be filed with the Legislature a petition with a bill accompanying the same to that effect. The bill pro- vides that the act be submitted to the voters for their accep- tance or rejection. (See House Bill No. 469.)
A mass meeting of the citizens of Quincy was held in the Council Chamber, City Hall, in January, 1909, in response to a call issued by the Mayor. At the meeting it was unanimous- ly voted that, it was desirable to have all reference to politi- cal parties eliminated from the ballots to be used at the Mu- nicipal caucuses and elections. I prepared a bill to that effect. It was signed by the Mayor and duly filed with the Legisla- ture. The bill provides for the submission of the act to the voters before its taking effect. (House Bill No. 770.)
At the request of the Mayor I prepared and had filed with the Legislature a bill authorizing the city to pay a sum not exceeding $15,000, to the City Hospital of Quincy, and an- nually an amount not exceeding $2,500, toward the mainten- ance of a ward on the grounds of the hospital for the recep- tion and care of such persons suffering from diseases danger- ous to the public health as the Board of Health may order ad- mitted thereto. (House Bill No. 473.)
ACTIONS AND CLAIMS AGAINST THE CITY
Early in February, 1908, the Mayor removed Charles H. Johnson, as Assessor of the city and assigned as his reason for so doing "the good of the service."
217
February 21st, 1908, Mr. Johnson filed a petition in the Supreme Judicial Court for a writ of mandamus commanding the Mayor to reinstate him as an Assessor.
The petition was heard by Rugg, J., who ordered that the petition be dismissed, and later at the request of the petitioner, Mr. Johnson, reported the case to the full Court. The case was submitted on briefs and the Court on May 1st, 1908, dismissed the petition.
The decision in this case disposes of all doubt as to the Mayor's power to remove a member of the Board of Assessors. The Assessors like other administrative officials are held ac- countable to the Mayor for the manner in which they dis- charge their duties. The case is reported in 198 Mass., 411.
On or about May 10th, 1907, the city laid a drain or common sewer through land of private owners between East Squantum Street and Quincy Shore Reservation. Five of the parties affected thereby in April 1908, filed petitions in the Superior Court against the city praying for the abatement of the assessments levied on their property on account of said ex- tension of the sewerage system and seeking to recover damages against the city on account thereof. These actions are now pending.
:
On December 8th, 1908, the Finnish Workingmen's As- sociation "Veli" of Quincy, filed a petition in the Superior Court for Norfolk County seeking to have a tax levied by the Assessors on its property declared illegal and abated on the grounds that its property was exempt under the pro- visions of the Revised Laws, Chap. 12, Sect. 5, Clause 3.
On the evidence submitted to me I do not see how the Board could legally refrain from taxing the property of the Association. As the Board of Assessors on October 14, 1908, refused to abate the tax and on that date so notified the Asso- ciation, the petition not having been filed till December 8, 1908, in my opinion it was not seasonably filed. The action will be tried at the present February sitting of the Court.
During the year several claims against the city for dam- ages arising out of accidents occuring within the limits of the highways of the city were filed with this department. Many
218
of these claims have been settled, as the amount of damages claimed was very small, and it seemed better judgment to com- promise the claims rather than put the parties to the expense of a trial in Court. In no case have I made a settlement when I was not satisfied that there was liability on the part of the city.
Of the cases pending in the Superior Court when I as- sumed office, the following have been disposed of, viz :
:
Taylor et al vs. Quincy. Duggan vs. Quincy. Rogers vs. Quincy.
In compliance with the provisions of the City Charter I have attended all sessions of the City Council held during the year, and advised the City Council as to the law applicable to matters pending before it, whenever my opinion was re- quested.
My department has been at the service of the different administrative officials and municipal boards during the year, and whenever requested I have advised concerning legal mat- ters, prepared contracts, etc., connected with the work of said officials and boards.
Respectfully submitted,
JOHN W. McANARNEY, City Solicitor.
Police Department
=
To His Honor the Mayor of the City of Quincy :
I herewith submit the annual report of the Police Depart- ment for the year ending December 31, 1908.
ROSTER OF POLICE FORCE.
Frank E. Burrell, Chief
Mark E. Hanson, Sergeant
Daniel R. McKay, Lieutenant David J. Barry, Sergeant
Alfred W. Goodhue, Acting Inspector.
PATROLMEN
James W. Murray
John T. Larkin
Jeremiah Hinchon
William S. Lyons
Timothy J. Golden
Edward Johnson
Patrick A. Milford
John Bowton
Charles T. Crooker Edward J. Curtin
Claes A. Broberg
Michael Donovan
Ernest H. Bishop
Charles Olson
Daniel H. Doran
Henry F. Riley
John Halloran, Wagon Man
George A. Cahill, Driver
219
220
RESERVE FORCE
John P. Duffy Henry W. Thorne
George F. Phillips
Jeremiah Dinneen John J. Duane James H. Whelan
Daniel J. Ford.
SPECIAL POLICE
David L. Farrell
Henry F. Corbett
John J. Avery
Alphonso G. Williams
William J. DeCoste
Thomas A. Malone
Henry J. Matthews
Jeremiah D. Dhooge David L. Gordon
Henry Hathorn
Edward J. Sandberg
Whole number of arrests 1,000
Offenses for which arrests were made :
Abandoning a child
1
Adultery
5
Assault
1
Assault and battery
96
Assault on an officer
3
Assault with intent to rob
3
Assault with dangerous weapon
11
Assault with intent to rape
1
Attempt to break and enter
1
Bastardy
7
Bestiality
1
Breaking and entering
5
Burning a building
3
Burning insured property
2
Carrying weapons
5
221
City ordinance, violation of
5
Collecting junk without license
1
Concealing leased property 4
Conveying liquor to prisoner in Station 1
Cruelty to animals
3
Default
7
Desertion from United States Army
2
Disorderly conduct in public conveyance
7
Discharging revolver in street
1.
Destroying property
2
Destroying electric street lights
1
Disturbing the peace
32
Drunkenness
518
Entering a building and larceny therefrom
1
False pretence
2
Gaming on Lord's day
7
Gaming in public places
2
Hunting without license
1
Idle and disorderly
1
Interfering with railway signals
1
Issuing a worthless check
1
Introducing obscene pictures in family
1
Keeping unlicensed dog
1
Keeping a gaming house
1.
Keeping a disorderly house
Larceny
1 82 3
Larceny from a conveyance
Larceny from a building
4
Lewdness
2
Lewd and lascivious
7
Loitering at Depot
1
Maintaining a game on Lord's day
1
Malicious mischief
1
Malicious injury to personal property
1
Malicious injury to realty
1 1
Manslaughter
Mayhem
1
Neglect to provide for family
15
Neglect to provide food for cattle 1
222
Neglect to send child to school
3
Operating an auto without license
1
Out of Town officers, for
13
Peddling without license
5
Peddling jewelry
1
Rape
2
Railer and brawler
1
Receiving stolen property
1
Robbery
10
Safe breaking
9
Suspicious person
2
Selling milk under standard
4
Torching on Quincy Bay
10
Tramp
2
Throwing missiles at cars
1
Threat to assault
13
Trespass
7
Trespass of fowl
3
Trespass of animals
1
Unlawfully practising medicine
1
Unlawful use of milk cans
2
Vagabondage
2
Vagrant
1
Violation Park rules
4
Violation fish and game law
9
Violation bicycle law
2
Violation auto speed law
1
LIQUOR LAW VIOLATION
Illegal sale 2
Keeping and exposing
9
Maintaining a liquor nuisance
6
Violating express law 1
Soliciting orders for liquor 2
223
Of the above Arrests There Were
Males
963
Females 38
Married
381
Single
619
Adults
919
Minors 81
Residents
752
Non-residents 248
Nativity
Austria
3
Nova Scotia 26
Australia
1
Norway
5
Canada
14 Prince Edward Island
17
Cape Breton
7
Poland 3
Denmark 2
Portugal
1
England
28
Roumania 3
Finland
60
Russia
27
Germany
3
Sicily
3
Greece
3
Scotland 43
Holland
1
Spain
1
Ireland
155
Sweden
29
Italy
85
Syria 33
New Brunswick
13
West India 1
Newfoundland
1
United States 432
1
SIGNAL SERVICE
Number of telephone calls 1,362
Number of wagon calls 571
Number of ambulance calls 35
Number of raids
11
Number of miles run
1,728
DISPOSITION OF CASES
Whole number of cases in Court 993
Appealed
39
Appealed from fine
20
224
Appealed from sentence
19
Appeals withdrawn
2
Bound to the peace
18-
Committed to institutions
116
Committed in default of fine
48
Committed on sentence
30
Committed in default of bail
33
Committed to State Farm
5
Defaulted
36
Defaults removed
8
Delivered to out of town officers
11
Delivered to friends
3
Discharged
48
Dismissed
50
Dismissed for want of prosecution
17
Fined
301
Fines remitted
8
Hearings on seizures
10
Ileld for Grand Jury
27
Held for Superior Court
2
Paid fines
170
Paid cost of prosecution
32
Placed on file
112
Released from court
15
Released from station
281
Sentence suspended
3
Settled by mutual consent
4
Cases now pending
48
FINANCIAL
Amount of fines imposed by Court $4,372.00
Amount of fines paid to Court 2,243.00
Lost and stolen property recovered $5,437.25
23
225
DELINQUENTS
Juvenile offenders by the law of Massachusetts are de- clared delinquents. Of this class of offenders we have had during the year sixty-nine (69) cases, comprising larcenies, assaults, breaking and entering, malicious mischief and sev- eral other similar offences which have been disposed of as follows :
Number of cases dismissed 10
Number of cases discharged 9
Placed on file 9
Paid cost and placed on file
6
Paid cost of Court
5
Paid for damage done
3
Paid cost and case dismissed
2
Restitution made and paid fine
2
Restitution made and placed on file
5
Committed to Lancaster Home
1
Committed to Lyman School 1
Appealed from sentence to Lyman School 1
Cases now pending 15
Total 69
MISCELLANEOUS WORK
Accidents investigated 0
Accidents reported
3
Bicycles found
5
Bridges in dangerous condition reported
1
Complaints investigated
767
Covers found off manholes
2
Dangerous telephone poles reported
1
Dangerous electric wires reported
27
Defective streets reported 5
Defective sidewalks reported 27
Disturbances suppressed without arrest 39
226
Dogs astray, returned to owner 1
Dogs killed
21
Doors found unfastened
387
Demented persons cared for
3
Fire alarm boxes, glass broken
27
Fire alarms given
15
Fire alarms, still given
7 9
Fires discovered
Fires extinguished without alarm
22
Families rescued from burning building
1
Goods left outside of store
8
Horses found cast
9
Horses found loose in stable
1
Horses, runaway caught
15
Horses killed
2
Hydrants out of order, reported
1
Injured persons cared for
7 2
Keys found in doors
Lanterns displayed in dangerous places
98
Leaks in water main reported
15
Leaks in supply
21
Lights out, Arc
555
Lights out, Series
2,308
Lights out, Gas
580
Lights out on Moon schedule, nights
29
Lights out part of nights
18
Lost children returned to parents
46
Obstructions removed from street
6
Obstructions removed from sidewalk
10
Obstructions on street reported
12
Obstructions on sidewalk reported
8
Safes found open
5
Sick persons cared for
9
Suspicious places reported
4
Team found and returned
1
Water running to waste
7
Windows found unfastened 162
227
ENFORCEMENT OF THE LIQUOR LAW
The sale of intoxicating liquor at the present time is under very good control. The Fore River District is fairly clean and few complaints were received from that quarter. Houghs Neck was well policed during the summer months and the club element was taken care of to the satisfaction of the majority of the residents of the beach.
The permits to transport intoxicating liquors into Quin- cy are such valuable franchises to those to whom they are granted that the expressmen are taking no chances of having their permits revoked. Acting Inspector Goodhue, who handled the larger part of the liquor work has done excellent work and no small part of the credit is due him for the results obtained.
Awholesale cleanup of a certain locality in the westerly part of the City was accomplished almost entirely by his efforts and a much needed improvement was noticed at once.
Total number of cases brought before District Court 21
Found guilty in District Court
15
Found not guilty in District Court
4
Appealed to Superior Court 6
Found guilty in Superior Court 4
Continued to April term 2
Fines paid in District Court
$350
Committed for non-payment of fines
3
Total number of liquor raids
17
Cases where liquor was found
16
Cases where no liquor was found
1
Cases where liquor was forfeited 15
Cases where liquor was ordered returned to owners 1
CONCLUSION
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