USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1875 > Part 12
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expense of medical treatment; the entire expense for that one individual from January to December, the time of his death, was $440.00.
During the year there have been many persons in the various insane asylums whose expenses have been borne by our city. There are now but three such persons, as two of those who were on our last year's list have died, and the others have sufficiently re- covered to be discharged. The expense of one insane person who died early in the past year, had been borne for many years by our city, notwithstanding the fact that he was under a guardian, and was the owner of real estate, the value of which would entirely reimburse the city for all expenses on his account. A bill for such expenses has been presented to the administratrix, but as yet re- mains unsettled.
We are still with no hospital accommodations within our city's limits or elsewhere, and in consequence are often put to great in- convenience ourselves, to find suitable places for the boarding and nursing of the sick poor. We know of no other city of 22,000 in- habitants in a civilized community which has no hospital accom- modations for its poor ; and, although we have sought in each instance to provide the homeless sick with comfortable board, nurs- ing and medical attendance, and have usually succeeded in so doing, yet there have been instances that for humanity's sake we should have removed the sick to more comfortable quarters, had it been within our power.
As we have as yet no almshouse, such of our poor as were en- tirely without a home have been provided with one at the Charles- town Almshouse, although we were informed more than a year ago, by the Board of Directors of Public Institutions of Boston, that it had become necessary for them to use the room occupied by persons belonging to Somerville, and requesting us to remove as soon as possible the inmates of that house having a settlement in Somerville. We have thus far been unable to comply with this reasonable request from Boston.
201
How much longer we shall be permitted to board our poor at that institution, it does not come within our province to say, and we would state in this connection that we have been unable to find any city or town willing to enter into arrangements to board our poor. The time may soon come when we shall be obliged either to erect an almshouse of our own, or to provide homes in private families for such as we now board at the almshouse of the Charles- town District, and in our judgment the time has already come when a suitable building should be procured and fitted up for hospital purposes.
The whole number of tramps that have been lodged and fed at the Police Station has been 1,414, at a cost of $181.81. The law giving to the Overseers of the Poor the power to require of per- sons not residing in the city, who have received food and lodging at the city's expense a reasonable amount of labor as compensa- tion therefor, has in no case been enforced, as we have had under our control no work for them to perform.
There is a statute law that all children between the ages of five and fifteen years, shall attend school a portion of each year, and our city in accordance therewith, has generously provided by the erection and furnishing of suitable school houses, and the employ- ment of competent teachers, for the education of all such children ; yet there are many who for the want of comfortable clothing, are unable to attend school. In some instances which have come to our notice we have supplied the want.
The whole number of families who have received temporary aid during the year is 421, and the whole number of persons com- prised in those families is 1,377.
The whole number of persons who have received full support during the whole or part of the year is 14. This includes eight persons who have been boarded at the Charlestown and Cam- bridge almshouses, and six at insane asylums.
The net expense to the city for the support of the poor has been $14,102.63.
26
202
In closing we would express our thanks to all persons who have either by word or deed contributed to assist us in our work, to the benevolent societies for their timely co-operation in dispensing necessary charities to the destitute and suffering, and to the City Council for the appropriations which have enabled us to give to so great an extent, that aid and relief, which the past year has re- quired ; and we would express the hope that the coming centennial year in our national government, will bring a revival in every branch of industry, that persons of every lawful trade and occupa- tion, may find sufficient employment to enable them to comfortably support themselves and families.
ANSEL LEWIS, THOMAS CUNNINGHAM, HORACE CHAPIN, Sec'y, Overseers of the Poor.
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE CITY CLERK.
STATISTICS OF BIRTHS, MARRIAGES AND DEATHS IN 1875.
The statistics of Births, Marriages and Deaths in the City of Somerville, for the year 1875, are as follows :-
BIRTHS.
Number of births registered in 1875,
733
Less than last year,
279
Number of males,
353
Number of females,
380
733
Born of American parents,
267
Born of foreign parents,
362
American male and foreign female,
35
Foreign male and American female,
51
Unknown,
18
733
There were seven cases of twins.
One case of triplets.
MARRIAGES.
Number of intentions issued in 1875, 6
165
Less than last year, 51
Number of marriages registered,
147
NATIONALITY OF THOSE REGISTERED.
Both parties American, 76
Both parties foreign, 35
14
Foreign groom and American bride,
16
Unknown,
American groom and foreign bride,
6
147
204:
First marriage, Second marriage, Unknown,
264
26
4
Number of couples,
147
Oldest person married,
60
Youngest person married,
18
DEATHS.
Whole number of deaths registered in 1875, More than last year,
500
10
Ages.
Males.
Females.
Total.
Under 10,
263
119
144
263
Between 10 and 20,
27
10
17
27
66
30
" 40,
35
18
17
35
40
" 50,
30
15
15
30
50
60,
28
14
14
28
60
"
70,
39
21
18
39
66
70
6
80,
28
15
13
28
66
80
" 90,
16
7
9
16
1
1
2
108,
1
1
1
500
234
266
500
The age of the oldest person who died during the year was 108 years.
Born in Somerville,
206
Other places in the United States,
194
Foreign,
98
Unknown,
2
500
CHARLES E. GILMAN,
City Clerk.
294
20 “ 30,
31
14
17
31
90 " 100,
2
CITY GOVERNMENT FOR 1875.
MAYOR WILLIAM FURBER. MOUNT VERNON STREET. (Office, City Hall).
ALDERMEN.
E. A. CURTIS, C. G. ROWELL,
Mount Vernon Street. Pearl Street.
Ward 2.
Prospect Street. Berkley Street.
Ward 3.
Broadway. Broadway.
Ward 4.
Chestnut Court. Chestnut Court.
COMMON COUNCIL.
S. M. PENNOCK, President, Sycamore Street.
Ward 1.
H. R. BISHOP, RICHARD E. NICKERSON, MARK LAIGHTON, J. MCCARTHY,
Broadway. Pearl Street. Broadway. Linwood Street.
Ward 2.
Q. A. VINAL, JAMES LONG, WILLIAM H. GRANT, DOUGLAS FRAZAR,
Aldersey Street. School Street. Concord Avenue. Somerville Avenue.
Ward 3.
Chester Street. Sycamore Street. Marshall Street. Sycamore Street.
STEWART FRENCH, S. M. PENNOCK, B. P. LOVEJOY, C. W. SAWYER,
Ward 1.
CLARK BENNETT, R. L. SPEAR,
J. T. GLINES, S. LITTLEFIELD,
T. H. LORD, JOHN HARRINGTON,
206
Ward 4.
J. B. DAVID, W. A. MUZZEY, E. S. POTTER, J. C. NICHOLS,
Belmont Street. Newbury Street. Wallace Street. Central Street.
CITY CLERK.
CHARLES E. GILMAN.
(Office, City Hall).
CITY TREASURER.
AARON SARGENT.
(Office, City Hall).
CITY MESSENGER.
JAIRUS MANN. (Office, City Hall).
CITY ENGINEER.
CHARLES D. ELLIOT. (Office, City Hall).
CITY SOLICITOR.
CHARLES ROBINSON, JR., of Newton, (Office, City Hall).
CITY PHYSICIAN.
HORACE CHAPIN, (Office, Union Square).
CLERK OF COMMON COUNCIL.
SOLOMON DAVIS, Cross Street.
CHIEF OF POLICE.
MELVILLE C. PARKHURST,
Somerville Avenue. (Office, Police Station) .
SUPERINTENDENT OF STREETS.
FRANKLIN HENDERSON, Central Street.
CHIEF ENGINEER OF FIRE DEPARTMENT. JAMES R. HOPKINS, Wigglesworth Street.
SUPERINTENDENT OF SEWERS.
ALBERT KENNESON, Broadway.
WATER BOARD.
CHRISTOPHER E. RYMES, Chairman,
Summer Street.
ROBERT A. VINAL, Clerk,
CUTLER DOWNER,
Walnut Street. Central Street. Oak Street.
THOMAS CUNNINGHAM,
HORACE HASKINS,
Franklin Street.
207
OVERSEERS OF POOR.
WILLIAM H. FURBER, (Mayor) ,
Chairman, ex officio,
Mount Vernon Street. (Office, City Hall) .
HORACE CHAPIN, Secretary,
THOMAS CUNNINGHAM,
ANSEL LEWIS,
(Office, Union Square). Oak Street. Webster Street.
ASSESSORS.
JOHN C. MAGOUN, Chairman,
THOMAS C. CUNNINGHAM,
Oak Street.
JOHN C. TENNEY,
Mystic Av.
City
GEORGE I. VINCENT, Clerk,
Cherry St.
Hall).
SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
HON. WILLIAM H. FURBER, Chairman, ex officio. SAMUEL M. PENNOCK, President of Common Council, ex officio. JOSHUA H. DAVIS, Secretary and Superintendent.
Ward 1.
S. S. WOODCOCK, HENRY M. MOORE, S. HANSCOM, M. D.,
Pearl Street. Myrtle Street. Perkins Street.
M. F. FARRELL, DANIEL E. CHASE, REV. H. H. BARBER,
Ward 2.
Grand View Avenue.
Park Street. Highland Avenue.
Ward 3.
REUBEN WILLIS, M. D., JAMES E. WHITNEY, HENRY F. SPENCER,
Broadway. Sycamore Street. Sycamore Street.
Ward 4.
CHARLES F. KING, BENJAMIN G. BROWN, HORACE CHAPIN,
Summer Street. Professors' Row. Beach Street.
JOINT STANDING COMMITTEES OF THE CITY COUNCIL FOR 1875.
Accounts -Aldermen Spear and Glines, Councilmen Bishop, David and Frazar.
Burial Grounds .- Aldermen Harrington and Littlefield, Coun- cilmen Laighton, Lovejoy and Long.
Broadway. (Office,
208
Claims .- Mayor, and Alderman Rowell, the President of the Council, Councilmen Laighton and Nichols.
Finance .- Mayor, President of the Council, Aldermen Bennett and Rowell, Councilmen Vinal, Nichols, Sawyer and Nickerson.
Fuel and Lights .- Aldermen Harrington and Curtis, Council- men Lovejoy, Bishop and Long.
Fire Department .- Aldermen Lord and Curtis, Councilmen Nickerson, French and David.
Highways .- Aldermen Glines and Lord, Councilmen Laighton, Vinal and Sawyer.
Health .- Aldermen Spear and Harrington, Councilmen McCar- thy, Grant and Muzzey.
Ordinances .- Aldermen Rowell and Lord, Councilmen Potter, Frazar and McCarthy.
Public Property -Aldermen Curtis and Spear, Councilmen Love- joy, Muzzey and Grant.
Printing .- Alderman Spear, Councilmen Long and Potter.
State Aid and Soldiers' Relief .- Aldermen Rowell and Bennett, Councilmen David, Nickerson and French.
Water .- Aldermen Curtis and Littlefield, the President of the Council, Councilmen Nichols and Long.
STANDING COMMITTEES OF THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN.
Drains and Sewers .- Aldermen Bennett, Glines and Rowell.
Elections .- Aldermen Littlefield and Harrington. Enrolled Ordinances .- Aldermen Rowell and Lord. Licenses .- Aldermen Bennett and Littlefield. Police .- Mayor, and Aldermen Curtis and Lord.
COMMITTEES OF COMMON COUNCIL.
Elections and Returns .- Councilmen Bishop, Grant and Potter.
Enrolled Ordinances and Resolutions .- Councilmen Muzzey, French and Frazar.
352
S69 1875
C 2 REF. STACK
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