Report of the city of Somerville 1902, Part 23

Author: Somerville (Mass.)
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Somerville, Mass.
Number of Pages: 518


USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1902 > Part 23


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Committees. ON FINANCE, INVESTIGATION AND RELIEF, AND CITY HOME. - Mr. West, Mr. Edmands, and Mr. Merrill.


Secretary. CORA F. LEWIS.


General Agent. CHARLES C. FOLSOM.


City Physician. ALVAH B. DEARBORN, M. D.


Warden and Matron "City Home." MR. AND MRS. J. FOSTER COLQUHOUN.


Office. City Hall Annex, Highland Avenue.


REPORT OF OVERSEERS OF THE POOR.


OFFICE OF THE OVERSEERS OF THE POOR, Somerville, Mass., December 31, 1902.


To the Honorable, the Mayor, and Board of Aldermen :-


Gentlemen,-In accordance with our general custom, we herewith submit to you our report, with itemized tables annexed, showing the work of this department, including Miscellaneous and City Home accounts, for the year 1902 :-


Temporary Aid.


We have aided less families and fewer individuals than in the years immediately preceding this. Had it not been for the scarcity of fuel, it would have been a remarkable year, and one long to be remembered as favorable to the poorer people.


Fuel.


The coal famine has been felt largely through the latter part of the year, in some cases undoubtedly causing distress. While we have been asked to furnish coal for many families, the total amount does not equal that given in former years, owing to the fact that it could be obtained in small amounts only. Our orders have all been honored, however, and, with few exceptions, promptly delivered.


We have been able, through the courtesy of His Honor, the Mayor, and the generosity of the Cambridge Gas Light Com- pany, to secure ten tons of coke, five tons being a gift from the company, and five tons purchased at the rate of $5.00 per ton, our City Home teams delivering the same from the gas works to needy families.


This has been a great help, coming in a time when it was hard to secure coal, even in small quantities.


Hospital.


Again we have found the Somerville Hospital of great value in caring for the sick poor, more cases having been admitted and placed upon city beds than in any previous year. The wisdom of the present system is shown by the fact that we have been able to collect for the care of patients not settled in Somerville more rebates than in any previous year.


295


SUPPORT OF POOR DEPARTMENT.


Insane.


The city is paying for the support of about the same number of insane persons as in 1901. This is the last year, however, that the city will be obliged to bear this burden, as the law giving state control and support of the insane will become operative in January, 1904. We shall have to pay one-quarter, however, in February of that year.


State Hospital, Tewksbury.


We have given permits during the year to eleven state paupers. The majority of these were sick. Some were drunk- ards, and others had become burdensome to their friends.


Burials.


The custom of having the members of poor families insured for a small amount for the purpose of having a fine funeral has become so common, even including the smallest children, that there is a movement on foot to have the Legislature of 1903 enact some law regulating the matter.


This, of course, prevents many from coming to the city for aid in the burial of their friends, but, in the long run, they prob- ably ask for more help than they would if the city assisted in the burials. When there are five or eight in a family, it becomes a great burden to keep the assessments paid up. During the year we have assisted in the burial of eighteen persons.


We have assisted poor families to $3,516.98 in groceries and provisions, and to $630.13 in wood and coal, also smaller sums in dry goods, boots and shoes, medicine, etc. We have paid public institutions for care of the insane the sum of $15,832.11.


The following tables will give an idea of the details of the work :---


TABLE NO. 1. Full Support ( During the Year).


In our City Home (men 20, women 11)


31


In private families


2


In Somerville Hospital


173


In hospitals in other towns and cities for the sick


13


In Massachusetts School for the Feeble-Minded .


5


Insane persons in private families


1


Insane persons in hospitals


121


TABLE NO. 2. Full Support (at present time, December 31, 1902).


In Somerville City Home (men 13, women 7)


20


Insane in hospitals (we are reimbursed for 9) 97


Insane in private families


1


In hospitals, sane


17


296


ANNUAL REPORTS.


TABLE NO. 3. Partial Support (Outdoor Relief).


Families


270


Persons aided


1,210


Burials


18


Permits to Tewksbury Almshouse


.


.


.


11


TABLE NO. 4. Reimbursements.


Commonwealth of Massachusetts


$2,100 26


City of Boston .


811 42


66


66 Chelsea


29 14


66


Everett


2 50


66


66 Fall River


153 66


66


Gloucester


3 10


66


Haverhill


6 70


66


Lowell


306 68


66


66 Lynn


43 65


66


66 Malden


131 87


66


Marlboro


106 32


66


Newton


36 95


66


66


Salem


80 00


66


66


Waltham


110 68


66


66


Woburn


17 45


Town of Andover


16 00


66


Braintree


28 00


66


Canton


4 00


66


Hanover


4 08


66


Hudson


29 14


66


66 Lancaster


15 20


66


Medfield


20 00


66


66 South Framingham


18 14


66


66


Swampscott


50 65


66


Whitman


62 00


66


Winchester


8 85


Guardians, relatives, and individuals


2,491 08


Money refunded


7 43


$7,426 13


TABLE NO. 5. Somerville Hospital (Patients on City Beds).


Patients having settlement in Somerville


58


Patients having settlement in other cities or towns


34


Patients having no settlement (chargeable to state)


80


Total number of patients sent to Hospital


172


Money paid Hospital by the City for patients settled in Somerville


$5,000 00


Amount reimbursed to the City and paid to the Hospital


for patients not settled in Somerville .


1,827 56


Total paid to the Hospital


$6,827 56


66


Worcester


81 13


Cambridge


632 90


.


·


66 Millbury


17 15


297


SUPPORT OF POOR DEPARTMENT.


TABLE NO. 6. Population and Gross Expenditures, 1883 to 1902, Inclusive.


Population (Estimated)


Expenditures


1883


27,000


$15,959 80


1884


·


28,000


17,272 52


1885


.


1886


32,000


14,341 83


1887


34,000


13,430 89


1888


36,000


13,375 98


1889


39,000


14,610 92


1890


*40,117


15,261 14


1891


43,000


15,980 49


1892


46,000


17,015 30


1893


48,000


17,799 58


1894


50,000


19,733 13


1895


*52,200


20,755 46


1896


54,000


21,999 79


1897


56,000


25,681 47


1898


57,500


28,522 21


1899


60,000


28,924 39


1900


*61,643


City Home,


5,528.83


1901


62,500


City Home, 6,622.43


1902


63,500


City Home,


7,396.64


*Census.


OVERSEERS OF THE POOR OF SOMERVILLE.


Since the Reorganization in 1885.


Hon. Mark F. Burns, Chairman ex-officio


1885


1888 inclusive


Colonel Herbert E. Hill


. 1885


1889


Charles S. Lincoln, Esq., Chairman .


1885


1887


66


Hon. Edward Glines


1885


1887


66


Edward B. West, President


1888 to


date


66


Daniel C. Stillson


1888 April 1892


66


Nathan H. Reed, President


1890 April 1894


66


Hon. Wm. H. Hodgkins, Chairman ex-officio


1892


1895


66


James G. Hinckley


May 1892


1894


66


Albert W. Edmands


May 1893


to date


66


Herbert E. Merrill


May 1894 .


to


date


Ezra D. Souther


1895 Feb. 1898 (Died)


Hon. Albion A. Perry, Chairman ex-officio 1896


1898 inclusive


James H. Butler


March 1898


1899


Hon. George O. Proctor, Chairman ex-officio 1899


.


Charles G. Brett, President


1885 April 1893


Hon. Charles G. Pope, Chairman ex-officio


1889


1891


Miscellaneous, $23,697.62


29,226 45


Miscellaneous, $29,171.15


35,793 58


Miscellaneous, $28,667.04


36,063 68


Year


*29,992


16,430 32


298


TABLE 7. Expenditures, in Detail, for the Year 1902.


1902.


Dry Goods.


Board.


Groceries.


Towns and Cities.


Boots and Shoes.


Medicine.


Burial.


Salaries.


Fuel.


Sundries.


Public Institutions.


Somerville Hospital.


Total.


January .


$18 00


$68 00


$425 14


$53 55


$12 70


$16 13


$25 00


$310 00


$157 73


$61 22


$3,585 61


.


$4,733 08


February .


5 60


24 00


488 23


480 85


8 00


33 00


314 00


124 21


109 95


$266 66


1,854 50


March


5 75


82 51


297 30


133 33


4,401 71


April


98 87


278 52


41 00


16 30


30 00


283 33


73 95


38 42


266 04


133 33


1,259 76


May


6 50


25 29


161 86


10 00


162 00


6 75


35 00


308 33


3 65


14 14


3,481 71


133 33


4,463 43


July


4 40


38 00


352 32


309 10


7 75


5 00


308 33


27 05


42 25


133 33


1,227 53


August


8 00


36 43


237 50


9 15


20 00


308 33


41 43


133 33


794 17


September


160 86


263 70


133 33


5,510 44


October


33 57


199 28


·


22 70


8 05


321 66


179 34


144 38


133 33


1,044 80


November


·


2 50


33 57


255 93


52 00


10 55


9 75


308 37


44 62


14 02


360 93


1,092 24


Totals .


$53 24


$755 80


$3,516 98


$1,178 36


$87 15


$66 67


$223 00


$3,797 34


$630 13


$698 70


$15,832 11


$1,827 56


$28,667 04


.


·


50 01)


283 33


76 25


68 70


3,404 54


104 57


133 33


973 15


June


.


.


·


·


.


.


.


·


·


.


·


308 33


148 87


31 44


227 02


133 33


1,312 23


December


·


. ·


25 99


15 00


408 33


·


.


. .


·


85


30 71


4,575 99


10 00


335 00


2 49


70 01


323 37


69 86


.


ANNUAL REPORTS.


82 28


84 69


233 83


299


SUPPORT OF POOR DEPARTMENT.


TABLE NO. 8. Recapitulation (Miscellaneous).


Appropriation


$21,300 00


Transfer from Highway account


300 00


Reimbursements


7,426 13


Total receipts


Total expenditures


$29,026 13 28,667 04


Balance unexpended


$359 09


Net expenditures


$21,240 91


City Home.


Considering the large amount of repairs and extra outside work which has been done during the past season, we have had a very successful year on the farm.


The crops have been good, and favorable prices have been received, two thousand four hundred and nineteen dollars and forty-nine cents ($2,419.49) having been realized from the sale of produce and pork.


Two acres of the meadow land which has not been under cultivation for a great many years has been reclaimed and made tillable by laying about nine hundred feet of drain tile.


The amount of produce raised on this land during the past season will practically pay for all the expense incurred in laying the drains.


The old building on the Cook estate has been removed to the rear of the barn yard, connected with the wash house build- ing, and converted into a piggery, which, although small, is a model of its kind, the sanitary conditions of which we consider well nigh perfect. We hope for good results from the piggery during the coming year.


The old foundation walls on the Cook estate have been re- moved and reserved for future use, the cellars filled in, and the entire lot brought to grade as a lawn from Broadway to the barn, which, when seeded down during the coming spring, will add greatly to the appearance of the grounds.


A new six-foot tight board fence 240 feet long has been built around the barn yard.


The unsightly old hot-bed fence running from Broadway to the barn yard has been removed, leaving the ground free from any obstruction from the Home to North street.


The old manure pit in front of the wash house has been filled in and brought to a level with the adjoining land, and enclosed with a six-foot fence, making a suitable place for two hundred feet of hot beds.


The hen house has been removed to a new location in the barn yard, and put in thorough repair.


300


ANNUAL REPORTS.


The wash house has been enlarged by extending it to the east side of the building, taking in what was formerly used for the storage of prepared wood.


The market wagon stand in the shed has been enclosed by building a partition around the loading platform, thus allowing the market wagon to be loaded at night during the winter months, the heat from the wash house stove protecting the vege- tables from freezing.


A cobblestone gutter has been laid on the west side of the barn and wash house; also a brick gutter has been laid on the east side, which will provide proper drainage for the surface water.


A private bath room, with all modern fixtures, has been pro- vided for the Warden's family by the Commissioner of Buildings, which fills a long-felt want.


Recommendations.


We would again recommend, as in our report for 1901, that an addition for men be built as soon as possible, the dormitory being overcrowded, and there being at present no proper place to care for the male sick, or sleeping accommodations for the hired men.


That the barn and outbuildings be painted, as they remain practically in the same condition as when purchased by the city in 1899.


That a fence be built from Alewife brook, along the line of the boulevard and North street, to Broadway, and from the bridge on Broadway to the rear of the City Home building, as a considerable amount of produce is stolen each year, the farm on three sides being unprotected, and open to trespassers during the night.


Products of Farm.


The following is the amount of produce raised on the farm during the past year, but which does not include the vegetables required for use in the Home :-


54,000 roots celery ; 26,555 cucumbers ; 9,228 heads lettuce ; 10,418 bunches of beets; 9,015 bunches of radishes; 5,252 bunches of carrots; 1,508 crook-neck squash; 166} dozen en- dive; 270 heads of cabbage; 22 bushels of beets; 42 bushels of carrots ; 226 bushels of spinach; 263 bushels of dandelions; 222 bushels of tomatoes; 39 bushels of peas; 42 bushels of beet greens; 10 bushels of turnips; 100 bushels of potatoes; 117 bushels of string beans; 133 bushels of onions; 52 bushels of peppers.


301


SUPPORT OF POOR DEPARTMENT.


TABLE NO. 1. Permanent Repairs and Fixtures (City Home).


Repairs on piggery and wash house


Electric lighting and fence


Laying drain tile


$1,558 40


Hot bed fence and celery pit boards


101 06


100 hot bed shutters


95 00


100 hot bed sash


110 00


Pole and wheels for market wagon


43 00


Safe


35 00


New harness


24 00


Outside storm windows


20 00


House furnishings


19 65


Filling cellar and grading lawns


271 55


$2,227 66


Living expenses


5,168 98


Total expenditures


$7,396 64


TABLE NO. 2. Reimbursements (City Home).


Commonwealth of Massachusetts (board)


$10 86


Board of sundry persons, etc.


115 14


Produce, etc.


2,419 49


Wood (for poor families)


258 49


Money not called for


4 83


$2,808 81


TABLE NO. 3.


Number weeks' board


932


Number males admitted during 1902


9


Number females admitted during 1902


.


6


Number males discharged during 1902 .


11


Number females discharged during 1902


5


Number males supported during 1902


25


Number females supported during 1902


13


Number died during 1902


1


Number inmates in Home January 1, 1903


20


TABLE NO. 4. Expenditures (City Home).


For living expenses :-


Groceries and provisions


$1,384 19


Salaries and wages


2,081 61


Dry goods and clothing


128 13


Boots and shoes


41 85


Medicine


51 65


Shoeing horses


37 76


Hay and grain


703 50


Telephone


44 10


Amount carried forward


$4,472 79


302


ANNUAL REPORTS.


Amount brought forward


$4,472 79


Seeds and fertilizers


135 20


Swill


94 11


13 cords wood


85 20


Ice


16 20


Cash paid by Warden for railroad fares


37 09


Sundries


328 39


$5,168 98


Credits :-


Commonwealth of Massachusetts (board)


$10 86


Board for sundry persons


115 14


Produce and pork sold


2,419 49


Wood (for poor families)


258 49


Money not called for


4 83


2,808 81


Net living expenses


$2,360 17


The following produce remained on hand January 1, 1903: 28,000 roots of celery; 5 bushels of onions.


TABLE NO. 5. Property at the Somerville City Home January 1, 1903.


Land


$31,700 00


Buildings


7,900 00


Furnishings, stock, tools, provisions, etc.


6,796 65


TABLE NO. 6. Recapitulation (City Home).


Appropriation


$4,400 00


Reimbursements


.


2,808 81


Total receipts


7,208 81


Total expenditures


7,396 64


Account overdrawn


187 83


Net expenditures


4,587 83


This report, with tables, is respectfully submitted.


E. B. WEST,


Overseers


A. W. EDMANDS,


of the


H. E. MERRILL, 1 Poor


·


·


.


·


REPORT OF THE CITY PHYSICIAN.


OFFICE OF CITY PHYSICIAN, January 1, 1903.


To His Honor, the Mayor, and the Board of Aldermen :--


Gentlemen,-The following is a summary of the work I have performed during the year ending December 31, 1902 :-


Fifteen hundred thirty-nine visits have been made. Six


hundred ninety-seven persons were treated at my office. Three hundred thirty-five were vaccinated. Twenty-seven women were attended in childbirth. Seventy-two persons have had teeth ex- tracted. Twenty-seven men were examined for the police force, and nine for permanent men in the fire department.


The year just closed will long be remembered on account of the epidemic of smallpox which has prevailed extensively, not only in Massachusetts, but throughout the country. Dr. Leonard H. Pote, whom I appointed as an assistant December 4, 1901, to attend the smallpox cases, resigned January 27, and Dr. J. H. Dennen was appointed to do the work. It gives me much pleasure to state that Dr. Dennen has been faithful and conscientious in the performance of his duties. The earnest ex- pressions of praise for him that came from the lips of the un- fortunates who were under his care is sufficient testimony to the good service he has done.


Seventy cases have been cared for during the year at our smallpox hospital, and one (a child three years of age) was treated at her home. Of the seventy-one cases, sixty-two were taken with the disease in Somerville. Of the others, two were from Medford, two from Cliftondale, and five from Arlington. These persons were either never vaccinated, or vaccinated many years ago,-not a case that had been successfully vaccinated within ten years. As I stated in my report of last year, no fact is better established than that a recent (within ten years) success- ful vaccination is a perfect protection from smallpox. We have had but one case during this winter.


I renew my recommendation of last year that apparatus for testing the strength of applicants for the police and fire depart- ments be furnished.


Respectfully submitted,


ALVAH B. DEARBORN, City Physician.


REPORT OF THE CITY ENGINEER.


OFFICE OF THE CITY ENGINEER, CITY HALL, SOMERVILLE, January 26, 1903. > To His Honor, the Mayor, and the Board of Aldermen :-


Gentlemen,-In accordance with the provisions of the city charter, the following report of the work done and expense in- curred for the year ending December 31, 1902, by the depart- ments under my charge and supervision, including Engineering, Sewers, Public Grounds, and other public works, is herewith pre- sented.


ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT.


Statement of Expenses, 1902.


Salary City Engineer (including mainte-


nance of team)


$2,800 00


Salaries of assistants


9,022 06


Stakes, tools, and general supplies (outside work) .


76 93


Draughting materials and office supplies (inside work)


96 15


92 48


Stone bounds for defining street lines Car fares


229 07


Telephone and incidentals


97 24


Total expenditure in the department Appropriation


$11,900 00


Credit by amount received for making ac- ceptance plans


119 00


Credit by amount received for inspection services, Sewers and Park construc- tion work


430 00


$12,449 00


Balance unexpended


$35 07


Classification of Expenditures, Assistants' Salaries.


Sewers-comprising surveys, estimates, pro- files, lines, grades, titles, plans, assess- ments, and all engineering work re- lating to sewers $2,979 73


Highways-comprising plans, estimates, titles, profiles, lines and grades, and all other engineering relating to the de- partment 928 50


Amount carried forward


$3,908 23


$12,413 93


305


CITY ENGINEER.


Amount brought forward


$3,908 23


Sidewalks - comprising profiles, lines,


grades, measurements, titles, costs, and assessments 1,070 49 · Bridges and Subways-comprising surveys, plans, and estimates 79 49


Water Works-comprising lines, grades, lo- cations of mains, gates, hydrants and services, and other matters relating to water department 263 17


Public Grounds-comprising surveys, plans, estimates, profiles and grades, includ- ing laying out of parks and grounds . 214 17 Public Buildings-comprising surveys, esti- mates, lines, grades, and other work relating to construction 60 02


Street Numbering-comprising locations of buildings, plans, and affixing street numbers on houses 362 31


Street Lines and Grades-comprising estab- lishing of lines, grades, and miscella- neous data given parties for building and grading


215 24


Middlesex Registry-comprising copying of plans and abstracts from deeds filed, and examination of titles 145 56


City Survey-comprising lines, angles, and measurements, calculations of trav- erses, and locations of division lines and buildings 636 89


Prospect Hill Park-comprising surveys, calculations, taking of land plans, construction plans, profiles, deeds, and general engineering work in lay- ing out and constructing 697 86 .


Railway, Telephone, Electric Light and Gas Light Companies-comprising grades, plans, profiles, and office notes, loca- tions of poles and conduits .


44 23


Stone Bounds-locating and setting 140 61


Office Work-comprising records of all lo- cations, indexing, typewriting, calcu- lations, and general draughting 707 59


Miscellaneous Work-comprising prelimi- nary surveys, designs, sketches, etc., relating to various schemes for differ- ent committees 145 62


Vacations and Sickness


330 58


Total


$9,022 06


Office Records and Value of Instruments.


Number of survey note books, sewer permit books, and deed books 237 · · Number of plans, including sewers, high- ways, parks, house lots, etc. 6,000


Value of field instruments, tools, and office instruments 1 $1,400 00


306


ANNUAL REPORTS.


General Work. The number of assistants employed during the year has varied according to the amount of work, the regular department force being ten and the maximum number employed eighteen.


The office work has been continued on the same general sys- tem as in past years, all note books and records of sewers, drains, highway work, water works, etc., have been indexed, all plans of estates in Somerville filed at the Registry of, Deeds, East Cam- bridge, have been copied and indexed and all new plans of work made in the office.


Titles have been examined and abstracts from deeds made at the East Cambridge Registry for the purpose of assessing better- ments on the property owners of estates assessable for the con- struction of new highways, sidewalks, and sewers, and amounts computed and schedules made out for the same.


A number of street names have been changed and new street numbering plans have been made, old plans revised, houses plotted and numbers affixed to buildings throughout the entire city. There are many streets, avenues, courts and places in the city of the same or very similar name, which should be changed to prevent the confusion and inconvenience now existing.


During the year the department has made plans and estab- lished grades for the acceptance, under the betterment act, of twenty-four new public streets, a total length of 2.65 miles ; all of these plans have been copied and filed at the Middlesex Registry as required by law. A portion of these streets have been graded and macadamized and assessments levied.


A plan has been made showing a passageway, and land taken for the same, extending from the Cummings' school lot, on School street, through to Prescott street, about on the extension of Berkeley street ; this passageway is for the use of foot passen- gers only.


A number of plans have been made at the request of the City Solicitor for use in different accident cases and hearings where the city's interests were involved.


Surveys and plans have been made for acquiring land for schoolhouse purposes, and lines and grades given for construc- tion work on new buildings.


A large amount of engineering services has been required in making plans and profiles and laying out and constructing the new park on Prospect Hill.


Lines and grades have been given for setting 35,102 linear feet (6.65 miles) of new edgestone and the resetting of 11,700 feet (2.22 miles) of old edgestone, and measurements taken for com- puting assessments.


Six thousand four hundred and fifty-eight square yards of new brick sidewalks and eighty square yards of granolithic walk have been laid (about 1.77 miles in length) and 8,610 square yards of old brick sidewalks relaid.


307


CITY ENGINEER.


The average cost for the year of setting edgestone has been seventy-nine cents per linear foot and brick walks eighty-eight cents per square yard.


Lines and grades have been given, measurements taken and computations made for the laying out and constructing of new streets, the reconstructing and repairing of old streets.


Lines and grades have been given the Water Department when requested.


Sixteen thousand one hundred and fifty feet of new mains with hydrants and gates have been located ; 190 water services lo- cated and sketches made showing the buildings, services, gates, etc., for the water office.


A number of stone bounds have been set in concrete at street intersections and angles, for permanently defining street lines, and there are about one hundred more of these bounds that should be set in various parts of the city.


The Cambridge and Charlestown gas, electric light and street railway companies have filed plans showing locations in the city's streets of mains and tracks laid and poles erected, as required by the city ordinances.


The Boston Elevated Street Railway has petitioned the city for a double track location in Mystic and Middlesex avenues, ex- tending from the Boston city line to the Medford city line at Mystic River. The laying of these tracks will necessitate the filling to grade, macadamizing and constructing of these avenues to their full width, sixty-six and sixty feet, respectively.


Bridges, Subways, and Grade Crossings. The old bridge over the Boston and Maine railroad at Sycamore street has been removed, new granite abutments constructed and a modern iron bridge built, giving the city a forty-foot street (including side- walks) over the railroad. Owing to the delay in obtaining the iron work on this bridge the construction of the bridge over the railroad at School street was postponed, but this will be built the coming year, the railroad company bearing the total expense of constructing these bridges.




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