USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Worcester > Town annual reports of the several departments for the fiscal year ending December 31, 1856-1861 > Part 9
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Gill Valentine,
Samuel D. Harding,
Phineas Crandall,
Moses D. Phillips,
Charles White,
Benjamin Flagg.
CITY CLERK.
Charles A. Hamilton.
COMMON COUNCIL. PRESIDENT.
William N. Green.
Ward 1.
Henry Earl, R. O. Forbush, Samuel A. Porter.
Ward 2.
Charles Washburn, George W. Rugg," Timothy Bancroft.
Ward 3.
William N. Green, Gerry Valentine, Samuel T. Field.
Ward 4.
James S. Woodworth, Loison D. Towne, Pliny Holbrook.
Ward 5.
Ezra P. Clarke, Gardner McFarland, Henry Murray.
Ward 6.
James H. Wall, Marshall S. Ballord, Levi Barker.
Ward 7.
Timothy S. Stone, Samuel H. Colton, David W. Cook.
Ward 8.
Wm. M. Bickford, Roswell P. Angier, Joseph Walker, Jr.
CLERK.
Warren Adams.
Lewis A. Maynard.
"Resigned, Calvin Knowlton elected.
°Resigned, Chas. White elected. "Resigned.
ALDERMEN.
Freeman Upham,
Edward Lamb,
Henry Prentice,
Calvin Newton,
David Woodward,
John F. Gleason,
Isaac Davis,
William Dickinson.º
CITY CLERK. Charles A. Hamilton.
COMMON COUNCIL.
PRESIDENT. Charles Washburn.
Ward 1.
Nathan Muzzy, Joseph Lewis, Alexander Thayer.
Ward 2.
Charles Washburn, Lee Sprague, Benjamin B. Otis.
Ward 3.
Adam Dawson, Wm. B. Maxwell, Gill Valentine.
Ward 4.
Calvin Newton, John P. Southgate, John F. Burbank.
Ward 5.
Daniel S. Burgess, Henry S. Washburn, Brigham Goss.
Ward 6.
John F. Gleason, Joseph D. Brigham, Peregrine B. Gilbert.
Ward 7.
Erastus Tucker, Nathan Ainsworth, Samuel H. Colton.
Ward 8.
Albert Tolman, Henry H. Chamberlin, Jonas Hartshorn.
CLERK.
William A. Smith.
CITY CLERK. Charles A. Hamilton.
COMMON COUNCIL. PRESIDENT. John F. Burbank.
Ward 1.
Alexander Thayer, Henry Earl, Samuel A. Porter.
Ward 2.
George W. Rugg, John B. Pratt, Charles Davis.t
Ward 3.
Gill Valentine, Charles Bowen, Gerry Valentine.
Ward 4.
John F. Burbank, Samuel D. Harding, Moses Spooner.
Ward 5.
David D. Stowell, Henry Murray, Brigham Goss.#
Ward 6. Marshall S. Ballord, James H. Wall,; Levi Barker.
Ward 7. Samuel B. Dennis, John A. Hunt, Samuel H. Colton.
Ward 8.
Joseph Walker, Wm. M. Bickford, Roswell P. Angier.
CLERK.
+Declined, Benj. Walker electcd.
Daniel S. Burgess 16
MAYOR.
Peter C. Bacon.
ALDERMEN.
George W. Russell,
Ichabod Washburn, Daniel Harrington, Joseph Pratt,
David Woodward, Adolphus Morse,º John M. Earle,
Jonas M. Miles.
127
1854.
1855.
MAYOR.
George W. Richardson.
ALDERMEN.
Henry Earl, Samuel Davis,
Wm. T. Merrifield,
John P. Southgate,
William II. Harris,
James H. Wall,
Alvin Waite,
Henry Goulding.
CITY CLERK.
Charles A. Hamilton.º
COMMON COUNCIL. PRESIDENT.
George M. Rice.
Ward 1.
John Gates, Alexander Thayer, Alexander Putnam.
Ward 2.
Samuel A. Knox, Horace Chenery, Ozias Hudson.
Ward 3.
Reuben Randall, Leonard Poole, Henry Tolman.
Ward 4.
Francis Harrington, Lewis Sturtevant, Nathan Washburn.
Ward 5.
Francis Strong, George E. Wyman, Edward S. Stebbins.
Ward 6.
Lorin Wetherell, John B. Dexter, Thomas Pierce.
Ward 7.
George M, Rice, Henry Griffin, Thomas Earle.
Ward 8.
Joseph D. Daniels, Parley Hammond, Joseph P. Cheney.
CLERK.
William A. Smith.
°Declined. Reuben Randall elected.
"Resigned, Samuel Smith elected.
1856.
MAYOR.
Isaac Davis.
ALDERMEN.
Benjamin F. Heywood,
Joseph P. Hale,º
Henry Prentice,
James S. Woodworth,
Samuel V. Stone,
Calvin Willard,t
Calvin Foster.
William S. Lincoln.
CITY CLERK.
Samuel Smith.
COMMON COUNCIL. PRESIDENT.
George M. Rice.
Ward I. David Hitchcock, Austin Flint, George H. Tufts.
Ward 2.
Ransom M. Gould, George Spaulding, Oran A. Kelley.
Ward 8.
Jason Temple, Henry D. Stone, Charles Bowen.
Ward 4.
Samuel D. Harding, Charles B. Pratt, Moses Taft.
Ward 5.
John S. Gustin, Levi Barker, George H. Ward.
Ward 6.
Dana H. Fitch, Lorin Wetherell, Thomas Pierce.
Ward 7.
George M. Rice, Albert P. Ware, John C. Jaques.
Ward 8. William Dickinson, Charles W. Freeland, Joseph P. Cheney.
CLERK.
William A. Smith.
"Resigned, Edward Lamb elected. +Declined, James H. Wall elected. ĮResigned, Henry Earl elected.
MAYOR. John S. C. Knowlton.
ALDERMEN.
William A. Williams,
Charles Washburn,
Hartley Williams,
Samuel D. Harding,
Moses D. Phillips,
James H. Wall,
Eli Thayer,
Benjamin Walker.
CITY CLERK. Charles A. Hamilton.
COMMON COUNCIL.
PRESIDENT.
James Estabrook.
Ward 1.
Samuel A. Porter, Gerry Valentine, Francis Hovey.
Ward 2.
Ichabod Washburn, Thomas H. Rice, Edward Lamb.
Ward 3.
Henry Tolman, Lysander Chandler, Henry Prentice.º
Ward 4.
James S. Woodworth, Loison D. Towne, Philip Lothrop.
Ward 5.
Willard Brown, Francis Strong, William S. Lincoln.
Ward 6.
Josiah W. Allen, James Estabrook, Joseph H. Walker.
Ward 7.
Calvin Foster, Jonas Hartshorn, Elijah B. Stoddard.
Ward 8.
Joseph Walker, George Hobbs, Henry Goulding.
CLERK.
William A. Smith.
128
1857.
COMMON COUNCIL.
Ward 5.
PRESIDENT.
George M. Rice. Ward 1. Austin Flint,
Henry P. Nichols,
Charles H. Ballard. Ward 2.
Oran A. Kelley,
Ransom M. Gould,
Daniel Tainter. Ward 3.
Jason Temple,
Henry D. Stone,
Calvin E. Pratt. Ward 4. Charles B. Pratt,
Rufus O. Williams, Elisha F. Witt.
CLERK.
William A. Smith.
MAYOR. George W. Richardson.
ALDERMEN.
Henry Earl, William A. Wheeler, Henry Prentice, John P. Southgate, Francis Strong, Albert Curtis, Charles White, Henry Goulding.
CITY CLERK.
Samuel Smith.
John S. Gustin, Patrick O'Keefe, Samuel V. Stone. Ward 6.
Edwin Draper, Sylvanus Pratt, . Joel Davis.
Ward 7.
George M. Rice, Aury G. Coes, Horatio N. Tower.
Ward 8. William M. Bickford, Joshua M. C. Armsby, Samuel H. Leonard.
CITY DOCUMENT No. 12 R
352 074 INAUGURAL ADDRESS W9220 1857
HON. ISAAC DAVIS,
MAYOR OF THE CITY OF WORCESTER, JAN. 4, 1858.
WITH THE
ANNUAL REPORTS
OF THE
SEVERAL CITY OFFICERS,
FOR THE
MUNICIPAL YEAR ENDING JAN. 4, 1858.
RCES
TOWN
JUNE
FEBY.29.1848
14.112
WORCESTER : PRINTED BY EDWARD R. FISKE, FOSTER STREET, OPPOSITE B. & W. R. R. DEPOT.
CONTENTS.
The Mayor's Inaugural Address, . 4
Report of the City Treasurer, , 1 17 Account of Receipts and Expenditures, . 23 Schedule of the City Property, : 55 Amount of City Debt, : :
.. 60 Report of the Commissioners of Hope Cemetery, 61 Report of the Chief Engineer, 67
Report on Highways, 71 Report of the City Marshal, 77 Report of the Aqueduct Commissioners, 82
Report of the Overseers of the Poor, . 85
Report of the School Committee, 89
List of School Teachers, with their Salaries, and Visiting Committees, 130
Government and Officers of the City of Worcester,
132
Members of the City Council from 1848 to 1858, .
139
INAUGURAL ADDRESS OF
HON. ISAAC DAVIS,
MAYOR OF THE CITY OF WORCESTER.
DELIVERED JANUARY 4, 1858.
Gentlemen of the Board of Aldermen, and Gentlemen of the Common Council :
We have been selected by the partiality of our Fellow Citizens to take the charge of the fiscal, prudential, and municipal affairs of the City for the current year : We have taken the oaths required by the Charter, solemnly pledging ourselves to the faithful perform- ance of the duties of our respective stations. Allow me to say, Gentlemen, that the duties and responsibilities which we have now assumed, will require much time, skill, prudence, energy and wisdom, in order that we may discharge them with £delity.
At the opening of a new year upon us, the first sentiment which impresses itself upon the mind, is of gratitude to the Author and Giver of every good and perfect gift for the continuance of the blessings of His providence upon the inhabitants of our beloved city.
Although Heaven has smiled upon us, and showered its blessings in our pathway, yet our Citizens are far from being prosperous in the various branches of industrial pursuits : business is paralized,- the busy hum of industry has died away in the shops of the me-
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L
2
6
MAYOR'S ADDRESS.
chanics and artisans, and hundreds of laborers are thrown out of employment and reduced to want. This state of things is not con- fined to our city, but exists in a greater or less degree in our sister cities throughout the Country. If we enquire what has produced these disastrous results, we shall find it is to be attributed mainly to our defective system of currency. Its extravagant expansions cxcite wild speculations, prodigal expenditures, and improvident invest- ments. Its great contractions, produce ruin, bankruptcy and crime. All civilized nations, by common consent, have made silver and Id the standard by which the value of goods, wares and mer- nandize-lands and tenements, can be ascertained. The History of currency shows that whenever, and wherever, Kings, Governments or States, have made war on this standard, either by debasing the coin, or issuing bills of credit without a specie basis, it has in the end, excited alarm, paralized industry, suspended the employments of labor and produced bankruptcy and its attendant evils. Our City, in common with all the cities of New England, is experiencing the effects at this time of this war on the currency, by the issuing of bills of credit by institutions created by the States to an amount ten or fifteen fold greater than they had gold or silver to redeem them. England, France and Germany, in their extensive commercial re- lations with this Country, have brought here thier goods, wares and merchandise, and sold them at the inflated prices of our paper cur- rency, receiving in payment, not bills, but gold and silver, thereby crushing our own mechanics, artisans and manufacturers.
Our State Legislature has the power to accomplish much towards providing a remedy for this evil. Something might be done to cor- rect it by the City Council, by requiring as far as practicable all the receipts and disbursements of the city, to be made in silver and gold. If all our sister cities would do likewise, it would effect much towards restoring confidence, and giving life and energy to industry. Under these repressive circumstances, we should not despond. The indomitable energy-the untiring perseverance-the indefatigable industry of our Fellow Citizens, will enable us, amid the elements of prosperity, soon to rise triumphant over this financial embarrassment and witness again the onward progress of all our
7
MAYOR'S ADDRESS.
various industrial pursuits. Amid this depression, our citizens are obliged to curtail their expenditures and adopt a system of economy in the management of their private affairs. They will assuredly require, and have a right to demand of us, a prudent and economical management of all monies which we may exact of them by taxation. In order that business may again revive, that the mechanic and artizan may find full employment-that our city may again assume its onward progress, much is to be done in its municipal capacity.
Gentlemen of the City Council :-
In obedience to the requirements of the City Charter, and in accordance with the usage of my distinguished predecessors, I shall call your attention to the consideration of some of the principal subjects which will, in the performance of your official duties, claim your careful and thorough investigation.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Our Public Schools, so important to the welfare of our city, must be honorably provided for, and will require a large expenditure of money in order to furnish the best instruction, More than two cen- turies ago, when the entire Colony of Massachusetts Bay contained a population less than this city, our Pilgrim Fathers without experi- ence, and without precedent, devised a system of education which has commanded the admiration of succeeding generations. In the year 1647, a law was passed making the support of schools compul- sory and education universal and free. By this law, every Town containing fifty house holders was required to appoint a Teacher " to teach all such children as should resort to him to write and read; " and every Town containing one hundred families, or house holders, was required " to set up a grammar school " whose master should be able " to instruct youth so far as they may be fitted for the Univer- sity. " This act laid the foundation of our present system of Free Schools. Centuries of successful operation proclaim the wisdom of the system. Every civilized community awards to it the highest encomiums. We have occasion to be grateful to God and man for its untold blessings.
Our City has twenty-five school houses which have been constructed
8
MAYOR'S ADDRESS.
at an expense of about $130,000. These school houses will afford accommodations for 4500 scholars. The last official report shows that there are fifty schools, and the average attendance of scholars in the summer is 2,415, in winter 2,507. This report covers a period when the schools were larger than they are at present-the number of children between the ages of five years and 15 years having diminished according to the returns of the Assessors.
The following table will show the appropriations for schools, ex- penditures, and the number of children between the ages of 5 and 15 years, for the last five years.
APPROPRIATIONS.
EXPENDITURES.
NO. OF CHILDREN.
1853.
$20.000
$21.162,55
3,312
1854.
22.000
24.505,62
3,845
1855.
25.500
29.915,59
3,974
1856.
27.200
26.992,08
4,056
1857.
30.000
about 33.000,00
3,989
This table does not include the appropriations or expenditures for new school houses, or for the repairs of old ones. It will be per- ceived, that the expenses for maintaining our schools have increased with much greater rapidity than the children between the ages of 5 and 15 years. During the last year, the number of children has diminished while the expenses have largely increased. Two years since, in my address to the City Council, I recommended that pro- vision should be made for a Superintendent of Public Schools. This recommendation was made for the double purpose of improving the character of the schools and reducing their annual expenses. My successor in alluding to the ordinance creating the office, in his inau- gural address, was clearly of the opinion, that the expenses would not be increased. On examination, I find that although there are not so many children between the ages of 5 and 15 years as there were in the year preceding, yet the expenses of the schools have been increased more than three thousand dollars. It may be that the schools have been better attended to, and that more life and energy has been infused into them by frequent visitation of the Com- mittee and Superintendent.
This subject will require your early attention-and if it is found
-
9
MAYOR'S ADDRESS.
on a careful examination, that the objects for which the office was created, are not accomplished, it will be your duty to rescind the ordinance by which the office was established.
By a recent act of the Legislature more permanency has been given to the School Committee, by increasing the tenure of their office three fold. If in making the selection of the Committee, the citizens ignore all parties and sects, and elect men qualified for the station, I have no doubt it will produce very beneficial effects on the character of our schools.
During the past year the City Council have commenced the erec- tion of a school house in New Worcester for the accommodation of four schools. This is a substantial brick edifice-the outside is com- pleted, and the inside is to be finished by contract on or before Octo- ber next. When finished and fitted up with desks, it will cost about $8.000. Of this sum, $4.100 have been paid by the last City Government; the balance must be provided for in the appropriations for the current year.
By reference to the expenditures it will be seen that the School Committee have expended the past year three thousand dollars more than the appropriation.
The laws of the State give liberal power to the School Committee, in case the City does not appropriate the amount required by statutes for schools. . Yet I know of no authority which gives the Committee power to exceed the appropriation. In all the Departments of the Government the utmost caution should be used by all who have any charge of expenditures, to keep them within the appropriations.
I recommend to you to make ample provision for the Public Schools, and to do all acts within your power to make them as good as any within the Commonwealth.
STREETS, BRIDGES, AND SIDE WALKS.
Last week an ordinance was adopted by the City Council, provid- ing for a joint Standing Committee on streets and bridges, and also requiring of the Street Commissioner a strict accountability. I feel confident that a judicious Committee to act in connection with the Commissioner in the various important questions which may arise in the repair and construction of bridges, and in the repairing, grading,
10
MAYOR'S ADDRESS.
and construction of streets, will be very beneficial to the city. One hundred and forty-five miles of streets, and thirty-five bridges within the limits of the city, will require a large outlay to keep them in good repair so that they will be safe and convenient for travelers. A new street has been laid out by our predecessors, from Stafford street to James' mill, which will require a bridge over the Western Rail Road. The construction of the bridge and completing of the street will cost, probably, between two and three thousand dollars. A suit is pending against the City for alledged obstructions to the water, caused by the stone bridge over the river Blackstone on Mill- bury street below Quinsigamond village. In this case, an accurate survey should be made by a competent engineer to ascertain with accuracy the capacity of the arches to pass the water in its highest state. This is a permanent stone bridge, recently constructed at an expense of $2,000. In the construction of bridges great care should be taken that the span of the arches should be capacious enough to pass the water in the greatest freshets. A stone bridge built but a few years since, was re-constructed the past year in consequence of its entire inadequacy to pass the water when the stream was swollen. In constructing bridges, or re-building them, I recommend that they should be constructed with stone in all cases where it is practicable, and that the arches should be built upon the segment of an ellipse, rather than on a segment of a circle, as this mode of construction will give greater facilities for passing the water in the swollen state of the streams, and will supercede the necessity of raising the bridges as high as would be required, if constructed upon the seg- ment of a circle. The cost of stone bridges will be greater than wood, but if properly constructed, they will last for centuries. The City Council appropriated the past year, the sum of $20.000 for this department. The amount expended has been about 18.000.
I apprehend that our system of repairs of streets and bridges is not yet so perfect that it is not susceptible of great improvement. Many of the streets are ornamented with shade trees which give comfort to the traveler and beauty to the city. I would recommend that gratuities be offered to those land holders in the agricultural portions of the city, who will plant trees on the borders of streets
11
MAYOR'S ADDRESS.
adjoining their lands, under the directions of the Committee on Shade Trees. An ordinance should be adopted for the more perfect protec- tion of shade trees.
The Commissioner of Streets will make a full and detailed report upon the subject of streets, bridges and side walks-to which I refer you for further information.
POOR.
In this time of general depression, when there are so many desti- tute, and so many out of employment, it may be reasonably expected that the applications of the poor for aid and assistance, will be nu- merous.
The dictates of religion, the feelings of humanity, the requisitions of law-all demand that shelter, food and raiment should be fur- nished to the poor. The spacious Alms House, fitted up with all modern conveniences, at great expense, will furnish ample accommo- dations for all who may apply.
The average number of poor in the alms house for the past year is twenty-the amount appropriated for the poor was $8.000, and the amount actually expended about $8.500. The Superintendent and Matron of the alms house, receive a salary of $400 a year, with board for themselves and two children. A hired man receives $19 per month; two hired girls receive, one $1.75, the other, $1.50 per week with board-these constitute the force to take charge of the alms house establishment, with an average number of twenty poor persons, most of whom are able and do perform more or less service. This would seem to be rather a large force for the services performed, and the amount expended seems large when the average number of the poor is considered. This whole subject will require your careful consideration, and as soon as you receive the detailed report of the Overseers of the Poor, you can determine more definitely what action is necessary.
WATER
How shall the City be supplied with pure water ? This question has been much discussed by the City Government for four or five years last past. Extensive surveys and estimates have been made
12
MAYOR'S ADDRESS.
by competent Engineers, and their reports have been printed and widely circulated. The question whether water should be brought into the city from Henshaw Pond in Leicester, has been submitted to the legal voters-the result of which was, about the same number in favor of the project as there was against it. About 1000 voters had no opinion upon the subject-or, they did not express it at the polls. The whole surface of our city is variegated with hill and valley, where many bubbling springs of pure water gush from the earth. The several streams of water which unite in forming the river Blackstone, flow through our city. Upon these streams are twenty-five dams, forming as many reservoirs of water, which with two natural ponds, cover more than nine hundred acres of land within the city, with water. Almost every citizen can procure good pure water at his own door, by digging 15 or 20 feet. The city aqueduct, which cost the city over $40.000, supplies our citizens with 50,000 gallons of water per day. Connected with this aqueduct are 104 hydrants, to be used in case of fire. Three aqueducts, laid and con- structed by individual enterprise, furnish daily, about 30,000 gallons.
A careful analysis of the waters of springs, streams and ponds, within the city demonstrates the fact, that the water is unusually pure. The uniform good health of the citizens is an evidence of the purity of that element so necessary to health and comfort. Few cities in New England are, after all, better supplied with water, than our city. I do not recommend any attempt at present, to bring water into the city upon any of the plans heretofore reported upon by Engineers for that purpose-any one of which, would involve the city in several hundred thousand dollars of debt.
In examining the income of the Worcester aqueduct, for the last five years, I find it does not pay but a fraction over one per cent. on its original cost to the city.
COST OF AQUEDUCT.
ANNUAL INTEREST.
INCOME.
$40.000
$2.400
000.00
1852
2.400
000.00
1853
2.400
872.56
1854
2.400
948.53
1855
2.400
504.58
1856
12.000
2.225,67
13
MAYOR'S ADDRESS.
The water rents-hydrants and all other matters connected with the Worcester aqueduct, may be managed in the best manner, but the system of placing the whole in the hands of three Commissioners, with authority to lease water-rights, to collect rents-fix their own salaries-make such repairs and improvements as they deem best- audit their own bills and pay them, and pay the balance into the Treasury of the city-is clothing commissioners with a power which does not exist in any other department of the city government.
I therefore recommend the adoption of an ordinance, defining more fully the duties of the commissioners, fixing their compensa- tion-the mode and the manner in which the bills of the department shall be audited and paid, and the income disposed of. For further information relative to all matters relating to the Worcester Aque- duct, I refer you to the report of the Commissioners.
CEMETERY.
Hope Cemetery, occupying fifty-three acres in the south westerly part of the city, is becoming a beautiful and attractive place of sepulture. The inequality of the Ground, and its various picturesque undulations, impart a character to its appearance, which no artificial operations could effect. The charge and oversight of improving, ornamenting and laying out these interesting Grounds in which are sown the seeds of the resurrection, is placed by a Law of the Com- monwealth in the hands of a Board of five Commissioners, elected by the City Council.
The Commissioners have caused the remains of the few graves in the Cemetery on Cambridge street, to be removed to Hope Cemetery, thus leaving that lot of land to be occupied in such manner as the City Council may direct.
Hope Cemetery with all the improvements which have been made upon it, has cost the city $7.770,74. The receipts for the sale of lots to the present time has amounted to $3.003,50. I feel confi- dent in saying that the city will, eventually, be fully reimbursed, by the sale of lots, for all the disbursements made on account of this enterprise.
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