USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Quincy > Town annual report of Quincy 1882 > Part 6
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It is an unquestioned fact that had the Town been in posses- sion of a steam fire engine in December, 1880, that a large loss sustained at that time, amounting to quite $7,000, would not have exceeded $3,000 ; a saving of quite $4,000 would have been made, a sum which is more than large enough to purchase an engine capable of throwing 500 gallons of water per minute.
It is undoubtedly true that with a greater power of extinguish- ing fire, in order to make the same effective, there must be a good water supply.
Quincy is most favorably situated in this respect.
Through its entire width from west to east, there are two watercourses which are never dry. With a slight husbanding of these streams, a sufficient supply equal to any emergency could be had. The expense for such water ways would be very slight.
It is a fact that cannot be successfully refuted, that a steam fire engine can go to any spot that a hand fire engine can, and when in position do its work much more efficiently.
No one for a moment will contend that the hand engine equals the steam engine in execution.
When we know that a steam fire engine will play a good fire
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stream through more than 200 feet of hose, the comparison be- comes ridiculous.
To secure the greatest efficiency, three conditions are necces- . sary in addition to those that have already been stated.
(1) An early alarm which shall bring the apparatus on the ground at the earliest moment.
(2) The necessity of having at least one man on duty with the machine, Horses always at hand, and the latest approved Har- nesses.
(3) The arrival of Hose to be coincident with arrival of Engine.
The surest and most reliable method of giving a fire alarm is by the Electric Fire Alarm Telegraph. Nothing yet devised can equal it in promptness. Such a system can be put into use in our town and at no great expense ; adding to efficiency of the steam fire engine to such a degree, that all portions of our town can be protected without any further addition to our force.
As an example let us take the late fire in Wollaston, in Janu- ary last. A house with a portion of its contents was destroyed and a loss of at least $12,000 was incurred. The alarm was given by the bell at that place at 8.35 P.M .; at 9.10 the first alarm was given in the centre of the town ; at 9.45 the first piece of apparatus from the town neared the fire. The Chemical En- gine, stationed at Wollaston, was on the grouud and was doing good service. From the figures herein given, it appears that it was over one hour before anything was on the ground to do duty, and the distance to be travelled was about I I-4 miles.
Had a Steam Fire Engine, with horses, a Fire Alarm Tele- graph been in operation, and a Horse Hose Carriage been in our department, it is well within the bounds of reason to say that in fifteen minutes from the discovery of the fire, the alarm could have been given, the engine on the ground and at work, and a loss of not over $2,000 incurred. A saving of $10,000 would have been made,- a suin large enough to purchase and put in condition all suggested above.
The Hook and Ladder truck now in use in our department is ill suited to the needs of the service.
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To rebuild and put it in condition suitable for efficient duty, it would be at as great a cost as to purchase a new one.
Your committeet herefore recommend that a new one be ob- tained.
In conclusion, your committee submit the following recom- mendations to the town : -
(1) That a Steam Fire Engine be purchased ; that Horses be purchased for the same, and that a permanent man be always on duty with said piece of apparatus.
(2) That the W. M. French Hose Co. be reorganized ; that a horse be purchased and put in the House now occupied by the Company, and that a permanent man be stationed with this piece of apparatus, unless the Town decides to place the Hose Co. as it would be organized, and the Steamer in the same build- ing.
(3) That a new Hook and Ladder Truck be purchased for the Hook & Ladder Co.
(4) That a Telegraphic Fire Alarm be established in the town.
EXPENSE.
Your Committee believe that the amounts herein given will be sufficient to carry out the schemes above mentioned.
Steam Engine,
$4,000 00
Two Horses,
600 00
Harnesses and incidentals,
300 00
$4,900 00
Horse, W. M. French Hose Co.,
$ 300 00
Hook and Ladder Truck,
800 00
Electrical Fire Alarm,
3,000 00
$4,100 00
Making a total of
$9,000 00
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It is estimated that it will require an annual expenditure of about $2,100 to maintain the Steam Engine and Hose Co., di- vided as follows : -
3 Horses @ $3 per week, $458 00
2 permanent men @ $650 each, 1300 00
Hosemen for Engine and Hose Co., 8 in number, 80 00
Fuel, incidentals, repairs, &c., 262 00
$2,100 00
All of which is respectfully submitted.
CHAS. H. PORTER,
GEO. S. PINKHAM, P. F. LACY, THOMAS GURNEY.
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON ENLARGE- MENT OF THE TOWN HALL.
The Committee appointed by the Town two years since to consider the subject of enlarging the Town Hall, reported to the last annual meeting that in case the Town should decide at some future time that more room was required for the adequate accommodation of the voters in Town meeting, they should recommend an extension of the present building to the rear about twenty-four feet, and the addition of a projection on the north to enclose the stairways and rostrum, and for that pur- pose they suggested the expediency of buying from Mr. H. H. Faxon strips of land lying northerly and westerly of the Hall. This purchase was accordingly ordered by the Town, and has been made. The Town at the same time instructed the same Committee to obtain detailed plans and estimates of the pro- posed alterations. And as it was found that the southwesterly corner of the enlarged structure would necessarily encroach a little upon the old burial-ground, it was needful that the Town should obtain the consent of the Legislature before it could appropriate any part of that enclosure to any purpose other than the repose of the dead who are there buried. For al- though the fee in this land is vested in the corporate body of inhabitants, yet individuals whose ancestors or relatives are there interred have doubtless the right to protect their ashes from disturbance. And although the invasion contemplated by the Town stopped short of any violation of grave or tomb, it has been made absolutely unlawful in any event by an enact- ment of the year 1880. A petition, therefore, praying for such a license, was prepared and submitted to the General Court now in session, and after proper hearing the requisite permission was accorded.
The Committee have also obtained plans of the proposed al-
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terations, which will be placed in convenient situations for the examination of the citizens. For the information, however, of such as may not have an opportunity to study these drawings, it seems proper to give a brief description of their general fea- tures. Firstly, the Town House is extended directly backward twenty-four feet by moving the rear wall and extending the side walls in conformity exactly with its existing architecture. Sec- ondly, a projection of stone, in a style conformable to the rest of the house, measuring twenty-seven feet six inches in width, by a depth from the face of the wall of fourteen feet six inches, is to be added to the north wall of the house, a breach of that width being made in that side of the building. This projection will enclose the new stairway to the Town Hall above, and the access to the lesser room below, known as the Lyceum Hall, and the other rooms and offices in the basement of the building. Upon that floor the Selectmen will obtain an inner office in the space vacated by the removal of the old stairway to the hall. The room of the School Committee and the premises occupied by the Mount Wollaston Bank will remain undisturbed, and suitable accommodation for the Superintendent of Schools may be furnished, while the area at our disposal for other purposes will admit of a considerable extension of the Lyceum Hall, with the necessary dressing-rooms and other offices. The Town Hall proper will be enlarged by the whole space now under the gallery and invaded by the existing entrance steps and gallery- stairs, by the space at the west end of the hall now covered by the platform and used for the two stairways to the floor below, and also by a clear addition of twenty-four feet in length at the rear of the present west wall.
Almost all of this floor will be as convenient for seeing and hearing all the proceedings in Town meeting as an average of the most eligible seats in the best part of the existing hall, and the actual seating capacity for voters in Town meeting will be nearly doubled, as the new platform will be recessed back from the rectangular area of the hall floor almost entirely, and con- fined to the projection to be built in the middle of the north wall of the enlarged structure. The old gallery will be removed,
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and the new hall will be lighted in great part by large high win- dows at the north and south ends of the room.
The architect strongly recommends the removal of the pres- ent ceiling of the hall, and raising it considerably above the cross-beams, leaving them exposed, thereby adding greatly to the ventilation, acoustics, and appearance of the place. Such an alteration, managed with taste and judgment, would certainly remove much of the present flat and bare effect, and add greatly to the interest and comfort of the interior, but it is not essential to the plan. The exterior changes, it is confidently believed, will considerably embellish the somewhat stern and classical elegance of the old edifice.
In coming to the very important question of cost, your Com- mittee have deemed it their duty to estimate it from the best data in their possession, and at the same time to so far amplify the most reliable computations as to feel themselves justified in assuring the Town that in no probable event can the sum they have fixed be exceeded. They believe that the entire work can be completed in every respect to the satisfaction of the people of Quincy for the sum of thirteen thousand dollars.
All of which is respectfully submitted.
WM. A. HODGES, - Committee.
E. W. MARSH,
J. Q. ADAMS,
TOWN RECORDS
FOR
1881.
WARRANT FOR ANNUAL MEETING.
MARCH 7, 1881.
NORFOLK, SS. To either of the Constables of the Town of Quincy, in said County. GREETING :
In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, you are hereby required to notify and warn the inhabitants of the Town of Quincy qualified to vote in Town affairs, to meet at the TOWN HALL, in said Quincy, on MONDAY, the seventh day of March next, at eight o'clock in the forenoon, to act on the fol- lowing articles ; viz.,-
ARTICLE I .- To choose a Moderator.
· ART. 2 .- To choose Town Officers.
ART. 3 .- To act upon the reports of Auditors of Accounts, Select- men and School Committee.
ART. 4 .- To determine the method of repairing the Highways dur- ing the ensuing year.
ART. 5 .- To determine how the Town Lands shall be improved during the ensuing year.
ART. 6 .- To revise the Jury List.
ART. 7 .- To hear and act on the report of the Selectmen upon Guide- Boards.
ART. 8 .- To see if the town will appropriate the sum of two hundred dollars, for repairing and decorating soldiers' graves, the same to be expended under the direction of Post 88, of the Grand Army of the Republic.
ART. 9 .- To see if the town will build a new almshouse and appro- priate money therefor.
ART. 10 .- To see what compensation the town will allow the Engineers, Members and Stewards of the Fire Department, for their services the past year.
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ART. II .- To see if the town will purchase a new Hook and Ladder Truck, as a substitute for the one now located on Canal Street.
ART. 12 .- To see if the town will establish a telegraphic fire alarm system.
ART. 13 .- To see if the town will increase the number of the com- pany of J. Q. Adams Chemical Engine No. 2 to twenty-five.
ART. 14 .- To see if the town will construct a reservoir at the junc- tion of Contest Avenue and Billings Street and appropriate money therefor.
ART. 15 .- To see if the town will construct a self-filling reservoir on Washington Street, opposite Pond Street, and appropriate money therefor.
ART. 16 .- To see if the town will construct a reservoir at the foot of Mount Pleasant, near the house of M. Goodhue, and appropriate money therefor.
ART. 17 .- To see if the town will extend the line of water pipes to the junction of Franklin and School Streets, and appropriate money therefor.
ART. 18 .- To see if the town will pay the members of the L. W. Lovell Chemical Engine Company for services rendered during the year 1877, and appropriate money therefor.
ART. 19 .- To see if the town will accept the report of the Select- men, laying out Arnold Street from Washington Street to a private way, and appropriate money therefor.
ART. 20 .- To see if the town will accept the report of the Select- men, laying out Appleton Street from Squantum Street to the beach, and appropriate money therefor.
ART. 21 .- To see if the town will accept the report of the Select- men, laying out Belmont Street from Beale Street to Lincoln Avenue, and appropriate money therefor.
ART. 22 .- To see if the town will vote to construct a sidewalk on the westerly side of Hancock Street from the corner of Webster Street, so called, to the corner of Beale Street, and appropriate money therefor.
ART. 23 .- To see if the town will vote to construct paved crossings on Hancock Street, and appropriate three hundred dollars therefor.
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ART. 24 .- To see if the town will vote to re-grade Washington Street from Canal Street to land of D. B. Stetson, and appropriate money therefor.
ART. 25 -- To see if the town will appropriate a sum of money to improve the causeway leading from Squantum Street to Beach Avenue.
ART. 26 .- To see if the town will build a retaining wall on Willard Street, near the engine house of the Old Colony Railway, and appro- priate the sum of two hundred and twenty-five dollars therefor.
ART. 27 .- To see if the town will change the name of that portion of Union Street running in a southeasterly direction from Elm Street to the junction of South Walnut Street, and call the same South Wal- nut Street.
ART. 28 .- To see if the town will appropriate the sum of three hundred dollars to finish repairs on Sea Street, at the place known as the " Bit."
ART. 29 .- To see if the town will appoint a committee to confer with the town of Milton in regard to changing the boundary between Quincy and Milton.
ART. 30 .- To see if the town will instruct the Selectmen when is- suing warrants for future annual town meetings and National and State elections, to call the same at seven o'clock, A. M.
ART. 31 .- To see if the town will appoint or instruct the Select- men to appoint special police officers to enforce all laws bearing upon the sale of intoxicating liquors, and appropriate money therefor.
ART. 32 .- To see if the town will grant the free use of the Town Hall for free lectures.
ART. 33 .- To see whether the town will, by its vote or otherwise ask the legislature to extend to women who are citizens, the right to hold town offices and to vote in town affairs on the same terms as male citizens.
ART. 34 .- To see what action the town will take in regard to the suit brought by Bernard Donnelly against John Q. A. Field and others, now pending.
ART. 35 .- To see if the town will elect a Board of Health, or a Health Officer.
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130
ART. 36 .- To see if the town will alter the first and third By-Laws of the town so that the financial year shall close on the last day of December and begin on the first day of January in each year.
ART. 37 .- To see if the town will authorize the Selectmen to sell the school-house at Quincy Neck.
ART. 38 .- To see if the town will authorize the Selectmen to let the stone school-house on School Street.
ART. 39 .- To see if the town will grant permission to Albert Keat- ing to erect a building on the corner of Washington and Canal Streets, over the brock.
ART. 40 .- To raise money to defray the necessary expenses of the town the ensuing year.
ART. 41 .- To hear and act upon the report of any committee, and to choose any committee the town may think proper.
Hereof fail not, but make return of this warrant, with your doings thereon, unto the Town Clerk, on or before the day ap- pointed for said meeting.
Given under our hands at Quincy, this twenty-third day of February, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighty-one.
WILLIAM A. HODGES, Selectmen WILLIAM N. EATON, of
CHARLES H. PORTER, Quincy.
OFFICER'S RETURN.
NORFOLK, SS.
FEBRUARY, 26, 1881
Pursuant to the within warrant, I have this day notified the inhabitants of the town of Quincy herein described to meet at the time and place and for the purposes within mentioned, by posting up attested copies of this warrant in ten or more public places in said Town ten days before the time set for said meet- ing ; and I have likewise caused the substance of said warrant to be published in the "Quincy Patriot," a public newspaper printed in said Town.
WASHINGTON M. FRENCH, Constable of Quincy.
A true copy.
Attest : GEORGE L. GILL, Town Clerk.
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ANNUAL TOWN MEETING, MARCH 7, 1881.
The Annual Meeting of the inhabitants of the Town of Quincy was held pursuant to the foregoing warrant, on Monday, March 7, 1881.
Chose, John Quincy Adams for Moderator.
Voted, That after the election of Town officers, under Article 2 of the warrant, the Moderator, without entertaining any other motion, shall declare this meeting adjourned, to meet at this place on Monday, March 28, 1881, at one o'clock P.M., at which time the remaining articles of the warrant shall be considered.
Voted, That the Moderator of this meeting, with the retiring Selectmen, the Selectmen elect, and fifteen citizens to be ap- pointed by the Moderator, three of whom shall be inhabitants of the Centre District, three of the South District, three of the West District, two of the Wollaston District, two of the Atlan- tic District, and two of the Quincy Point District, shall consider the remaining articles of the warrant, and the report of the Committee on enlargement of the Town Hall, and report at the adjournment of this meeting what action they consider it advis- able for the Town to take thereon, with suitable form of votes for carrying out their recommendations.
Voted, That the Committee appointed shall publish the action they intend to propose for the consideration of the Town on every article submitted to them in the "Quincy Patriot," before the adjourned meeting.
Voted, To vote for Town Clerk, Town Treasurer, three Se- lectmen and Assessors, two School Committee for three years, two Trustees of Thomas Crane Library for three years, two Managers of Adams Academy for three years, two Managers of Mount Wollaston Cemetery for two years, Commissioner of Sinking Fund for three years, Collector of Taxes, fourteen Con- stables, all on one ballot.
Voted, To close the polls at 4 P.M.
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The result of the voting was declared by the Moderator to be the election of the following officers : viz., ---
George L. Gill, for Town Clerk, and the oath of his office was administered to him by the Moderator.
Horace B. Spear, for Town Treasurer.
William A. Hodges, William N. Eaton and Alfred Sampson, for Selectmen and Assessors.
Edwin W. Marsh and William G. Sheen, for School Commit- tee for three years.
Charles Francis Adams and Peter Butler, Managers of Adams Academy for three years.
Luther W. Anderson and F. A. Claflin, Trustees of the Pub_ lic Library for three years.
John Hall and Edward A. Spear, Managers of Mount Wol- laston Cemetery for two years.
Rupert F. Claflin, for Commissioner of the Sinking Fund for three years.
George H. Locke, for Collector of Taxes.
James E. Maxim, William Parker, Joseph Warren Hayden, Washington M. French, Edward A. Spear, N. B. Furnald, Ed- ward H. Richardson, William C. Seelye, Eliab Ramsdell, Elijah S. J. Brown, Charles N. Hunt, Joseph W. Lombard, George O. Langley, George H. Locke, for Constables.
The following is the number of votes cast for the several can- didates for Town officers, as declared by the Moderator : -
Town Clerk. Votes. .
George L. Gill,
944
James B. Chaffin, 604
Town Treasurer.
Horace B. Spear, 922
Joseph W. Robertson, 633
Scattering, I
Selectmen and Assessors.
William A. Hodges, 851
William N. Eaton, 847
Votes.
Alfred Sampson, 795
John Chamberlin, 731
Israel Waterhouse, 659
William Webb, 634
Christopher A. Spear, 21
Scattering,
3
School Committee for 3 years.
William G. Sheen, 833
Edwin W. Marsh, 771
Sigourney Butler, 741
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Votes.
William G. A. Pattee, 739 Scattering, 3
Managers of Adams Academy, for 3 years.
Peter Butler, 1,558
Charles F. Adams,
1,540
Scattering, 2
Trustees of Public Library, for 3 years.
L. W. Anderson, 879
F. A. Claflin, 857
William S. Pattee, 682
George Cahill,
644
Sigourney Butler, 37
Scattering,
I
Managers Mt. Wollaston Cem-
etery, for 2 years.
John Hall, 899
Edward A. Spear, 827
James T. Penniman, 699
John A. Duggan, 645
Scattering, I
Commissioner Sinking Fund for
3 years.
Rupert F. Clafiin,
873
John Q. Adams, 682
Collector of Taxes.
George H. Locke, 836
Ensign S. Fellows, 675
Votes.
George W. B. Taylor, 35
Scattering, 2
Constables.
James E. Maxim, 1,465
William Parker, 1,438
Jos. Warren Hayden, 913
Washington M. French, 910
Edward A. Spear, 856
N. B. Furnald, 852
Edward H. Richardson, 815
William C. Seelye, 810
Eliab Ramsdell,
787
Elijah S. Brown,
786
Charles N. Hunt, 781
Jos. W. Lombard, 779
George O. Langley, 778
George H. Locke, 778 William A. Wilson, 767
George B. Pray, 759
Joseph T. French, 739
Eben W. Underwood, 736
Chas. H. Damon, 725
Eugene W. Connor, 718
Jonathan S. Paine, 709
John H. Lyons, 684
William B. Barry, 646
James Haverhan, 644
Michael Carey, 573
John Golden, 533
Alonzo Glines, 16
F. A. Spear, 16
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The following Town officers were elected by a yea and nay vote : -
Pound Keeper .- William A. Hodges.
Overseers of the Poor and Surveyors of Highways .- William A. Hodges, William N. Eaton, and Alfred Sampson.
Fence Viewers .- Chas. S. French, George Veazie and Eben- ezer Adams.
Field Drivers .- John H. Lyons, Harry M. Butterfield and Galen Bowditch.
Committee to whom the remaining articles of the warrant are referred .- J. Q. Adams, Wm. A Hodges, Wm. N. Eaton, Alfred Sampson, Charles H. Porter, Edwin W. Marsh, George Cahill, John Q. A. Field, Theophilus King, Jr., John W. Hall, Charles F. Adams, Jr., Joseph W. Robertson, James H. Elcock, Patrick Carey, John A. Duggan, Thomas Gurney, George F. Pinkham, Israel Waterhouse, D. H. Bills and James Collins.
In accordance with the vote passed in the morning, the meet- ing adjourned to Monday, March 28, 1881, at one o'clock P.M.
WARRANT FOR A SPECIAL TOWN MEETING.
.
NORFOLK, SS. To either of the Constables of the Town of GREETING :
Quincy, in said County.
In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, you are hereby required to notify and warn the inhabitants of the Town of Quincy, qualified to vote in Town affairs, to meet at the TOWN HALL in said Quincy, on MONDAY, the twenty-eighth day of March, inst., at fifteen minutes before one o'clock in the after- noon, to act on the following articles, viz : -
·ART. I .- To choose a Moderator.
ART. 2 .- To see if the town will sell their land on Adams street, known as the Newcomb lot, and authorize the Selectmen to execute a deed for the same.
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ART. 3 .- To see if the town will instruct the Selectmen to build a new almshouse on the land now occupied as a town farm.
ART. 4 .- To see if the town will authorize the Selectmen to pur- chase the Totman farm and the land adjoining, belonging to Hon. C. F. Adams on Centre street, as a site for the new almshouse, as rec- ommended by the Committee of last year, or some other suitable site, and appropriate money therefor.
ART. 5 .- To see if the town will purchase the land of H. H. Faxon, adjoining the Town House lot, and appropriate money therefor.
ART. 6 .- To see whether the town will appoint a Committee to make arrangements for the proper acceptance of the Crane Memorial Hall from its donors upon its completion, and what, if any, other action it will take in relation to the same, and appropriate money therefor.
ART. 7 .- To see if the town will rebuild the bridge on Hancock street, near William Panton's shop, and appropriate money therefor.
ART. 8 .- To see if the town will grant the free use of the Town Hall to the several companies of the Fire Department.
Hereof fail not, but make return of this warrant, with your doings thereon, unto the Town Clerk, on or before the day ap- pointed for said meeting.
Given under our hands, at Quincy, this eighteenth day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand and eighty-one.
WILLIAM A. HODGES, ) Selectmen WILLIAM N. EATON, of
ALFRED SAMPSON, Quincy.
OFFICER'S RETURN.
NORFOLK, SS.
MARCH, 19, 1881.
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