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 1922 > Part 12
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1 51
$213 83
Amount abated during year 1922
6 06
$207 77
Amount collected during year 1922 .
201 90
Amount uncollected January 1, 1923
$5 87
Street Oiling of 1920
Amount uncollected January 1, 1922
$5,022 46
Credit by auditor .
65 49
$4,956 97
Amount abated during year 1922
1,840 58
$3,116 39
Amount collected during year 1922 .
2,751 30
Amount uncollected January 1, 1923
$365 09
Gypsy Moth of 1920
Amount uncollected January 1, 1922
$953 31
Credit by auditor .
11 75
$941 56
Amount abated during year 1922
301 67
Amount collected during year 1922 .
418 86
Amount uncollected January 1, 1923
$221 03
201 90
2,751 30
$639 89
418 86
192
CITY OF QUINCY
Tax of 1921
Cash received
Amount uncollected January 1, 1922
$1,070,367 33
Amount abated during year 1922
24,074 71
$1,046,292 62
Amount collected during year 1922 .
785,358 22
Amount uncollected January 1, 1923 $260,934 40
Amount of interest collected
21,056 75
Main Sewer Apportionments of 1921
Amount uncollected January 1, 1922
$4,288 20
Amount collected during year 1922 . 2,579 15
2,579 15
Amount uncollected January 1, 1923
$1,709 05
Committed Interest on Main Sewer Apportionments of 1921
Amount uncollected January 1, 1922
$1,019 67
Amount collected during year 1922 .
590 11
Amount uncollected January 1, 1923
$429 56
Particular Sewers of 1921
Amount uncollected January 1, 1922
$3,861 68
Amount collected during year 1922
1,999 08
Amount uncollected January 1, 1923
$1,862 60
Committed Interest on Particular Sewers of 1921
Amount uncollected January 1, 1922
$507 66
Amount collected during year 1922 .
283 23
Amount uncollected January 1, 1923
$224 43
Sidewalk Apportionments of 1921
Amount uncollected January 1, 1922
$609 90
Amount collected during year 1922
328 49
Amount uncollected January 1, 1923
$281 41
Committed Interest on Sidewalk Apportionments of 1921
Amount uncollected January 1, 1922
$127 40
Amount collected during year 1922
71 50
Amount uncollected January 1, 1923
$55 90
590 11
1,999 08
283 23
328 49
71 50
$785,358 22
REPORT OF TAX COLLECTOR
193
Street Betterment Apportionments of 1921
Cash received
Amount uncollected January 1, 1922
$2,478 50
Amount collected during year 1922
1,808 02
$1,808 02
Amount uncollected January 1, 1923
$670 48
Committed Interest on Street Better- ment Apportionments of 1921
Amount uncollected January 1, 1922
$704 97
Amount collected during year 1922
509 93
Amount uncollected January 1, 1923
$195 04
Street Oiling of 1921
Amount uncollected January 1, 1922
$7,726 42
Amount abated during year 1922
14 41
$7,712 01
Amount collected during year 1922
5,133 62
Amount uncollected January 1, 1923
$2,57$ 39
Gypsy Moth of 1921
Amount uncollected January 1, 1922
$886 90
Amount abated during year 1922
2 90
$884 00
Amount collected during year 1922
608 40
Amount uncollected January 1, 1923
$275 60
Tax of 1922
Total amount committed by assessors
$2,290,023 32
Amount abated during year 1922
16,545 92
$2,273,477 40
Amount collected during year 1922
. 1,367,930 42
1,367,930.42
Amount uncollected January 1, 1923 $905,546 95
Amount of interest collected
1,656 05
Main Sewer Apportionments of 1922
Total amount committed by assessors
$8,770 45
Amount abated during year 1922
38 24
$8,732 21
Amount collected during year 1922 .
3,501 58
3,501 58
Amount uncollected January 1, 1923
$5,230 63
509 93
5,133 62
605 40
194
CITY OF QUINCY
Committed Interest on Main Sewer Apportionments of 1922
Cash received
Total amount committed by assessors
$2,245 92
Amount abated during year 1922
1 73
$2,244 19
Amount collected during year 1922 .
821 12
Amount uncollected January 1, 1923
$1,423 07
$821 12
Particular Sewers of 1922
Total amount committed by assessors
$2,648 02
Amount collected during year 1922
864 68
Amount uncollected January 1, 1923
$1,783 34
Committed Interest on Particular Sewers of 1922
Total amount committed by assessors
$388 10
Amount collected during year 1922 .
119 31
Amount uncollected January 1, 1923
$268 79
Sidewalk Apportionments of 1922
Total amount committed by assessors
$1,114 55
Amount abated during year 1922
19 70
$1,094 85
Amount collected during year 1922
438 22
Amount uncollected January 1, 1923
$656 63
438 22
Committed Interest on Sidewalk Apportionments of 1922
Total amount committed by assessors
$300 02
Amount abated during year 1922
13 79
$286 23
Amount collected during year 1922 .
111 88
Amount uncollected January 1, 1923
$174 35
Street Betterment Apportionments of 1922
Total amount committed by assessors
$7,888 38
Amount collected during year 1922 .
3,437 59
Amount uncollected January 1, 1923
$4,450 79
864 68
119 31
111 88
3,437 59
REPORT OF TAX COLLECTOR
195
Committed Interest on Street Better- ment Apportionments of 1922
Cash received
Total amount committed by assessors
$2,433 37
Amount collected during year 1922
957 78
Amount uncollected January 1, 1923
$1,475 59
Street Oiling of 1922
Total amount committed by commissioner of Public
Works
$15,476 48
Amount abated during year 1922
34 98
$15,441 50
Amount collected during year 1922
8,367 43
Amount uncollected January 1, 1923
$7,074 07
8,367 43
Gypsy Moth of 1922
Total amount committed by commissioner of Public
Works
$2,265 70
Amount abated during year 1922
22 00
$2,243 70
Amount collected during year 1922
1,337 31
Amount uncollected January 1, 1923
$906 39
Sewers
Amount collected during year 1922 on sewer construction
13,096 40
Amount of interest collected during year 1922
146 69
Amount collected during year 1922 on sewer connection
334 21
Amount of interest collected during year 1922
11 84
Permanent Sidewalks
Amount collected during year 1922 on permanent sidewalks 2,435 82
Amount of interest collected during year 1922 31 22
Street Betterment Assessments
Amount collected during year 1922 on street betterments 19,803 44
Amount of interest collected during year 1922 340 57
Costs collected during year 1922
3,618 85
Bank interest collected during year 1922
1,161 95
Total amount of cash collected during year 1922 . $2,511,947 26
CHARLES A. HADLOCK, Collector of Taxes.
$957 78
1,337 31
196
CITY OF QUINCY
REPORT OF SEALER OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES
QUINCY, MASS., January 1, 1923.
Hon. G. B. BATES, Mayor, City of Quincy, Mass.
DEAR SIR: - In accordance with the ordinance of the city I submit the annual report of my department showing in detail the work performed in 1922.
Work performed
Scales 5,000 to 80,000 pounds tested and found correct 29
Scales 5,000 to 80,000 pounds tested and adjusted
-
Scales 5,000 to 80,000 pounds non-sealed
Scales 5,000 to 80,000 pounds tested and condemned
1
Platform scales tested and found correct .
237
Platform scales tested and adjusted .
1
Platform scales tested and condemned
1
Platform scales non-sealed .
2
Computing scales tested and found correct
291
Computing scales tested and adjusted
19
Computing scales tested and condemned
-
310
Slot scales tested and found correct .
34
Slot scales tested and adjusted .
Slot scales tested and condemned
34
Spring balances tested and found correct
. 401
Spring balances tested and adjusted
4
Spring balances tested and condemned
41
Beam scales tested and found correct
21
Beam scales tested and adjusted
Beam scales tested and condemned .
21
Counter scales tested and found correct
. 295
Counter scales tested and adjusted
2
Counter scales tested and condemned
2
299
Prescription scales tested and found correct
18
Prescription scales tested and adjusted
Prescription scales tested and condemned
18
.
30
254
446
197
REPORT OF SEALER OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES
Apothecary weights tested and found correct . 336
Apothecary weights tested and adjusted .
Apothecary weights tested and condemned 1 2
338
Metric weights tested and found correct . 64
Metric weights tested and adjusted .
Metric weights tested and condemned
64
Avoirdupois weights tested and found correct 2,099
Avoirdupois weights tested and adjusted 63
Avoirdupois weights tested and condemned 1
- 2,163
Dry measures tested and found correct 25
Dry measures tested and adjusted
Dry measures tested and condemned
25
Liquid measures tested and found correct 464
Liquid measures tested and adjusted
Liquid measures tested and condemned
3
Oil measuring pumps tested and found correct 136
Oil measuring pumps tested and adjusted
Oil ineasuring pumps tested and condemned .
136
Quantity stops tested and found correct .
Molasses pumps tested and found correct 17
Molasses pumps tested and adjusted
Molasses pumps tested and condemned
465
Linear measures tested and found correct 110
Linear measures tested and adjusted
111
Cloth measuring devices tested and found correct . 1 4
Total
5,186
Amount received in fees and paid City Treasurer . $484 25
Amount received from hawkers' and peddlers' licenses paid to the City Treasurer 465 00
Amount received from the city scale 10 00
$959 25
Summary of Inspections
Number of stores in which inspections were made 126
Inspection of hawkers' and peddlers' wagons . 19
Inspection of hawkers' and peddlers' licenses . 27
Inspection of ice dealers' wagons 8
Inspection of coal certificates 18
Inspection of junk dealers' wagons
5
Inspection of marked food packages 10
Number of violations of law found
Total 213
-
467
Linear measures tested and condemned
1
198
CITY OF QUINCY
Trial Weighing and Measurements
COMMODITY
Tested
Correct
Under
Over
Charcoal
41
41
Coal in wagons
18
5
1
12
Coal in 25-pound bags .
104
93
11
Wood
76
76
-
-
Ice
5
5
-
-
Grain or feed
10
7
3
Flour
26
25
1
-
Butter
28
28
1
Dry commodities
256
254
2
Meats and provisions
107
99
1
7
Bread
98
50
40
8
Confectionery
11
11
Berry baskets
64
64
-
-
Gasoline
8
8
-
-
Totals
852
766
59
27
-
Respectfully submitted,
JAMES M. CANTFILL, Scaler of Weights and Measures.
-
199
REPORT OF ASSESSING DEPARTMENT
REPORT OF THE ASSESSING DEPARTMENT
QUINCY, MASS., January 1, 1923.
To His Honor the Mayor and the City Council.
GENTLEMEN: - The following is respectfully submitted as the report of the Assessing Department for the year 1922.
Valuation
The valuation of the city April 1, 1922, as determined by the Assessors, follows: -
Value of land
Value of buildings
$18.755,850 00 34,965,700 00
Total
$53,728,550 00
Valuation of personal property other than bank stock separately assessed $7,101,375 00
Valuation of National banks located in and
taxable in the city of Quincy 82,680 00
7,184,055 00
Total valuation of the city as determined April 1, 1922 $60,912,605 00 Amount to be raised by taxation $2,209,774 70 Tax rate 36 20
The valuation was also increased by omitted
assessments levied in December, 1922
19,125 00
The total valuation of the city upon which all taxes were as-
sessed for the year 1922 when all assessments had been made $60,924,730 00
The polls returned by the assistant assessors and those registered for the year amounted to 14,189.
The assistant assessors who served during the year were: Ward 1, John A. Weeden and Joseph I. Garrity; Ward 2, William J. Sullivan and Joseph E. Thomas; Ward 3, Henry Tilden and Daniel McLennon; Ward 4, William R. Teasdale; Ward 5, Elihu T. Spear and George G. Saville; Ward 6, Arthur LaFon and Percy Edwards.
200
CITY OF QUINCY
Summary from the Table of Aggregates
Resident property owners
9,693
Nonresident property owners
2,485
Poll tax only
26,244
Number of horses assessed
670
Number of neat cattle and cows assessed
650
Number of dwelling houses assessed
9,850
Number of acres of land
6,000
Respectfully submitted,
FREDERICK E. TUPPER, CHARLES A. MACFARLAND, MICHAEL T. SULLIVAN, Assessors of the City of Quincy.
201
REPORT OF DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
REPORT OF DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
JANUARY 1, 1923.
To the Mayor and Council of the City of Quincy.
The crude mortality rate of 10.4 per thousand of population for the year 1922 and its remarkable freedom from disease, as shown by its mor- bidity reports and estimates, again designates Quincy as one of the healthiest cities in the world.
The activities of the Health Department have broadened considerably during the past year. Co-operation with those with whom it has come in contact and practically no recourse to the courts for violation of health laws, regulations and ordinances has again proved eminently successful.
Informatory and educational contact with our citizens, outside of our regular activities, has been kept up by newspaper articles, public and private addresses, consultations, moving pictures and personal interviews.
The Department has been hampered by inadequate transportation. Our three trucks are old, and one more and its personnel is necessary to care for the removal of ashes and rubbish from our rapidly growing number of houses. No increase in this transportation has been made for a number of years. One collection each week of ashes and rubbish is necessary for an adequate and economic removal of these wastes.
A similar increase in the amount of garbage in the city requires a Ford truck and personnel to clear the city. The long hauls from Squantum, Houghs Neck and West Quincy make motorization of a portion of our garbage collection an economy.
Garbage should be collected from each dwelling in our city at least twice a week and from stores, hotels and restaurants oftener. Only by over- loaded, unsightly garbage wagons and overtime unpaid work were our personnel able to keep the city clear during the summer months of real clanger from this cause to our citizens.
Contracts should also be made with out-of-town pig industries to dispose of the increased summertime supply.
Through inadequate transportation and personnel, the cleaning of privy vaults, which are now our greatest menace to the public health, also had to be waived to a dangerous extent. A city which has the menace of privy vaults is always in danger, and, although during the past two years after tremendous effort we have eliminated over 200 privy vaults, about 700 remain, practically all of which are neither fly nor leak proof. Some of these, through our handicap, are not cleaned even once a year.
Our greatest enemy from disease is still tuberculosis, - 28 having died in this city and 29 of our residents having died outside of Quincy during the past year.
It is regrettable that this municipality through taxation is now expending about $40,000 each year for the care of the tubercular without obtaining better results.
It is a ridiculous farce which allows tubercular milk to be sold to our citizens which will give tuberculosis to our children and make us spend this enormous amount and tremendous effort to care for them afterwards, and even then reach but a comparative few. One-half of this amount would pay for the purchase and elimination of every tubercular cow in the city.
202
CITY OF QUINCY
Our best and most economic work in fighting tuberculosis during the past year has been the establishment of our weekly clinic for under- nourished children at the Dispensary. Here we reach not only the under- nourished from all causes but particularly the pre-tubercular at the time in life when infection by tuberculosis takes place and when it may best be prevented or cured.
A summer camp for such children is also desirable from an economic viewpoint.
During the past year, our one child's welfare and pre-natal clinic has been increased to four, clinics being now held weekly at the Dispensary, at Atlantic, West Quincy and Quincy Point, with another about to be established at Wollaston.
The Health Department laboratory, located at the Quincy City Hos- pital, did splendid work under Dr. Knowlton's activity and willingness. Here regular and adequate bacteriological and chemical examinations of our milk and milk products are made, and here, also, for the first time in our city, syphilis is being publicly scientifically diagnosed and treated.
A few cases of hydrophobia in animals appeared in Quincy during the summer months. Information relative to its presence and to the nature of the disease, and an appeal and advice to our citizens to restrain their dogs, was immediately and repeatedly given by this Department. The advice was generally followed, but several human beings were bitten by rabid dogs and one most regrettable death followed.
A campaign of instruction has been carried out during the year that we might give the Schick test to our children and permanently immunize them against diphtheria, thereby wiping out diphtheria entirely from the city.
This we are now prepared to do and are awaiting the permission of the School Department to begin active immunization.
Deaths as a result of whooping cough are still as numerous as from any two other of the so-called contagious diseases; and until our citizens will report and isolate cases of whooping cough, this regrettable condition will continue.
Several large "hootch" stills have been driven out of Quincy by this department. One popular bootlegger, etc., having contributed to a death by alcohol was also persuaded to permanently leave the city.
The enormous pollution by oil of the Fore and Town Rivers as well as the obnoxious odors from the Massachusetts Oil Refining Company at East Braintree have been reduced to a minimum through active co-opera- tion with the other towns affected and with the State Department of Public Health. The Oil Refining Company is to continue to operate but with proper safeguards against such pollution.
Fortunately Quincy is adequately drained of surface water from its five watersheds by the Neponset River, Sachem Brook, Furnace Brook, Town River and Brook and the Fore River. Portions of these streams have had no attention for many years. As natural drains have been closed by new houses and streets, the width and depth of these waterways have become absolutely inadequate and great pools of stagnant water which may be likened to great cesspools and swampy areas exist, where previously there was tillable and safe land of economic value.
The old system of yearly cleaning of brooks and drains and of drainage of such areas by the city must be adopted again to remove the unsanitary conditions now existing.
Much of the ice used in the city comes from these polluted watersheds and, as the number of inhabitants on these watersheds increases, such ice is always a potential source of disease. Repeated examinations show that some of this ice is dangerous for contact with food and drink. Regulations have been prepared to control this danger, but their adoption and enforce-
203
REPORT OF DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
ment cannot entirely eliminate it. Such ice should never be used for con- tact with food and drink.
Ice cream sold in the city has been painstakingly and repeatedly examined in our laboratory. It has been always found to be of reasonably good quality but with a much higher bacterial content than milk.
Pigs have been eliminated from the city, - thereby removing one of our worst sanitary errors.
Recent adequate regulations and enforcements have eliminated most of the sanitary errors and causes of disease in our bakeries, restaurants, stores and barber shops. The proprietors affected have almost to a man heartily co-operated with us and have repeatedly expressed their appreciation of doing business under these improvements. Under present conditions and inspections, the tremendous food supplies sold here are absolutely safe- guarded and it is next to impossible to purchase polluted or dangerous food or drink in this city.
Flies are slowly but surely disappearing. This is being brought about by prompt fly-proofing and removal of garbage and manure. The persistent and unreasonable obstinacy of a few householders to cleanliness of their own premises is gradually but surely being overcome. Many areas in the city are entirely free from flies during the entire year.
Our efforts against mosquitoes, although diligent and inodern, have not met with more than moderate success. Better drainage, individual efforts on the part of each householder to keep his premises free from breeding places, a larger appropriation and co-operation with the state and adjoining municipalities are essential for a further reduction of our mosquito nuisance.
The offices of the Health Departinent returned last spring to City Hall and are ample and designed for efficiency.
The loyalty and hard, good work of its personnel have been splendid and self-sacrificing. Overtime work in emergencies, without pay, has been freely and unhesitatingly given, and the thanks and appreciation of the city is hereby extended to them.
The laborers, engaged in constant heavy, disagreeable and at times nauseating work, are underpaid, compared with others in city departments. A revision of the wages of laborers and chauffeurs should be made at once to equalize their pay in all departments. Overtime work should be paid for whenever the exigencies of the service require such overtime or added vacation should be given to equalize such overtime.
A revision of the regulations of the Health Department, the plumbing ordinance, all extracts of the City Ordinances which pertain to health and extracts from the General Laws of the Commonwealth have been com- piled in this office and are ready for printing. This will make easily ac- cessible to every one all ordinary health laws and regulations in one volume.
In vacating the office of Health Commissioner, I wish to express my deep appreciation of the people of Quincy, particularly my co-workers in the city and state governments and the inedical profession whose hearty co-operation has inade my tenure of office not a distasteful task, as this office may be, but a continuation of an earnest, congenial and gratifying duty.
Suffering, disease and death, with the tremendous economic losses that they entail, can only be fought successfully by self-sacrificing community co-operation. May enlightenment soon come, without heart-breaking experience, to those who through intent or ignorance have hampered our work.
Your attention is called to the appended reports.
FRED E. JONES, M.D.
204
CITY OF QUINCY
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT
I hereby submit the annual report of the Department of Health for the year ending December 31, 1922.
The personnel of the department is as follows: -
Commissioner of Health and Inspector of Milk.
Superintendent.
Clerk.
Sanitary Inspector.
Assistant Milk Inspector.
Foreman of the Ash and Garbage Collection.
Plumbing Inspector.
Inspector of Meats and Provisions.
Dispensary Physician.
Child Welfare Physician.
Venereal Disease Physician.
Bacteriologist.
Tuberculosis Nurse.
Contagious Nurse.
Child Welfare Nurse.
Inspector of Animals and Slaughtering.
Under date of May 1, 1922, this department moved from temporary quarters in the Central Building to new and spacious quarters in City Hall. The foreman of the ash and garbage collections and the various inspectors, nurses and doctors have performed their duties in an able and conscientious manner.
Appended you will find the report of the various inspectors and nurses, also my report of diseases and deaths reported for the year 1922.
Respectfully submitted, THOMAS G. SMITH, Superintendent of Health Department.
REPORT OF FOREMAN
JANUARY 23, 1923.
Dr. MICHAEL T. SWEENEY, Health Commissioner, Quincy, Mass.
DEAR SIR: - I herewith submit my annual report for the year ending December 31, 1922.
Ashes and Rubbish collected by Months
Cubic Yards 2,899
January
February
2,653
March
2,966
April
2,490
May
2,250
June .
1,203
July
1,039
August
1,297
September
1,158
October
1,905
November
2,202
December
2,856
Total
24,918
205
REPORT OF DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
Cubic Yards
Amount of garbage collected
7,560
Cesspool matter collected
1,240
Vault matter collected .
431
Dead animals buried :
Dogs
43
Cats
84
Sheep
1
Goats
2
Yours respectfully, JAMES BROGAN, Foreman.
REPORT OF SANITARY INSPECTOR
JANUARY 2, 1923.
To the Health Commissioner.
I herewith respectfully submit my report as Sanitary Inspector for the year ending December 31, 1922.
Privy Vaults
The large number of privy vaults in the city of Quincy at the present time is a disgrace to our civic pride and the greatest menace now existing to our public health. The morbidity rate for diphtheria, scarlet fever, typhoid fever and tuberculosis which is shown in the table below makes an interesting study. The table which covers a period of seven years, 1915 to 1921, inclusive, shows that in Ward 4, where there are inore privy vaults than in any other part of the city, that the morbidity rate is also greater. In fact it is almost as great as Ward 5 and 6 combined. These two wards have fewer privy vaults than any other part of the city.
Other conditions being equal, the greater the number of privy vaults the greater the morbidity rate.
During the month of May a circular letter, entitled "The Dangerous Privy Vaults," was sent to owners of premises where privy vaults are located asking them to have flush toilets installed and do away with the vaults. Another letter was sent out in August and as a result 105 vaults were done away with during 1922.
There are, however, 698 remaining and this department should redouble its efforts to convince people that the privy vaults must go if Quincy is to remain at the head of the list of healthiest cities in the state.
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