USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Worcester > Town annual reports of the several departments for the fiscal year ending December 31, 1856-1861 > Part 39
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59
The mill owners in the valley of the Blackstone have located a dam at the outlet of Quinsigamond Lake to raise that lake twenty feet-not intending to raise it at one time to that amount-and they have already purchased most of the land which it will flow. The water of this lake is very pure and excellent. The water now extends over six hundred acres, and has a water-shed of over twelve thousand acres. The parties interested would be happy to make an equitable arrangement with the city of Worcester to allow them to put in a wheel or wheels at the outlet of the pond, to pump the water on to some one of the hills east of the city, where it could be distributed over the city after the manner of the Philadelphia water works. In the present aspect of affairs, there is no im- mediate prospect of the manufacturers moving in this project. But whenever this is done, I have no doubt that · an arrangement can be effected which will give us a supply of water on reasonable terms.
Our Aqueduct, constructed in 1845, to take the water from Bell Pond, has never yielded an income of two per cent. for the capital invested. Still it has been of great advantage to the city in case of fire. Three Aqueducts which convey water to the city by individual enterprise have not been very remunerative, from the fact that almost every householder can procure pure water at his own door by excavating a few feet and constructing a well.
During the past year about 1000 feet of pipe have been
16
laid in Southbridge street, extending the advantages of water in that direction to the Railroad Bridge, and 600 feet have been laid in Front street. This has been a great improvement.
The appropriation to this department the past year, was $1,500. The expenditures about $3,300, and the in- come from the aqueduct, about $1,600.
The Commissioner of water will make a full and detailed Report of the receipts and expenditures, to which I refer you for further information.
HOPE CEMETERY.
This resting place of the dead was purchased by the city in 1850, and opened as a place of Sepulture in 1851. This beautiful forest tract of fifty-three acres of land, admirably adapted for the use for which it was selected, is tastefully laid out into avenues, paths and lots. The purchasers of lots acquire not only the right of burial but they take a fee simple in the ground they purchase, which is not liable for debts, assessment, or taxes. The Grounds are annually improved and ornamented under the direction of Commissioners elected by the City Council. The ap- propriations for this object, the past year, were $400, and the expenditures will not probably exceed the appropria- tions. Fifty-six lots have been sold the past year amount- ing to $816. A lot of land has been purchased the past year by the Commissioners at a cost of $131.56, which is a great improvement to the grounds.
The Commissioners will ask an appropriation of $400 or $500 for the current year.
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
This important department to which the citizens of Worcester are so largely indebted for the protection of
17
public and private property, has enrolled in its organiza- tion 260 men, as follows :- .
Board of Engineers, 7 men.
Four Engine Companies, 40 men each.
Three Hose Companies, 10 men each.
Two Hook and Ladder Companies, 25 men each.
One Steam Fire Engine, 13 men.
Important changes have taken place in this department the past year. A Steam Fire Engine has been added, and one Engine Company disbanded. The introduction of Steam Fire Engines will not do away with the necessity of keeping a sufficient number of well organized Engine Com- panies. As a general principle the suction engines will make the first attack upon the enemy, and the Steam Engine will operate as a corps de reserve, doing effectual service.
The number of fires the past year is 40 ; false alarms 25. The appropriation to this department was $12,200.
The expenditures of this department were about 14,500.
I regret to say that quite a number of these fires are the work of Incendiaries. Effective measures should be adopted to put a stop to these high-handed crimes. I recommend a reward to be offered to any one who will detect and cause to be convicted any person who shall be guilty of this offence.
A prompt, energetic, efficient, well organized and well disciplined Fire Department, who comprehend their duties, and manfully discharge them, merit the esteem, respect and gratitude of their Fellow Citizens.
This department, I most cheerfully commend to your favorable consideration, for all proper appropriations, and as a further prevention of extensive conflagrations, I recommend the City Council to adopt measures to prevent
18
the erection of any more wooden buildings in the compact part of the city.
THE POOR.
" The poor always ye have with you," is a declaration of our Blessed Saviour. At this time when business is de- pressed, and many of our laboring people are out of em- ployment and deprived of the means of earning their daily bread, the hand of charity will be often extended. The dictates of religion, the feelings of humanity, the require- ments of Law, all demand that the destitute should be cared for, that food, raiment and shelter should be furnished them.
Ample accommodations have been provided for sheltering all the poor of our city in the Almshouse. It will be your duty to provide the means necessary for food, raiment, and attendants.
The Farm connected with the Almshouse, I am happy to say has been much improved within the last three or four years. At the close of the year, there were twenty paupers in the Almshouse, 'and fifteen receiving weekly allowances in different parts of the city. Two insane pau- pers are supported in the State Lunatic Asylum, and tem- porary aid has been furnished to 1052 persons during the year. There was appropriated for the support of the Poor the past year $8,000. And the expenditures have been about $9,300.
STREETS, ROADS AND BRIDGES.
The Streets, Roads and Bridges will necessarily require a large outlay to keep them in good order, so that they will be comfortable, safe and convenient for citizens and travelers.
19
A petition is pending before the County Commissioners to make a short straightening in the road from Worcester to Millbury, near Quinsigamond Village. The straighten- ing asked for is about one-third of a mile in length. A hearing has been had before the Commissioners, but no adjudication has been made. If the prayer of the petition is granted, it will cost the city six or seven thousand dol- lars, and the improvement will be one of very question- able character, as it will bring the traveled road very near the railroad, and make the crossing at Quinsigamond Vil- lage much more dangerous than at present. This altera- tion will involve the building of a bridge and a heavy fill.
Among the last acts of the City Council, they have located a town road from James's Mill to Auburn line, thus kindly providing work for you to accomplish. The construction of this road will involve the erection of a bridge over Kettle Brook.
The bridge over Quinsigamond Lake is in bad condition and has been injured by the raising of the water to a point higher than the owners have a right, without paying dam- ages. This bridge will require expensive repairs the present year, and perhaps will require to be rebuilt. Should it require to be rebuilt, it will cost to build of wood $10,000 or $12,000. In my judgment it would be cheaper in the end to make a solid causeway across the pond. The length of the present bridge is 444 feet. The greatest depth of the water is 76 feet. The average depth, from abutment to abutment, is 55 feet. It would require 101,600 cubic yards of earth to make a road across the pond, six feet above high water mark and fifty feet wide, leaving a passage for the water from one part of the pond to the other covered with a drawbridge, so that boats might pass. A competent engineer estimates that to
20
construct a solid way across, as above, would cost $13,560.00. If a solid road can be built for the above sum, I have no hesitation in recommending it rather than the construction of another floating bridge. But before either is constructed, I recommend a consultation with the persons interested in raising the water on Quinsigamond Lake.
I have been informed that the proprietors would be willing to enter into an equitable arrangement with the city to allow a supply of water to be taken at all times for the use of the city, and a wheel or wheels to be put in at the outlet, providing the city would make an arrangement with them to enable them to raise the lake a given number of feet above the present height of the bridge. If a contract could be made to procure a right to take water without being subjected to suits from mill owners, it would be very desirable.
In this department you will have opportunity to do some- thing towards giving aid to the numerous laborers who are thrown out of employment, and who are dependent on their daily earnings for their daily bread. It adds much to the beauty and attractions of a city to have beautiful streets well graded and ornamented with shade trees, handsome drives, where the scenery is beautiful and attractive, and if a road could be cut through on the western margin of Quinsiga- mond Lake at moderate expense, and give employment to many of our laboring men, I have no hesitation in saying it would add much to the attractions of our beautiful city.
On a former occasion I recommended the adoption of an ordinance giving a premium to every owner of real estate who would cause suitable shade trees to be set along the road in front of his estate. I now renew the recommendation. If all the streets and highways in the city were tastefully
21
ornamented with trees, it would add much to the beauty of the city, the comfort of its citizens and travelers, and to the value of landed property.
I recommend the adoption of an ordinance prohibiting any individual from opening a private street into any of the public streets of the city without first procuring per- mission from the City Council. An ordinance of this character would be beneficial both to the city and the individual or individuals desirous of opening a street, because the grade of the street could be established with regard to sewerage,-and persons building on the street, could build having a full knowledge of the grade. If such an ordinance had been adopted the first year of the City Government, it would have saved the city mucht expense.
The appropriations for highways, bridges and repairs by the last City Council were $14,000, and there has been expended over and above the appropriations, about $1,600.
OUR PUBLIC PARKS. ·
No appropriation has been made the past year for im- proving or ornamenting the Public Parks belonging to the city. Col. T. Bigelow Lawrence is about to erect a splendid marble monument at an expense of about $15,000, on the Central Park, to perpetuate the memory of that brave and patriotic soldier of the Revolution, Col. Timothy Bigelow. For these Parks, so necessary for the health and comfort of the citizens, I recommend moderate outlays for the im- provement of the walks and ornamenting the grounds with shrubbery and shade trees.
Lake Quinsigamond is becoming a place of great resort for the inhabitants of our city for boating and bathing in
4
22
summer and skating in winter. Individuals who resort to this beautiful lake for recreation and amusement are far more numerous than all who visit the new common, which was purchased and improved at an expense of about $13,500. Nowhere upon the shores of the lake is therc any land belonging to the city, where the people can resort without being trespassers. I propose, as soon as I
can procure the necessary surveys, to present to the city a tract of land bordering upon the lake, and also upon the railroad, for the purposes of a public Park, where our public schools and Sunday schools may hold their pic-nics, where individuals or clubs can have their boat-houses, where skating parties can assemble, and where all the cit- izens can visit the lake and see and enjoy its beautiful scenery without being trespassers. Whenever this gift is made, I hope you will not have the least delicacy about rejecting it, if you are not fully satisfied that it will be beneficial to the city. One mode of adding to the wealth and prosperity of the city is to make it beautiful and attractive, so that men of science, wealth, genius and learning may select it as a place of residence.
POLICE.
During the past year the Legislature have passed an act to define the costs in criminal prosecutions. By the terms of this act the Marshal and assistant marshals having salaries paid by the city, are to pay all fees into the County Treasury, thus adding to the expense of this department more than a thousand dollars annually. I recommend to the City Council the immediate amendment of the ordi- nances relative to Marshal and assistant marshals, so as to avoid the impolitic requisitions of this Statute. In a free Government where the sovereignty is in the people, there
-
23
is much less occasion for a Police, than in arbitrary Gov- ernments where the police is occupied in watching the political tendency of the people. Where the people are well educated and understand how to discharge their social and civil duties, a healthy enlightened public sentiment is more potent than all Police arrangements.
Men commit a great mistake who believe that force will improve the moral sentiment of a community. We must rather look for this improvement, to good parental train- ing, the mental and moral culture of free schools and the teachings of the Gospel. Still in our enlightened com- munity, a well organized and well regulated Police is very important to the peace and good order of the city.
The appropriation to this department the past year was. $7,000, and the expense exceeds the appropriation $625.98. The expenses of this department may be largely diminished without affecting its efficiency or power.
The whole number of complaints made in the Police Court for violations of Law in the year 1859 was 753, in the past year 819.
FINANCES.
Cash in the Treasury at the commencement of the last fiscal year, 1860, including Bills receivable, $7,965.65. At the commencement of the present fiscal year there is in the Treasury, $6,500.00 showing over $1,400 less to apply to the current expenses than our predecessors had for the same object.
The following table will show the amount of money raised by taxes each year for three years, the valuation and city debt for each year.
Amount of Taxes.
1858.
$123,776.55
Valuation. $16,385,600
City Debt.
$100,188.80
1859. 126,391.00
16,816,400
99,533.95
1860. 140,745.70
16,406,900
94,533.95
24
On an examination of this Table it appears that the Taxable property was less last year than the year preced- ing, while the taxes were $14,354.70 more than in the year 1859. The City debt has been lessened nominally $5,000, but a new debt has been created called a Library debt of $16,000, this sum added, makes the legitimate city debt $110,533.95, showing that the actual indebted- ness of the city has been increased $11,000 over the pre- ceding year. The extraordinary expenditures over the ordinary, for the coming year, are likely to be quite as large, if not larger, than the past year. The Taxes the past year have been increased 1-8, the actual city debt about 1-9, while there has been no corresponding increase of Taxable property. This indicates, at least, an unhealthy tendency in the financial affairs of the city. It is wise for an individual or a City to live within their means, if thrift and prosperity is desired.
We have a Constituency of intelligent, hard-working, industrious, prudent men, and they will most assuredly require of us a wise economy in the disbursement of all monies we exact of them in the shape of Taxes. By a prudent and economical management of the affairs of the city, I am confident that all the ordinary expenses of the city can be provided for without increasing the rate of Tax- ation and have $25,000 or $30,000 to apply for extraordi- nary expenses, or the liquidation of the city debt. In April next, $25,000 of the city debt falls due and must be pro- vided for, as well as the current expenses of the city, before any money can be received from Taxes.
Gentlemen of the City Council :
We are the public servants and Trustees of the people, to do their will in obedience to the charter of the city and
25
the Laws of the land. Let us strive so to discharge our duty, and so to execute our trusts, as to promote the peace, prosperity and happiness of all the citizens of our beloved city.
With entire confidence I rely on your cordial co-opera- tion in all measures which will promote the well being of the city. Allow me to assure you, that you will have my hearty and zealous co-operation in all legal and constitu- tional efforts to manage with skill, wisdom and prudence, the fiscal, prudential and municipal affairs of the city. May a kind Providence guide and direct us in the faithful discharge of our respective duties.
VALEDICTORY ADDRESS
OF
HON. W. W. RICE,
MAYOR OF THE CITY OF WORCESTER,
ON TAKING LEAVE OF THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN,
JANUARY 7, 1861.
Gentlemen of the Board of Aldermen :
I thank you for the resolution which you have just adopted. It adds to the weight of my obligation to you which has been constantly accumulating during the year. And not only have you generously sustained me in the discharge of my duties, but in my judgment your relations with each other have been eminently harmonious. The members of the board have been united in support of almost all the important measures which have been adopted by us, each striving to share, rather than evade, the common labor and responsibility. And now that we take our leave of each other in this relation, I trust and believe that we separate with increased sentiments of mutual friendship and esteem.
I do not propose to examine in detail the proceedings of the year, or the present condition of our municipal affairs. Custom and courtesy assign that duty to my suc- cessor. Still, as careful and prudent stewards, we should not render up our trusts without a knowledge of the con- dition in which we leave them.
27
And in the first place, we have reason to be thankful that Providence has not visited the city during our term of office with any severe calamity, of pestilence or of fire.
Our citizens have enjoyed an average degree of health, while the amount of property destroyed by fire during the year has been much less than the average annual loss. In 1858, the value of property destroyed by fire was $15,600 ; in 1859, $33,115 ; while this year it has been but $8,300, or less than half what was lost by incendiarism alone during the last year. Twenty-five per cent. of this loss has been in the suburban districts, beyond the control of the fire department.
The report of the Treasurer, who, you will permit me to say in passing, receives less compensation in proportion to the value of services performed than almost any other man in the city, will show a balance of some $7,000 in the treasury after the settlement of all the bills of the year, and the payment of from $5,000 to $6,000 in reduc- tion of the city debt in accordance with the vote of the council. Our policy was to make liberal appropriations to the several departments, and endeavor to keep within them. This, I am happy to say, in most cases has been accom- plished. Our largest appropriation was $33,000 for schools. The expenses have been kept within the appro- priation, notwithstanding the establishment of three new schools and the employment of additional teachers, at an annual additional expense of $700 for salaries alone. This large reduction of the expenses of our schools, not- withstanding their increasing facilities, being some $2,370 less than for the last year, is attributable in a great degree to the ability and faithfulness of the Superintendent of Public Schools.
We appropriated $14,000 for highways and bridges,
28
$15,933.16 being the expenditure of last year. Our expenditure will exceed the appropriation less than $200, including $1,208.89 expended in the completion of the Patch road laid out and commenced by our predecessors. We have set 2,976 feet of curb stone, and paved 3,072 yards of gutter and sidewalks, being a quarter more than was done last year, which exceeded the amount of the year before. To those acquainted with the efficient man- agement of this department, it is unnecessary to add that we leave the highways and bridges in as good condition as we found them.
The pauper and police expenditures will somewhat, though not considerably, exceed the appropriations, which may be accounted for in the police department by the fact that the earnings of the Assistant Marshals are now paid into the County Treasury, instead of the City Treasury, as heretofore.
We found ourselves called upon, at the commencement of the year, to incur two extraordinary expenditures, the first, by the action of our predecessors, in the erection of a library building ; the second, by the general voice of the citizens in the purchase of a steam fire engine.
The building committee have submitted a report of their doings in regard to the library building. We appropriated for the erection of this building $20,000, $4,000 of which was to be paid this year, and the city scrip, to be known as the "Free Public Library Scrip," to be issued for the remainder, to be paid in equal annual installments in one, two, three and four years. The committee contracted with the Messrs. Palmer to finish the building according to the plan and specifications adopted, for $19,940, the building to be ready for occupancy in June next. These gentlemen have done their work thus far in a satisfactory and workman-
29
like manner. We have negotiated $8,000 of the $16,000 scrip, which, with the $4,000 appropriated this year, has been sufficient to meet all payments under the contract to the present tim
Early in the r, the Committee on the Fire Depart- ment were instructed to procure a steam fire engine for the use of the Fire Department. This duty was performed by them in conjunction with the Board of Engineers, and the result has been eminently satisfactory. A steam engine was purchased for $3,000 from Silsby, Mynderse & Co., of Seneca Falls, New York, the operation of which, to the present time, has been admirable, and I have no doubt that it has added greatly to the safety of the prop- erty of our citizens. The purchase of another steamer of similar construction and capacity, to be located in a differ- ent section of the city from the one we now have, would be a profitable investment.
In the month of March, John Q. Hill was appointed agent for the sale of liquors, in compliance with the stat- utes of the Commonwealth.
The whole amount of sales by Mr. Hill from that time to the present has been, . $4,235 62
Merchandise on hand appraised at cost, 937 85
--- $5,173 47
The amount paid State Agent for liquors has been . 3,994 62 Expenses of Agency, . 1,181 49
-$5,177 11
Showing a loss to the city of $2 64
The Agent has sought, in conformity with his instruc- tions, to keep the debtor and credit sides of his account as nearly balanced as possible, it not being desirable that the city should make a profit out of the agency, and we must admit that in so large an account he has calculated very closely.
5
30
The sales have fallen off very considerably during the last quarter, indicating that the law prohibiting the sale of intoxicating liquors, has not been observed during the last three months as it was in the early part of the year. This, I am sorry to say, I believe has been the fact, and should the sales continue to diminish in the same proportion, the agency can be conducted as it has been only at a loss to the city.
I still maintain, however, as I ever have done, the wisdom of the policy of establishing this agency, and our experiment has proved that while it is a great advantage to the city, to comply with the spirit of the statute in this respect rather than seek to evade it, it may also be done without expense to the city.
A scarcity of water during the summer induced our attention to the hackneyed question of the best source of supply of pure water for the city.
We were favorably impressed with the promise of East or Lynde Brook for this purpose, and caused surveys and measurements to be made to ascertain the capacity of the stream. The result of our measurements shows the run of water to have averaged :
Per diem, in July,
2,972,572 gallons. ·
in August,
2,710,720 ·
in September, .
2,617,320 .
in October,
. 2,250,301
in November, .
13,939,200
This would seem to prove that the capacity of the stream is sufficient to supply the wants of the city. The result of an analysis of the water by Dr. Jackson, the State Assayer, has also been most favorable.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.