USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Worcester > Town annual reports of the several departments for the fiscal year ending December 31, 1862-1866 > Part 35
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 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64
173
Nothing, however, was done, therefore I would again renew the request hoping the subject will receive your early con- sideration and action. The attention of the committee on the Fire Department last year was directed to the condition of the house occupied by city Hose in rear of the School House on Main street.
They visited the premises and the cause for complaint was fully admitted, but for some reason the nuisance was not re- moved and still exists and will continue until something is done to remove the cause. It is, and will be a great hinder- ance to forming and maintaining a good company in that place, which is a central locality where it is very desirable to have one.
At a late period last year the city council contracted with James S. Woodworth, Esq., to build such additions to, and make such alterations in the house in Bigelow court as would accommodate both Steamers, their companies, and a good stable of sufficient capacity for the requisite number of horses. It is now nearly ready for occupancy, and when completed it will be one of the most convenient houses of the kind in the State. There has been during the last year thirty-two alarms of fire, nearly all of which could be traced to some sufficient cause destroying as nearly as can be estimated about $40,000 worth of property. I regard it as exceedingly fortunate that in a city like Worcester consisting of so many wooden buildings that no larger amount of property has been destroy- ed by fire. The present system of giving alarms makes it more difficult for evil disposed persons to raise false alarms which are expensive and annoying.
The additional supply of water recently introduced into the city has greatly increased our ability to extinguish fires in
22
174
such localities as can be reached from the Hydrants, and it is hoped that such a policy will be adopted by the city council that the water pipes may be extended to all such points as now afford no facilities for supplying an engine, or hose com- pany in case of fire. In many places a fire might occur and the entire fire department would be nearly powerless for want of water, such has been the case several times during the last few years. The department as now organized consists of 272 men. The Board of Engineers are organized as follows: Alzirus Brown,
A. B. Lovell,
R. M. Gould,
Chief Engineer. Assistant Chief Engineer. Assistant Engineer and Clerk.
S. E. Combs,
Wm. E. Swallow,
Joseph Rideout,
Austin W. Ward,
The company organizations are,
Wash'ton Engine Co. No. 1, De Witt Fisher, Foreman 40 men.
Rapid 66 " 2, James L. Morse, “ 40 “
Niagara
66 " 3, Samuel Knowlton, “ 40 “
Yankee
5, R. S. Maynard,
40 "
Hook & Ladder
1, John W. Loring,
20
Hook & Ladder
2, Austin Culver,
25
City Hose
1, Caleb Brimhall, 66
10 “
Ocean Hose
2, James Keegan, 10 “
Eagle Hose "
3, Thomas Tainter, " 10 "
Steamer Gov. Lincoln, " 1, Timothy Kelcher, “ 15
Steamer Col. Davis,
" 2, Royal Combs, 15 " Engineers, 7
Total, 272
175
The ordinary wear of leading hose used by the nine com- panies that are necessarily thus supplied renders it necessary to add about one thousand feet annually. I would therefore recommend an appropriation sufficient to purchase that num- ber of feet as soon as practicable.
There never has been a sufficient supply in the department to enable the Board of Engineers or the companies to practice that economy which is both desirable and necessary.
The success of our department is mainly due to the prevailing ambition of the men to be first on the ground and "first water" on the fire. I wish to thank the City Council for courtesies received, and the repeated manifestations of their approval of the manner in which the affairs of this depart- ment have been managed: and especially am I under obliga- tions for the efficient and always prompt assistance of City Marshal Pratt, and his Assistants rendered at fires. The dis- charge of their duties at such times has always been in har- mony with those of the Department. Finally there should be ent. accorded to the other members of the Board of Engineers their full share of merit for that cordial and hearty co-operation which they have given me, and supported all those salutary measures which enables the Worcester Fire Department to rank among the best.
I am Gentlemen very respectfully, Your obedient servant,
ALZIRUS BROWN,
Chief Engineer.
REPORT
OF THE
OVERSEERS OF THE POOR.
The Overseers of the Poor for the year 1864 submit to the City Council their Annual Report.
A season of unusual prosperity in almost every branch of business, giving full employment at high prices, to all who were able to work, would under ordinary circumstances, have materially lightened the burdens and expenditures of this de- partment of the government. But the same causes which have increased the demand and price for labor, have also in a corresponding degree enhanced the cost of all the products of industry ; so that the sick and infirm, the idle and dissipated, the widows and fatherless, that class which is most dependent upon public charity, have been poorer and more dependent than ever. An advance of from 25 to 50 per cent. in the prices of every article of family consumption, of fuel and provisions, of rent and clothing could not take place in the most thriving and prosperous community, without causing great want and suffering.
177
Especially has the effect of this inflation of prices been felt in the maintainance of the large family at the Almshouse. That establishment has but shared in the experience of every private family in the community. The number of inmates strictly chargeable to the department has not been unusually large, but the addition of from ten to fifteen boys in the Tru- ant School, with the teacher, has added largely to the expense of the establishment, and to the labors and responsibility of the superintendent and especially of the matron.
It has been difficult to separate the cost of supporting the boys belonging to the Truant School from the general ex- penses of the establishment, as it is desirable to do. The sums expended for clothing and furniture for that part of the building occupied by them is separately charged. The fuel used would not be much less, and the services of the chaplain and physician would be the same if there was no truant chil- dren there. Still it is manifestly proper that a fair proportion of all the expenses of which they receive the benefit should be charged to their support. The cost of every article of food whether raised upon the farm or purchased by the city is chargeable alike to all the inmates of the establishment.
The last summer has been remarkable for the long and se- vere drought which continued through the months of June, July, August and September. The hay crop was light in con- sequence, being ten or fifteen tons less than last year, but nearly equal to the crop of 1862. Pasturage was also neces- sarily short. It is difficult to account for the fact that here as generally throughout the city, the root crop, notwithstanding the drought, was uncommonly large and of excellent quality. The appraisal at the farm in December, showed the amount of
178
produce on hand to be 30 tons of hay, 2 tons of rye and oat straw, 240 bushels corn, 11 bushels beans, 100 lbs. broom corn brush, 550 bushels ruta bagas, 200 bushels turnips, 200 bush- els potatoes, 100 bushels beets, 65 bushels carrots, parsnips and mangold wurtsel, 2 barrels clear pork, 320 lbs. pork, legs and shoulders, 4 fat hogs, estimated weight 1350 lbs., 18 bar- rels of apples, 90 lbs. lard and 50 lbs. of butter, in addition to all that had been consumed during the season.
A large and valuable building 40 by 20 feet and 18 feet posts, has been built during the year, adjoining and connected with the brick house. The lower story is designed for a pig- gery and is divided into several apartments for the fat, store and breeding swine. The second story is for a granary, and the attic for a store-room for any purpose for which it may be wanted. The building is heavily timbered and well and sub- stantially built. About 20,000 feet of lumber was used in its construction, all of which except the shingles, was cut from the farm. The money expended in its erection and the purchase of materials was $430 48. The value of the building is at least $800. A large wood-house 52 by 18 feet has also been built in the same manner. Its value is about $400, of which $200 was paid for labor and materials.
During the long drought the water from the aqueduct en- tirely failed, and it was thought proper to dig a new well. Although not required for ordinary daily use, it will be valua- ble as a means of supply when other sources fail, and espe- cially for protection against fire.
A high wooden fence was built early in the season to en- close a play ground for the truant boys adjoining the west wing of the building. The cost of all these improvements has
179
been $757: They were essential to the establishment, and will add largely to the comfort and convenience with which the management of the family and the operations of the farm are conducted.
The title of the city to a tract of young wood land in Shrewsbury and which was in former years used in connection with the farm, has been brought to the knowledge of the Board during the year. The lot contains about 14 acres, and is worth from $40 to $50 an acre.
The whole number of persons who have received assistance from the city during the year, is 2,110. Of this number 406 had a legal residence in the city, 210 belonged to other cities and towns in the Commonwealth, and 1494 were aliens. The number assisted by weekly allowances is 19.
The following is the financial statement of the department :
RESOURCES.
Appropriation, -
-
-
-$9,000 00
Balance undrawn to credit of department, -
269 90
Receipts from other cities and towns, -
905 46
Sundry small claims,
-
48 29
66 on account of Farm, -
-
1,752 73
Total, - -
-
$11,976 38
EXPENDITURES.
The expenditures, not connected with the Farm and Alms- house, have been-
For provisions and groceries, -
$1,547 49
" Fuel, wood and coal, -
-
1,178 76
" Weekly allowances,
- - 1,257 98
180
For State Reform School, - - -
249 07
" State Lunatic Hospital, -
-
1,247 68
" Paid other towns, - - -
170 51
" Boarding and nursing the sick, - 300 84 -
" Salary of clerk and one-half salary of city physician, 600 00 Cash expenses paid by clerk, 340 54 - -
" Burial of paupers, -
-
-
292 68
" Dry goods and clothing, -
49 82
" Medicines, - - - -
133 40
" Sundries, - - -
88 44
$7,457 21
Expenditures on account of Almshouse, -
6,160 86
Total expenditures for the year, - $13,618 07
There is due from other cities and towns, $745 20 And from the State for burial of paupers, $130 00
The expenditures on account of the Almshouse have been- For provisions and groceries, $1,495 87 - -
" Dry goods, clothing, boots and shoes, -
539 88
" Stock for farm, -
490 00
" Flour and grain, -
-
- 874 09
" Coal, - -
330 06
" Salaries and gratuities, .- -
645 50
" Building repairs, -
-
-
56 91
" Manures, - - -
-
149 75
" Blacksmithing, tools, &c., -
-
207 37
" Furniture and crockery, -
165 27
" Medicines, - - -
134 59
" Taxes, -
-
-
- 85 50
-
-
- -
-
-
-
-
-
-
181
For Sundries, - -
-
-
110 08
" New buildings, piggery and wood-house,
630 74
" Well, - -
- -
127 22
" Labor, mostly in and about house,
- 67 59
" Burials, -
·
49 44
$6,160 86
The gross expenditures upon the farm have been unusually large. This is accounted for by the fact that $677 have been expended in buildings and permanent improvements ; $175 for a yoke of oxen from the Highway Department, which will enable the Board to dispose of another yoke of fat cattle to go into the next year's income. The family, including the truant boys, has averaged nearly a third more than last year, and the cost of all articles of consumption has increased in about that "proportion. The sales from the farm have also been large. To determine the actual cost of the establish- ment to the city, the items above named should be deducted from the gross expenses.
Whole cost,
$6,160 86
Income from farm,
$1,752 73 ·
Permanent improvements, 757 96
Increase of stock purchased, .
175 00
$2,685 69
Net cost,
$3,475 17
Average cost for 38 paupers and truant children, $97 40, . or $1 76 each per week.
23
182
The receipts on account of the Almshouse have been- From John Farwell, receipts for sales from farm,
(including two yoke oxen for $409 46), $1,402 35
308 38
Hay sold Highway Department, Board, &c.,
11 00
Turkeys for distribution, Thanksgiving, 31 00
$1,752 73
There is due to this Department from the County for board of prisoners, $119 80.
The whole number of persons supported as paupers at the Almshouse during the year has been 74. The average num- ber has been 27. There have been four deaths. Six have been committed by the Police Court. The number of truant boys sentenced to the Reform School during the year has been 25. Four others were committed in December, 1863, at which time the school was first established. The average number to be supported has been 11 1-6. The family of the Superintendent including the teacher in the Reform School, has averaged five persons, making the average number in the establishment during the year, 43.
Schedule (see page 145,) of Personal Property at the City Farm, valued December 15, 1864, at $5,414 80. Valuation of personal property at the City Farm, December, 1863, .$5,268 98
Difference of appraised value in favor of this year, 2,068 47
D. WALDO LINCOLN, L. R. HUDSON, JOHN J. BROSNIHAN, THOMAS PIERCE, GEORGE W. GALE, HENRY PRENTISS, FITZROY WILLARD, GEORGE GEER, V. A. LADD,
Overseers of the Poor.
REPORT OF THE
WATER COMMITTEE.
-
Report of the Joint Standing Committee on Water, prepared in compliance with an order of the City Council passed De- cember 19, 1864, instructing them to submit a detailed re- port of the action of the Committee, and of the construction of the Aqueduct from Lynde Brook in Leicester, for publi- cation in the annual City Document.
To render the history of the project, and the account of the action of the committee complete, a brief recapitulation of the measures adopted in 1863, is necessary.
On the 19th day of January, 1863, a petition signed by Ste- phen Salisbury and many of the leading capitalists and busi- ness men of the city was presented to the City Council, asking that immediate measures be taken to procure a supply of pure soft water for the use of the city and its inhabitants, and was referred to the Joint Standing Committee on Water. The subject engaged the immediate and earnest attention of the Committee. It was urged upon them, that to ensure success and to remove the subject from the contested field of local and party politics
184
which had before and might again endanger the project, it would be better to entrust the whole matter to a commission of competent persons outside and independent of the munici- pal government. The committee, however, declined at once to accede to this proposition, and the result has justified the propriety of their action. A resident engineer of our city, Phinehas Ball, Esq., was selected to conduct the surveys and make the necessary examination and estimates. This duty occupied the entire summer and fall of 1863, and it was not until the 7th of December, that the report of the committee and of the engineer was ready to be submitted to the public. That report, in addition to its general circulation in this city, has been called for in repeated instances by the authorities of other cities and towns for the information which it contained. On the 21st of December, an order was passed for submitting to the people of the city, at meetings to be holden on the 18th day of January, 1864, the question, "Shall water be intro- duced into the city of Worcester, by authority of the city, from Lynde Brook in Leicester, in substantial accordance with the report of Mr. Ball, and of the Joint Standing Com- mittee on water ?" Upon this question the vote of the peo- ple was as follows :
Ward 1,
yeas
92,
nays
20
2,
109,
41
3,
66
36,
23
4,
66
99,
11
66
5,
-
85,
26
66
6,
66
110,
43
7,
223,
62
8,
110,
56
Total,
yeas
864
nays
282
Majority in favor of the project, 582
185
At the first meeting of the City Council in 1864, the under- signed were appointed the Committee on Water. At the meeting of the Council held January 25, the committee was authorized to procure proposals for the construction of the Aqueduct according to the specifications prepared by the Engi- neer, and also to ascertain if any additional legislation was necessary to enable the city to construct the works, and if so to procure the same. A new water act was prepared, consoli- dating the important provisions of all previous acts, and adapted to the present enterprise, and was presented to and passed by the Legislature, March 18, 1864.
At a meeting of the Council held February 2, a series of orders were reported, authorizing
1st. The purchase of the water of Lynde Brook and the necessary land for the storing reservoir.
2d. The committee to contract for the construction of the Aqueduct, provided the amount of the contracts should not exceed the sum of $110,000.
3d. The City Treasurer to borrow any sums of money ne- cessary for said work, not exceeding said sum.
The orders were passed by the Board of Aldermen with but one dissenting vote, and concurred in, a week later, by the Council, with equal unanimity.
By vote of the committee, the construction of the work was placed under the charge of the Engineer, whose whole servi- ces were secured for the city. Before completing the con- tracts, he was directed to visit various cities and towns where the patent iron and cement pipes were manufactured and used, and to ascertain by personal inspection and inquiry, their fit- ness and sufficiency for our use. The result of his investiga-
186
tions was to confirm the committee in their preference for this kind of pipe. A contract was immediately made with McRae Swift, Esq., the agent of the New Jersey Patent Wa- ter and Gas Pipe Company, for about 27,000 feet of pipes to be furnished and laid by said Company. By the terms of the contract, the Company engaged to repair at its own expense all leaks or imperfections in the pipes caused by defective ma- terials or workmanship on the part of its agents, for the period of two years. The contract for all the earth work and ma- sonry was taken by Mr. E. B. Walker, of Oxford, upon very reasonable terms. By the promptness with which these con- tracts were made a very large saving was made in the cost of the work. The advance in the prices of iron and cement which took place later in the season would have increased the cost of the main pipe $30,000.
A portion of the farm of Mr. Edwin Waite, upon which the dam and storing reservoir is constructed and containing 60} acres, was purchased for the sum of $8,000. This tract con- tains besides what is to be flowed, all the land lying between the road and the reservoir, and west of the pond, "to a line on the hill side which shall be forty feet above the bottom of the reservoir, and with an additional width of three rods along the margin of said line, measuring on the surface, for a pas- sage way around the reservoir." A two story house, a barn, and outbuildings, worth from twelve to fifteen hundred dol- lars are included in this purchase, and can be sold, if they are not wanted for the future care and management of the proper- ty. Nine acres of heavy wood land were purchased of the Lynde sisters for $1000, and an acre of sprout land from Jo- seph Bottomly, for forty dollars. The lumber cleared from
187
this land has been bargained to Mr. Walker, and the wood is being delivered to the school and pauper departments as want- ed, and will be charged to them. Its net value will not vary much from $600.
One of the most important duties of the committee was to settle, as far as possible, the claims of the mill owners on Ket- tle brook for their interest in the water which might be di- verted from them. This matter was placed in charge of Al- derman Crompton and it is chiefly owing to his good judgment and wise management, and to the liberal views of the gentle- men with whom he had to deal, that so many of these claims were amicably adjusted. Seven have promptly released all claims for damages from the city, for various moderate sums of money, amounting in the aggregate to $2,350, and a hy- drant set against their property wherever its location upon the line of the Aqueduct permitted it to be done. Arranegments were made with the proprietors of three other mills, but for various causes a final settlement has been delayed, and three others have declined to name a price which was satisfactory to the committee. The right to lay and maintain the pipes through the land of Mr. Homer Sargent in Leicester, between the reservoir and the road has not yet been purchased and paid for, in consequence of his residence in a distant part of the country. The land taken from Mr. Hunt for the distribu- ting reservoir remains also to be appraised and paid for.
The only important variations from the plan originally pro- posed by the engineer, and upon which our estimates were based, consists of the substitution of 1000 feet of twenty inch, and 2000 feet of eighteen inch pipe nearest the distributing reservoir, instead of laying the whole pipe of the uniform size
188
of sixteen inches. At the end of this 3000 feet there is a head of about seventy feet, and the sixteen inch pipe will pass as much water under this pressure, as the eighteen and twenty inch pipes will receive and convey to it. A stone spiling laid in cement was also substituted in the dam, for the wooden one which was proposed. The additional cost of the work, in consequence of these changes was about $4,800 for the pipes, and $700 for the spiling.
Sixteen thousand one hundred and thirty-two feet of 16 inch, 1,946 feet of 18 inch and 1,054 of 20 inch pipes have been laid between the distributing reservoir and Myrtle street, and 7,208 feet of 12 inch pipes between the distributing and storing reservoirs. The difficulty of procuring labor compelled the committee to abandon their intention of constructing the distributing reservoir the present season. A temporary ar- rangement has been made to pass the water directly from the 12 inch into the 20 inch pipes until this reservoir can be constructed, and is the same by which the supply of water will be continued at any future time, when it may be necessa- ry to draw off the water from this reservoir for alterations or repairs.
The following description of some of the details of the work are from the Engineer, Mr. Ball.
" The connection with the Bell Pond Aqueduct has been made through and closed by a six inch gate at the north side of Myrtle street at its junction with Main street. The connec- tion between the twelve and twenty inch pipe at the distribu- ting reservoir is made by 260 feet of six inch pipe laid along the northerly side of Leicester street, and is controlled by a six inch gate. Upon the sixteen inch main are placed two
189
sixteen inch gates, one at Jackson street and one at New Worcester, which have been arranged with reference to repairs on the main and future extensions.
"Upon the sixteen inch main have been set eight fire hy- drants, and upon the twelve inch, six. Five of those upon the twelve inch are for the protection of the mill property in Valley Falls. Upon both mains in all, there have been applied seventy-five branches for present and future use in the enlarge- ment and extensions of the work. Six drain valves and gates have been applied to the main, at points of depression along the line, for the purpose of emptying or washing them out, when any necessity exists for so doing. Two air vents have been applied at high points for the escape or ingress of air when filling or draining the pipes."
" The dam is built almost entirely of earth. Its breadth at the lowest part of the filling is 135 feet ; its extreme length on the top 287 feet ; the greatest filling over the bed of the original brook is twenty-seven feet; and its width on the top, when finished, is to be twenty-five feet. The inside slope next the reservoir has an inclination of two to one and is paved with rubble stone over its whole surface. Running lengthwise through the dam is a rubble stone spiling wall eighteen inches thick, laid in cement. The waste pipe is sixteen inches in diameter, and laid upon the original bed of the stream so as to drain the entire basin flowed. Upon this pipe and also upon the twelve inch outlet pipe have been placed iron gates to control and regulate the flow of water. These gates are placed within the main structure of the dam, and are reached by cir- cular gate chambers made of rubble stone laid in cement. The earth with which the filling has been made is very com-
24
190
pact, and when the entire structure shall be completed as de- signed, it is believed it will form one of the most permanent earth dams to be found in this vicinity."
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.