USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1883 > Part 9
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WORK OF DEPARTMENT SHOPS.
There were made and lined in the shops of the department 7,670 feet of cement-lined pipe, and 285 new service connections. Twelve gates and eight hydrants were repaired ; 425 large iron clamps, and all clamps and appliances for services were fitted, and innumerable repairs made incidental to the business of the works.
172
ANNUAL REPORTS.
STOCK ACCOUNT.
Pipe lined
$235 00
Pipe unlined
199 38
Sheet-iron branches lined .
8 00
Sheet-iron branches unlined
7 00
Sleeves on hand
22 16
Gates on hand
74 30
Cast-iron pipe
8 44
Gate frames and covers
69 00
Cast-iron branches
221 44
Hydrants
746 11
Clamp sleeves
53 11
Tools for water works
2,128 70
Sundry material
241 21
Water service material
679 61
Tools for water service
379 40
Stable department
1,260 81
Office furniture
198 00
Total
. $6,531 67
173
SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.
WATER PIPE LAID, GATES AND HYDRANTS SET IN 1883.
LOCATION.
S in.
1 in.
2 in.
4 in.
6 in.
1 in.
2 in.
4 in.
6 in.
8 in.
22 in. Hyd'nt
pipe
laid.
Bleachery Ct. .
Bond St., from Heath St. southerly .
Boston St., from Prospect Hill Ave. northwesterly .
Chapel St., from Elm St. westerly
98'
Chauncey Ave., Broadway to Jaques St ..
Columbus Ave., near Walnut St. Davis Sq. (east of Dover St. main) . Elin St., between Morrison and Chapel Sts.
40'
71
63'
1
Fairmount St., from Curtis St. west- erly
Fountain Ave.
116'
222
55'
High St., from Prospect Hill Ave. northwesterly
211 6!
1
302
1
Leon St. .
Lowell St., Medford St. to Vernon St. Madison St., from School St. westerly Melvin St. .
Mystic St., from Benedict St. north- erly
175'
381/2"
1
Olive Sq. .
72'
206'
35'
Somerville Ave., near Franklin Ct.
21'
Tennyson St., from Medford St. south- erly
2771
Benedict St.
Somerville Ave., near Linwood St. .
Somerville Ave., between Linwood and Poplar Sts. .
Somerville Ave., east of Medford St.
Somerville Ave., west of Medford S :. Tufts St., near Cross St.
Tremont St.
.
.
.
4/
GATES DISCONTINUED.
Somerville Ave., cor. Medford St. . Somerville Ave., near Medford St.,
(blow-off) .
.
BLOW-OFF DISCONTINUED.
Somerville Ave., near Medford St. .
8
184 4 /
136'2''
408'6/7
.
.
.
.
.
1
1.
.
.
1
1 . 13
460 6
.
1
104'6
1
New Church St.
.
Oxford St., from Central St. easterly
School St., near Broadway .
187
1
184'
1
Frazier St. .
George St., near Lincoln St.
253
354'4'
Hudson St., from Cedar St. easterly Joy. Street Pl.
1164 80
1
1
.
.
I
6 in.
Distribution Pipe laid.
Stop-Gates set.
Hydrants set.
1
680/
174
ANNUAL REPORTS.
WATER PIPE RELAID IN 1883.
LOCATION.
2 in.
3 in.
4 in.
6 in.
8 in.
Austin St. .
310/
Benedict St.
4/
Belmont St.
7
Bond St. ..
5/
Chester St., off Cross St.
Craigie St. .
71
Cross St., near Alston St.
5/
Cross St .. near Medford St.
5/
Dane St.
8
Elm St.
5/
Elm St., near Grove St.
6'
Emerson St. .
20/
Everett St. .
71
Fountain Ave.
Franklin St.
14'
Franklin St., near Oliver St.
7/
Jaques St.
771
Linden St. .
5'
Linwood St.
10/6/
Linwood St., cor. Fitchburg St.
5/
Maple St.
27
Marshall St.
~
6
Merriam St.
Morrison St.
6/
Myrtle St. .
71
Mystic Ave.
Newbury St.
5/
Prescott St.
5/
Poplar St. .
14'
Poplar St., near Somerville Ave.
6/
Prospect St. .
8ª
Shawmut St., near Alston St.
Skehan St. .
14
Somerville Ave., from
Medford St. to East
Cambridge line . .
Somerville Ave., near Cambridge line ‹‹
5/
66
46 Medford St.
11'
opposite Linden St.
6
Tenny Ct. .
7/
Vinal Ave., near Summer S
Vine St. . .
Walnut St., near Broadway
Warren Ave. .
Washington St.
Respectfully submitted,
N. DENNETT,
Superintendent.
2079/
66 Railroad crossing
Poplar St .
near Spring St.
Beacon St.
5/
8/ cão in co ão 6
Homer Sq. .
3/
Medford St.
14/
Fitchburg St.
REPORT
OF THE
OVERSEERS OF THE POOR.
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
IN BOARD OF MAYOR AND ALDERMEN, Feb. 13, 1884.
Referred to the Committee on Printing, to be printed with the Annual Reports for 1883. Sent down for concurrence.
CHARLES E. GILMAN, Clerk.
In COMMON COUNCIL, Feb. 14, 1884.
Concurred in.
DOUGLAS FRAZAR, Clerk.
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
OFFICE OF OVERSEERS OF THE POOR, Feb. 12, 1884.
To the Mayor and City Council:
GENTLEMEN :- Again it becomes the duty of the Board of Over- seers of the Poor to present you an abstract of their proceedings for the past year. The Secretary submits, in various tables, such information in regard to the workings of the Board as will be essential to the comprehension of the same.
The table containing Receipts and Expenditures for the year shows an excess of $103.47 above receipts, also a decrease in expense since last year, of $430.84. By comparing Table No. 1 with last year's report, it will be seen that in some items there is an increase, in others a decrease, leaving the average require- ment at about $15,000 for appropriation for the coming year ; for which amount the Board respectfully petition. For the last six months of the past year, one member of the Board, Captain Lewis, Overseer and Storekeeper, has been an invalid. His duties as overseer, and in part as storekeeper, have been performed with pleasure by his associates. From the reports of his friends there is very little hope of a favorable result in his case. The store has been conducted the past year, on the same basis as before, with about the same results, giving the Poor more groceries for the money without extra cost to the city.
The Board still repeat the statement that an Almshouse is re- quired for the economical and humane care of the poor.
On account of the illness of Captain Lewis, no report from the store is given.
JESSE J. UNDERHILL, THOMAS CUNNINGHAM, Overseers of the Poor.
12
178
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Table No. 1.
Total number of families aided by orders in city
173
66
persons aided
559
orders for Groceries
1,120
66 Fuel
632
66
66 Boots, Shoes, Clothing, etc.
160
66 66 orders ..
1,912
66 city families
108
66
66 persons in same .
324
families chargeable to other towns and cities . .
24
66
persons in same
S2
66 unsettled families in part paid by State
41
66
persons in same .
153
chargeable to Somerville families and individual persons 59
Cost of said aid
$2,405 70
No. of persons or families for whom board is paid Cost of same 2,051 21
66
families for whom rent is paid
25
Cost of same .
1,059 46
66 persons in public institutions, insane, idiotic,
prisoners, truants, etc. 44
Cost of same 4,439 13
Burials
25
Cost of same
340 00
Table No. 2.
BOARD IN PRIVATE FAMILIES.
James Garvin $156 30
Garvin children .
184 30
Sullivan 66 209 98
Wm. J. Abbott
242 99
Children Tom Kelley
156 42
M. Murphy
103 71
Sylvester Sullivan
123 32
G. W. Littlefield
192 00
Wm. Mclaughlin
60 00
J. J. Rogers 19 71
Edward Dempsey 126 00
Amount carried forward $1,574 73
23
66
66 cases aided by other towns and cities
66
66
66
179
REPORT OF THE OVERSEERS OF THE POOR.
Amount brought forward . $1,574 73
Richard McGrath
108 12
A. Wilson .
180 00
Thomas Haddin
11 25
Isabella Carl
6 23
James McKeough
55 00
Thomas Garvin
60 85
Daniel O'Hara
5 00
Ann McDonnell .
7 00
Patrick Connell
14 00
Children of Richard Williams
4 00
Ellen Sharp
15 00
$2,041 23
Table No. 3. .
RENTS.
Mrs. Thomas Quinn
$48 00
Martin Grady
66 00
Mary E. Nowlan
60 00
Mrs. P. Flaherty
36 00
Ellen Sullivan
4S 00
Mrs. M. Goodwin
66 00
Susan Donnelly
53 00
Patrick Gallagher
60 00
Hannah Durgin
40 70
Ann Nolan
36 00
Mrs. J. Purcell
60 00
E. H. Elliott
35 50
T. McDermott .
62 95
Mrs. P. Mahoney
2 00
Mrs. M. Porter
24 00
Dennis Tinnan .
48 00
Thomas Moran
60 00
Ellen Downey
65 00
Mrs. John Hays
7 00
Mrs. Ellen Driscoll
7 00
Margaret Fogerty
12 00
Rose Connors
18 80
Kate Leonard 10 00
Mr. J. Fenton
20 00
Ellen Grady
48 00
Tom Mahoney
48 00
$1.041 95
180
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Table No. 4.
PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS.
PERSONS SUPPORTED IN VARIOUS INSANE ASYLUMS.
Name.
Name of Place.
Cost of Support.
Hannah B. Mayo,
Worcester
$232 66
Artenatus Moore,
66
190 91
Harriet A. Locke,
170 27
John McIntosh,
66
5 99
Simon Hallett,
66
176 42
Bridget Bradburn,
.
66
170 60
Chas. F. Williams,
66
96 42
Mary Lahey,
Northampton
178 62
Patrick Donnelly,
Worcester
176 25
Susan E. Mclaughlin,
66
181 97
Mary Murphy,
Danvers
178 97
Mary A. Foster,
Taunton
1SS 44
John W. Knowles,
Danvers
170 58
Ellen Cronin,
170 43
Robert C. Havey,
178 23
Mary J. McGillicuddy,
169 55
Ellen Cremins,
171 76
Bridget Lyons,
66
175 18
Ellen Garvin,
184 83
Lydia C. Webster,
66
169 45
Mary J. Whittimore,
66
50 82
Edwin R. Prescott,
66
176 11
Catherine McGurk,
66
14 39
Lucinda Dacy,
66
114 36
Anna L. Conlan.
103 89
$3,797 10
PERSONS SUPPORTED IN STATE WORKHOUSE.
Michael Doyle
$54 25
John Scanlan
46 00
Honora Sullivan .
1 00
Patrick Mahoney
33 50
4
134 75
Amount carried forward
. $3,931 85
181
REPORT OF THE OVERSEERS OF THE POOR.
Amount brought forward $3,931 85
PERSONS SUPPORTED IN STATE REFORM SCHOOL.
Patrick Durant $43 85
Edward Brennan
29 00
72 85
PERSONS SUPPORTED IN TAUNTON ALMSHOUSE.
William Martin . $ 6 00
Charles F. Martin . 52 17
58 17
PERSONS SUPPORTED IN HOUSE OF CORRECTION.
Chas. Connors
Mary McCue
41 14
John Rogers
Margaret MeCarr
PERSONS SUPPORTED IN CITY OF BOSTON ALMSHOUSE.
Catherine McGurk
40 73
PERSONS SUPPORTED IN TRUANT SCHOOL, LOWELL.
Andrew Collins
$67 71
Frank Strong .
67 71
Henry Daniels
14 26
Hugh McFarlan
67 71
217 39
PERSONS SUPPORTED IN MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL.
Mary McLaughlin
$71 00
Thomas Porter
6 00
$77 00
Total
$4,439 13
182
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Table No. 5.
BURIALS BY OVERSEERS OF THE POOR, AND TO WHOM CHARGEABLE.
Names.
Amounts.
To whom chargeable.
Cornelia Babcock .
$8 00
Salem
M. M. Green
20 00
State
Carrie Carnette . .
12 00
Charles Robert
12 00
Thomas Porter
10 00
66
Mary Porter
10 00
66
Charles Porter
14 00
66
John Ferris .
20 00
66
Samuel Vinton
10 00
David McBride
5 00
66
B. Pazen
25 00
66
Rose Pazen
16 00
66
Douglas McFee
23 00
William Thomas
12 00
66
John Sullivan
10 00
66
L. Howe .
5 00
John Murphy
20 00
Somerville
Willie Laird
10 00
66
John Rogers
20 00
66
Charles Laird
15 00
66
Thomas Garvin
10 00
66
Dennis McCue
11 00
Maria A. Mahoney
5 00
66
Julia Mahoney
20 00
Patrick Donnelly
17 00
$340 00
SUMMARY.
State
.
204 00
City
128 00
Salem
8 00
340 00
66
Table No. 6.
SHOWING AMOUNTS OF ORDERS DELIVERED FROM OFFICE OF THE OVERSEERS OF POOR TO PERSONS HAVING A SETTLEMENT IN SOMERVILLE AND OTHER TOWNS AND CITIES, AND UNSETTLED CASES.
1883.
ORDERS FOR CITY POOR.
POOR OF OTHER TOWNS AND CITIES.
ORDERS FOR UNSETTLED POOR.
TOTAL ORDERS GIVEN.
Orders.
Groceries.
Fuel.
Orders.
Dry Goods, Clothing, etc.
Orders.
Groceries.
Orders.
Orders.
Dry Goods, Cl'th'g etc.
Orders.
Groceries.
Orders.
Orders.
Dry Goods, Clothing, etc.
Orders.
Groceries.
Fuel.
Clothing.
Total.
Jan.
9
53
$ 89 30
23
$ 56 35
12
$16 75
14
$23 55 10
$21 55
$7 25
3
$ 3 75
8
$19 60
1
50
128
$116 60
$ 97 50
$$24 50
$238 60
23
60
98 25
49
121 65
8
11 75
15
24 75 7
15 70
6 00
9
16 00 12
30 55
5
10 75
168
139 00
167 90
28 50
335 40
Feb.
6
72
117 10
22
55 50
7
10 70
11
24 251 9
20 10
3
4 25 12
24 70 10
24 50
9 90
150
166 05
100 10
24 85
291 00
March 6
72
125 40
47
112 66
13 00
15
28 20 10
22 781
8 10 11
20 50, 9
20 83
178
174 10
156 27
21 10
351 47
20
62
108 25
38
91 00
7
10 25
31 001
19 50
1
3 00 11
21 80
17 15
147
161 05
127 65
13 25
301 95
April 3
17
49
80 76
18
38 45
1
1 50
10
4
4
8 00
86
106 51
48 73
1 50
156 74
May
1
46
118 95
13
31 06
5
16 50|
12
27 25
2 45
4
7 50
3 70
83
153 70
37 21
16 50
207 41
21
30
91 00
12
14 84
8
13 00
8 50
1 55
2 00
56
101 50
16 39
13 00
130 89
June
26
40
108 35
17 42
7 75
19 50
80
65
127 85
18 22
7 75
153 82
July
24
35
87 75
12
12 55
11 75
5
11 25
1 50
8 00
1 2 45
61
107 00
16 50
11 75
135 25
Aug.
28
38
97 50
12
12 90
8
13 90
22 50
2 40
12 50
1
1 50
132 50
15 30
15 40
163 20
Sept.
25
38
101 79
21
41 55
10
23 00
15 00
( 40)
1
1 00
79
117 79
47 95
23 00
188 74
Oct.
23
42
87 00
30
77 65
4
6 75
8
13 85
1
3 00
92
114 25
91 50
6 75
212 50
Nov.
20
38
106 50
43
109 15
11
24 30
16 80 5
12 25
16 00
3
7 35
111
139 30
128 75
24 30
292 35
Dee.
62
156 19
112 60
6
11 75
12
33 80 10
26 33
2 00 19
47 45
20 83
160
237 14
159 76
13 75
410 95
853 $1,770 34 476 $1,088 55 127
$222 25 171
$376 40 91
$199 29 21 $34 10 96
$215 20
$160 44 12
$23 90 1912
$2361 91 $1,448 28
4280 25 $4,090 47
7
12 751 3
7 35
1
50 5
11 30: 4
9 80
1
1 25
133
126 05
123 00
13 60
262 65
20
57
102 00/ 451
105 85
10
11 85
17 75
35 30
14 50
2
3 00
11 70
3 68
135
141 25
95 55
20 75
257 55
17 75
10 28
1
15
3
5
4
-1
-
183
REPORT OF THE OVERSEERS OF THE POOR.
. .
5
50
94. 25
77 37
12
16
7
18
6
3
1
13
5
4
8
24 251
6
Fuel.
Fuel.
Date.
Orders.
-
0710
18
184
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Table No. 7.
RECEIPTS AND DISBURSEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1SS3.
Rec'd City Appropriation $14,000 00
Paid for Board in Private Families
$2,051 21
66 City of Boston
666 37
"
House Rents 1,059 46
66 Chelsea 48 20
66
Lawrence
23 95
" Groceries and Pro- visions
2,351 26
66
" Newton .
12 85
66 66 Salaries of Overseers 1,400 00 Dry Goods, Shoes, and Clothing Fuel 66
364 41
66
City of Cambridge .
13 43
66 Sundries
252 65
66
State of Mass.
595 33
Other Towns and
66
Town of Gardner 62 25
Cities
2,405 70
Arlington.
111 35
66
66 " Manchester
27 95
66 66 " Sandwich .
26 55
66 Burials 340 00
Highway Com. Labor
S1 00
66 Rents refunded . . 29 50
Excess of Expenditure
103 47
$15,959 80
$15,959 80
Town of Woburn .
28 80
" Natick . .
75 80
1,295 98
" Wakefield. 6 00
" Public Institutions, Care of Insane, Idi- otic, etc.
4,439 13
66 " Malden
36 50
66 Town of Salem 10 50
THOMAS CUNNINGHAM,
Secretary.
REPORT
OF THE
BOARD OF HEALTH.
1
CITY OF, SOMERVILLE.
IN BOARD OF MAYOR AND ALDERMEN, Jan. 30, 1884.
Referred to the Committee on Printing, to be printed with the annual reports for 1883. Sent down for concurrence.
CHARLES E. GILMAN, Clerk.
IN COMMON COUNCIL, Jan. 30, 1884.
Concurred in.
DOUGLAS FRAZAR, Clerk.
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
OFFICE OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH, CITY HALL, January 30, 1884.
To his Honor the Mayor and the City Council :
GENTLEMEN :- The following is our report for the year ending December 31, 1883, and is the sixth annual report of this board.
MEMBERSHIP.
The membership of the board was not changed during the year. Jan. 9, Mr. Kimball was re-appointed for a term of two years.
ORGANIZATION.
March 1, the following officers were re-elected :
GEORGE A. KIMBALL Chairman.
GEORGE I. VINCENT Clerk.
WM. H. BRINE (40 Houghton St.,) Inspector.
4
NUISANCES.
The following table states the nuisances abated, and the months when they were complained of :
188
ANNUAL REPORTS.
NUISANCES ABATED IN THE YEAR 1883.
*January.
February.
March.
April.
May.
June.
July.
August.
September.
October.
November.
December.
Total.
Ashes in cellar
2
1
1
Cellar damp .
5
6
9
4
3
1
1
1
4
2
3
2
2
1
2
66 under house.
1
1
Connections of drainage-pipes defective .
11
2
15
11
8
3
8
4
2
6
2
72
21
4
7
5
6
7
10
2
5
1
2
70
4
1
5
3
4
1
6
1
5
1
31
Drainage emptying on surface.
6
2
5
2
6
3
4
3
5
1
1
6
7
3
6
6
3
2
2
1
1
3 1
34 7
Manure exposed and offensive
5
5
2
2
1
2
2
2
.
3
No house-drainage facilities. Offal in cellar.
1
on land .
1
2
5
2
3
5
5
1
5
1
7
37
Offensive odor in and about dwellings
1
3
1
4
2
1
1
2
15
Opening in drain-pipe in cellar Premises filthy
1
4
1
2
1
3
2
17
Privy filthy. ..
1
2
1
Privy-vault full.
16
4
15
14
10
4
9
7
2
15
1
2
99 1
66
leaking.
not properly structed
1
1
1
1
4
66
offensive
3
8
7
19 24
16
25
22
7
8
1
1
Slops thrown on surface.
1
4
3
2
2
4
1
2
19
Soil-pipe clogged ..
1
4
1
1
1
2
9
Stable and
stable - premises
2
1
2
1
8
Stagnant water in house-cellar
2
3
8
6
1
2
1
1
1
1
26
Stagnant water on surface
9
4
1
Waste-pipe clogged.
1
1
1
2
3
66 not trapped .
40
11
21
28
22
7
14
16
5
16
5
1
186
Water-closet defective.
4
1
1
.
1
4
1
1
13
insufficiently sup-
2
2
4
2
2
1
1
14
Water-closet not supplied with water
1
1
2
Water-closet offensive.
5
1
3
5
2
1
1
2
4
24
66
not trapped.
1
. .
1
Wooden waste-pipes and drains
6
2
2
1
5
16
156
59
125 132 126
56 108
78
37
82
31
14 1004
1
1
1
Hens kept in cellar.
1
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
3
3
1
8
140
Slaughter-house offensive.
1
1
filthy and offensive
2
14
2
defective
leaking
1
1
plied with water.
1
2
Well-water unfit for use
1
33
Cesspool defective
2
offensive.
10
66
overflowing
1
1
2
Drainage defective 66 emptying into cellar. .
37
Drain-pipe clogged defective
21
3
4
1
con-
not ventilated.
2
2
*Including nuisances referred to us by the Board of 1882.
189
REPORT OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH.
Number of nuisances abated, as per preceding table, 1,004 ; number of nuisances referred to the Board for the year 1884, 171; total, 1,175.
Number of complaints, 564, only 1 of which appeared to have been made without a sufficient cause.
Number of houses ordered vacated, 54; number of these houses since put in habitable condition, 44; number vacated, 3 in compliance with our orders, and 3 by order of the Chief of Police under our direction.
Number of notices sent by mail, 660 ; number served by con- stables, 90 ; and in addition to these we have written 94 letters.
STABLES .- The usual number of complaints have been received of offensive stables, and they relate, in most cases, to stables which are unfit for use on account of their faulty construction, or, more properly speaking, lack of construction. We have not, as yet, resorted to extreme measures, but as the density of our population increases we shall be compelled to deal with these nuisances more rigidly than we have in the past.
Although it may be claimed that stables are not injurious to health, yet if they are " offensive to the senses, and render habita- tion uncomfortable," they are nuisances, in the meaning of the law.
We renew the recommendation made in the first annual report of this board, that the Board of Aldermen do not grant permission to erect a stable unless it is to be placed at such a distance from dwellings as not to cause annoyance, and is to be well drained and ventilated, and provided with a suitable manure-pit; also, that on every petition for permission to erect a stable, a hearing be given to all persons dwelling in the immediate neighborhood.
PERMITS.
Permits were granted to keep swine and goats, and to collect grease, as follows : -
SWINE .- Applications were received for permits to keep 241 swine ; permits were granted for 236, and refused for 5.
GOATS .- Permits were applied for, and granted, to keep 16 goats.
GREASE .- Twenty-one permits to collect grease were applied for, and 20 were granted, of which 14 were issued to residents of
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ANNUAL REPORTS.
Somerville, 3 to residents of Cambridge, 2 to parties doing busi- ness in Boston, and 1 to a firm in Medford ; all of the non-residents having been recommended by the Boards of Health of their respec- tive places of residence.
Recommendations to neighboring Boards of Health for Somer- ville parties to receive licenses to collect grease in their cities, were given as follows :-
To collect in Boston, 5.
To collect in Cambridge, 9.
During the year, the Board of Health of Cambridge granted licenses to 12 Somerville parties to collect grease in that city, and similar licenses were granted to 50 of our citizens by the Board of Health of Boston.
ASHES.
The Highway Department has continued to collect ashes and house-dirt, under our direction, but during the past year the collections were made weekly instead of monthly. This change, which was regarded as an experiment, has proved satisfactory in all respects except the cost, and this has been much greater than we anticipated, it having increased from $1,429.56 in 1882 to $2,416.94 in 1883. The number of loads collected last year, as reported by the Superintendent of Streets, was 7,539.
The collections are made in Ward One on Wednesdays, in Ward Two on Thursdays, in Ward Three on Fridays, and in Ward Four on Saturdays.
HOUSE OFFAL.
Mr. Christopher Burke's contract for the collection of house offal expired June 26th, when, as he was the lowest bidder, a new contract was made with him for three years. The new contract is precisely like the old one except in the item of compensation, which, in the latter, was five hundred dollars per annum and the materials collected, and in the present contract is " the materials collected " only. He is required to make three collections per week in the months of May, June, July, August and September ; two per week in the months of April, October and November, and one each week in the months of December, January, February and March.
The contractor reports that he collected about 220 cords of offal during the year.
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REPORT OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH.
NIGHT SOIL.
The contract with Messrs. Russell and Fitch for the removal of night soil, which expired April 24th, was extended for one year.
They are entitled to charge, under said .contract, for every load or part of a load removed in the mouths of April, May, June, July, August, September, October and November, $3.50 ; and for the same in the months of December, January, February and March, $2.50; a load consisting of eighty cubic feet. The contractors report that 504 loads were removed during the year.
Order-books are kept, as heretofore, at the Police Station on Bow Street and in the grocery store at the corner of Franklin and Perkins Streets.
SEWERS.
It is very necessary that sewerage be provided for the houses on Wyatt, Fairlee; Murdock and Clyde Streets, Brastow, Jenny Lind and Partridge Avenues and Tower Court, as their sewage is now being discharged upon the highways or into cesspools, and causes very serious nuisances.
The several sewer-outlets are in the same condition as stated in our last annual report.
SCHOOL BUILDINGS.
In March last, by request of the School Committee, we made a careful examination of all the school-buildings in the city, and reported in detail the defects found in each building. Some of these defects have received attention ; but in our opinion very serious defects still remain, which it will cost a large sum of money to remedy. As our report to the School Committee is not in print, we repeat the portion relating to the general condition of the buildings.
" VENTILATION .- We are convinced, from our examination of the · school buildings in Somerville, that they are generally defective in the system of ventilation, which in most cases is entirely inade- quate. We also find that the teachers and janitors are generally ignorant and careless in regard to the necessity for pure air. For
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ANNUAL REPORTS.
instance, in the Bell School, in each of the twelve rooms we found every ventilator closed, and there were only one or two teachers in the building who said that they had at any time made use of them, but on examination we found them all in working order.
Every teacher should be instructed to make use of such means of ventilation as are provided, even though they may not be adequate.
The method of ventilating by open windows we consider very dangerous. In many of the buildings, however, it is necessary to make use of the windows for ventilation ; but when this is done during the school session, the greatest caution should be observed. Free use may be made of them during exercises and at recess, and we found this to be the custom in some of the schools. In several instances we occupied a scholar's seat near an open win- dow and could plainly feel the draught. Some of the teachers informed us that they always close the windows when scholars complain of the cold air ; but it seems to us unreasonable to expect a child, under such circumstances, to be cautious enough to protect its health, when even grown people, who are at perfect liberty to consult their own comfort and convenience, suffer so often from colds contracted by heedlessly and unnecessarily exposing them- selves to draughts.
The first duty of a teacher should be to promote healthfulness in her pupils, and the securing of large percentages and frequent promotions should be made matters of secondary consideration. We would suggest to your board that you consider the advisability of appointing some one to give to teachers and janitors the neces- sary instructions in relation to heating, ventilating, and other sanitary matters.
Many of the water-closets and privies were found offensive on account of insufficient ventilation, or faulty construction. We believe water-closets can be built in the basement of a school- building, which, if kept in good repair, with proper arrangements, and great care on the part of the janitors, will not cause any trouble ; but as experience has shown that we cannot depend on having these necessary conditions, we believe it is better to place the closets outside of the building, provided the school-yard is not too small, and they can be located so as not to become offensive to neighbors or the public.
We believe the practice of allowing janitors with their families
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REPORT OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH.
to occupy apartments in the school-building is injudicious. The odor of the cooking is often diffused throughout the building, and is a subject of complaint at several of the large school-houses. A contagion is liable to break out in the janitor's family, which may render it necessary to close the school, as has been the case recently at the Webster School, which has remained closed for several weeks on account of a death from scarlet fever in the family of the janitor. If janitors are to live in the school-houses, only those with small families should be engaged.
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