USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Worcester > Town annual reports of the several departments for the fiscal year ending December 31, 1862-1866 > Part 45
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would be justified in making liberal appropriations for the class of improvements in charge of this commission, the utility of such a continuous board, it is believed, would no longer be called in question.
For and in behalf of the Commissioners, EDWARD EARLE, Chairman.
City of Worcester, Jan. 30, 1866.
Receipts and Expenditures of the Commissioners on Shade Trees and Public Grounds.
1864, Jan. Balance, -
$13 79
Received for apples, &c. sold, 65 75 -- $79 54
Paid L. E. Brigham repairing pump, 23 25
Barnes and Flynn, digging well, &c., 22 50
Jona. C. French, labor, 3 02
Ethan R. Thomas, do. 18 25 -- $67 00
Balance, undrawn, 12 52 1
$79 54
1865. Jan. Balance, 12 52
Appropriation for fencing burying grounds, &c., 1300 00
Rec'd for articles sold, 15 80
of Highways, for grass, 288 58
-- $1616 90
Paid Edward Earle, sundry bills, $563 82
James Raymond, labor, 15 50
« Wm. H. Payton, do. 30 21
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Paid Garfield & Parker, lumber, 225 09
Wm. Lawrence, for pump,
13 00
O. Thompson, labor, 10 00
-
Charles Hersey, trees, 12 00
Highways, for scrapings and labor, 288 58-1158 20 Balance, undrawn, 458 70
$1616 90
GEORGE JAQUES, Secretary.
City of Worcester, Jan. 30, 1866.
CITY MARSHAL'S REPORT.
CITY OF WORCESTER, MARSHAL'S OFFICE, Jan. 1st, 1866.
To the Honorable City Council of the City of Worcester.
In obedience to the requirements of the City Ordi- nance, I have the honor to submit herewith my annual report relative to the action and condition of the Police Department for the year 1865.
The number of arrests and committals to the watch house, during the quarter ending Dec. 31st, was 504, and of this number 338 persons were prosecuted in the police court ; 11 were criminals, arrested for, and deliv- ered to, officers from abroad; and 155 were discharged from custody without complaint.
During the year 1865, the whole number of arrests made by the force was 1559 ; of these parties so arrested, 1059 were complained of in the police court; 92 were remanded to other jurisdictions ; and 408 were dis- charged without complaint.
The whole number of complaints made by me in the police court during the year is 1059, and for the follow- ing offences, viz :
Drunkenness, 467; common drunkards, 14; liquor nuisance, 35; selling liquor, 7 ; keeping disorderly house, 6; common nuisance, 4; fornication, 11; adultery, 3; larceny, 151; larceny from person, 3; burglary, 5;
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embezzlement, 3; obtaining money or goods by false pretences, 3; search warrants, 15; vagrancy, 15; pass- ing counterfeit money, 5 ; gaming, 3 ; gaming on Lord's day, 7; allowing gaming on premises, 2; assault and battery, 135; assault on officer, 9; assault with danger- ous weapon, 4; truancy, 13; disturbing peace, 62; malicious mischief, 3; neglect of family, 7; taking team without leave, 3; breaking glass, 11; fast driving, 7; lewd and lascivious cohabitation, 2; receiving stolen goods, 3; threatening personal injury, 3; trespass, 15; idle and disorderly, 2; and assault on female child, lewd- ness, indecent exposure of person, obtaining property by a trick with cards, evading railroad fare, enticing person to enlist out of state ; murder, defiling building, pre- tending to be a police officer, forgery, cruelty to an animal, polygamy, disobedient child, attempting to pass counterfeit money, administering poison to animal, carrying metallic knuckles,-one each.
During the year 956 poor persons have been provided with food and lodgings at the police station.
The financial account of the department for the year is as follows :
Appropriation for 1865, -
$12,000.00
Fees on warrants served by
Asst. Marshals Ruggles and Drennan,
1,811.30
Fees of watchman as witnesses, - 479.40
Received for services of police at theatre, &c.
90.00
Total, 14,380.70
EXPENDITURES.
Salary of Marshal, -
$1,500.00
" two asst. marshals,
1,653.10
Pay rolls of watchmen, -
9,617.39
.
146
Pay of day and and extra police, - Paid J. C French and J. Firth repairs and fixtures in police station,
868.75
233.30
66
M. & W. Goodwin's bills of hacking,
22.05
D. Evans & Co's bill for police buttons, 54.00
T. Kettell, for white washing, 13.13
10.00
C. Arnold's bill of soap,
5.50
Sundry small bills,
112.19
J. W. Jordan, for stove and repairs, 41.06
61.97
E. M. Stockwell and C. Whittemore for
- teams and hacking,
34.50
T. M. Lamb, for one clock,
4.00
J. D. Baldwin & Co. for advertising,
24.25
F. L. French, and Chas. Hamilton, for police badges,
40.50
J. Edgecomb, for 50 billies,
18.50
C. Foster, for handcuffs, 30.00
53.25
Paid Mrs. Willard, for work on bed ticks,
16.21
J. S. C. Knowlton, for advertising,
6.00
G. H. Clark, for repairing window,
7.65
G. P. Kendrick, for teams and hacking,
12.00
A. Parker, for teams,
8.00
E. Wheelock, for hacking,
6.00
Total, $14,453.80
Excess of expenditures over appropriation and earnings, $73.10
Of the earnings of the depart. amounting to
$2.380.70
The treasurer has rec'd from theatre, &c. $90.00
The treasurer has received from clerk of police court, 2.119.40
Balance which will be due after the term of the Sup. Court in Jan. is 171.30
Total, 2,380.70
Daily Transcript for advertising,
For cleaning station,
C. H. Stearns, for crackers,
147
It is pertinent to state, that a large share of the ex- pense under the head of "extra and day police," was incurred by the somewhat extensive arrangements to preserve the peace on the regatta days, and on the 3d, 4th and 5th of July.
The present regular police force of the city numbers fifteen men ; consisting of one marshal, two deputy mar- shals, one captain of the watch, and eleven night watch- men.
Entertaining, as I have done, and shall continue to do, a deep interest in the success of our police organiza- tion, I trust your honorable body will not deem it inap- propriate in me to offer a few suggestions, embodying somewhat the results of my experience and observation.
I have before urged the paramount necessity of increas- ing the numerical strength of the force ; and the experi- ence and business of the year just closed, give me fresh confidence in reiterating the opinion. The community has had large accessions to its population; the area of territory to be guarded in the night time has consider- ably increased ; improvements in other directions have been made to meet the wants and demands of a thrifty and growing city ;- but the police department, in regard to its members, its organization, its system of government, and accommodations at the station house, remains sub- stantially in the same condition as it was ten years ago.
Within the year, peace, doubly dear after a protracted and fierce conflict, has returned to bless the land ; and it will be in defiance of all precedent, if those laws which exist but for the protection of person and property, do not, for a season, suffer more infraction at the hands of the idle, the reckless, and the vicious. Numerous viola-
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148
tions of law naturally follow the close of a war, and the police statistics of the country already furnish ample evi- dence of the truth of the statement; hence the neces- sity of a sufficient police force in our municipal regula- tions.
Aside from this general view, I would respectfully submit, that certain populous portions of the city, now not well cared for, should be divided into beats and traversed regularly by night watchmen ; also that our crowded thoroughfares and depots imperatively demand the presence of a day patrol.
An efficient and effectual police department is an in- dispensable requisite in any municipality. The system of dispensing police appointments as political rewards, thereby producing many and frequent changes, does not in my opinion, produce the best results. A police officer, before he can become an adept in the business, must have experience. Even a man, naturally qualified for the position, requires familiarity with the duties, before he can serve the city to the best advantage. Again, the tenure of office is now so uncertain, that officers are not stimulated to attain the proficiency. which they might under more favorable circumstances. In other cities, where the police departments are more carefully nur- tured, and consequently more systematized and perfected, the men, if capable, are retained in office during good behavior.
During the year, the watchmen generally have worn uniforms, though no binding orders have been given them on this point. I am confident that the uniforming of the police, is a measure useful and acceptable to the officers and citizens ; though there is no doubt that officers upon
149
detective duty succeed better in plain dress. The police badges should all be the same in design and workman- ship, worn in plain view upon the person; and each policeman should be known by the number on his badge.
I am strongly of opinion, that the compensation to members of the department should be sufficient, so that good men may be secured and their whole time devoted to the performance of their duties, and the best interests of the city.
I feel it to be my duty, as well as an act of justice to those who are to come after me, to call the attention of your honorable body to the station house of the city. The rooms are not only unsafe and insufficient, but low and without ventilation. While the cells are not, at this late day, hardly fit in any point of view, for criminals, the apartments for the accommodation of the officers are altogether undesirable and unhealthy. I am sure that a personal inspection of the premises would con- vince every member of the government of the necessity for improvement.
I cannot close this report without making some acknowledgement of the many favors and courtesies, I have received from those, with whom I have been offi- cially connected, To His Honor, Mayor Ball; to Hon. Wm. N. Green, judge of the police court ; to Clark Jillson, Esq., clerk of the police court ; to Chief Engineer, Alzirus Brown, and other members of the city government, my warmest thanks are due. I am under deep obligations to assistant marshals Ruggles and Drennan, to the cap- tain of the watch and the watchmen.
Respectfully submitted, CHAS. B. PRATT, City Marshal.
20
REPORT OF OVERSEERS OF POOR.
The Overseers submit the following Annual Report of the disbursement of the City's charities for the year 1862.
The general unexampled business prosperity of the last year might induce the belief that this prosper- ity might possibly bring with it entire relief of all suffering and all want. But this easy belief will be readily dispelled when calm reflection summons her facts and arrays her evidence. The race of men and women are growing old as generation succeeds generation, and time never respects our mere wishes to be free from want.
The old whose life has been previously wasted in idle- ness or dissipation, thereby making no provision for the day wherein the strength shall fail, come to want as heretofore, and in their extremities have to rely upon the public for support.
The unfortunate come upon our hands now as usual. So of the sick, they too are there when all their means have been exhausted, and their feeble minds and ener- vated muscles fail to supply their own wants. Children are there ; but their's is the same stale history of orphans through neglect, or the follies and dissipation of a mis- spent life. Intemperance, idleness, dissipation, shiftless- ness and carelessness of the use of man's many privileges, are graduating its class of fit subjects in continued suc- cession, for our almshouse, workhouse and reform school,
151
constantly presenting the ever recurring, unsolved prob- lem of the proper prevention or cure of pauperism and crime.
Hence, society in its present stages of christianization of human beings, will ever ripen a like harvest that must perish of want or be maintained in their extremity by public charity.
At the establishment there have been supported du- ring the year 33 needy persons, during a part. or the entire year. To these have been furnished a total of 14604 weeks board.
The expenses for their maintenance has been $6185 45.
Received from sales of produce, $2065.58.
There have been supplied the Board of the Truant boys from this department, to the number of 864 weeks. There have been furnished also to all other parties, 360 4-7 weeks board during the year. Making total of 2504 5-7 weeks of board furnished there during the year.
The cost per week for groceries and provisions has been 76 06. Of this amount some $661 has been for the 864 weeks board furnished the boys in the Truant school. Deducting this amount, the cost per week of board furnished has been $221.
This does not give credit for any of the products of the farm which have been expended in the maintenance of the family, and is only the amount paid out of the City Treasury.
The present appraised value of the stock and farm products is - - - $7656 20
The furniture in the house, - - 1676 86
The Real Estate, - - 37970 00
Total,
$47303 06
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Not alone at the Alms House is the public charity dis- pensed. The larger share of all the appropriations made for these purposes, are dispensed to families or needy persons in the City not residing there.
From the Clerk's office the disbursements have been as follows :
1248 weeks of weekly allowances to 21 families, - -
$1706 85
Aid to 218 aliens, - -
1202 38
Temporary aid to 352 persons, -
2945 87
For sending 67 persons to state Alms House,
119 90
Aiding 21 sick people,
411 81
Total, -
-
$6386 81
Paid out at farm, -
-
-
6185 45
Salary of Clerk, -
-
-
500 00
Half salary of city physician,
150 00
Contingent expenses,
-
-
544 95
Total expenditures, -
$13,767 21
Receipts,
Appropriation,
-
$10000 00
Received from other cities and towns,
1453 63
66 Sale of produce at farm, 2065 58
$13,519 21
At the last session of the Legislature, an important amendment to the city charter was obtained, by which the Overseers in the future will be elected by the City Council; a change that brings that board nearer to the city council and the government, in all its arrangements and management, which fact is regarded as a matter of much improvement to the public service.
The farm was never in better condition than at the present time. It has been much improved during the last few years.
-
-
+
153
These improvements upon the farm, and the quiet order of the house, with the humane and considerate treatment of the inmates there, are the best commenda- tions which can be given, of the valuable services of Mr. and Mrs. John Farwell in the faithful discharge of their varied duties there, for the 3 years during which they have so acceptably filled the office of Superintend- ant and Matron at the establishment.
The duties of the clerk, as may be fairly inferred from the foregoing statement of the business of his office, are both delicate and arduous. For the past year, these services we believe have been performed with singular fidelity. An improvement in the Records. of his office has been made during the year, by which the entire transactions there are shown in minute detail, which Records we feel assured, are of vast importance to its future business.
These Records, we can but trust successive boards will continue, with such additional improvements as experi- ence from time to time may demand.
We recommend that in the future, an accurate account be kept of the entire products of the farm, and the dis- position made of them in minute detail. And also a record of amount and kind of employment furnished the inmates, and then that they are kept at such service. And further, the amount of schooling furnished the Tru- ant Boys, and the amount and kind of other services performed by them.
All of which is most respectfully submitted.
PHINEHAS BALL. D. F. PARKER, GEORGE W. GALE,
· L. W. STURTEVANT, JOHN J. BROSNIHAN, PATRICK O'ROUKE.
1
Second Annual Report of the TRUANT COMMISSIONERS.
The Reform School for Truants, which was organized Dec. 1863, has been in operation during the year, with many beneficial results, both upon the boys sentenced, and upon their less evil disposed associates remaining in the City. From January 1st, until August 1st, the school was in charge of Mr. Geo. B. King, when the number of boys being only 5, it was thought best to make a change, and the school was placed in charge of Mr. John Farwell, the Superintendent of the Alms House, from which time, the teaching of the boys has been directed by Miss Mary A. Woods. They are kept in school on an average of about four hours per day. They are here taught the elementary branches of learn- ing, such and in the same manner as though they re- mained in the Schools in the City. In some of the ele- mentary studies they make very commendable progress, showing them not to be wanting in intellectual capacity, many giving evidence that they are, in the justest sense, the real children of misfortune, more sinned against than of themselves sinning, in that, they have never known any of those delicate and purifying home in- fluences that day by day feed the young mind for good, as light and sunshine feeds, fills out, and promotes the growth of the tender plant. We are sorry to say that it cannot be said of all, that they show good intellectual
155
capacity ; this reflection is a sorrowful one, that there are some minds so lowly formed as to have no apparent ap- preciation of truth or honesty, and to be forced to the conclusion, that some at least, who are the subject of these reformatory influences and efforts, are at last, only to be turned loose upon society to plague and vex the family of man by their vicious propensities ; and that all of education which they obtain, only goes to make more effective the knavery of their unbridled passions. But be it said with pleasure, that these instances are very rare. During the summer, they have been employed upon the farm in many species of labor, to which their strength has been adapted; as picking small stones from the fields ; handling over the manure ; cutting much of the firewood of the establishment, but mainly in cultivating, after the ground was prepared, about four acres of root crops, to which labor they are specially well adapted.
To carry out effectually the reformatory influences which lie at the base of this institution, which is to edu- cate the rising generation to habits of industry and self- government, so far as may be, and also to supply in some feeble degree the authority of the parent by a wise use of the power of the State, a Police Officer was appointed early in the season, to whom, from the teachers in the several schools and the Superintendent of Schools, all known cases of truancy were immediately reported, by whose services they have been mostly returned and kept in school, and those who could not be restrained to a proper obedience to the demand to constantly attend school, have at last been sent to the school at the Alms House. The services of this officer are deemed particu- larly serviceable in their salutary influence upon the
156
scholars attending school. In a city so many are the temptations to the young to play truant at a time in life when restraint is particularly disagreeable, as interfering with their freedom, and where so many coverts may be found in which to hide themselves away from parental observation, that it is not a matter of surprise that many naturally well disposed children among us are allured away from school, and having been successful in conceal- ing their misconduct for one or two offences, soon become constant offenders without even being suspected of such errors, by their well-to-do and well meaning parents. Many of these cases the officer in question reaches di- rectly and effectually, and aids both parents and teachers to correct and remedy the evil tendency before it is yet too late. In cases of this kind the officer has frequently received the heartfelt thanks of many a parent for these services in aid of parental authority and restraint, and whose first knowledge of the child's misconduct was de- rived through the truant officer. This officer unites the duties of day police officer with his duties as a truant of- ficer. The experiences of the past year, lead your Com- missioners to strongly recommend that this officer be continued as a permanent officer in the police appoint- ments of future municipal administrations. To show by statistics what has been done by this officer, it need but be added, that the officer has visited during the year 1085 cases of reported truancy, remanded 928 back to the schools, and caused the conviction of 12 to be sent to the Reform School at Alms House, and one to the nauti- cal school. The officer has been required to keep notes of every case reported and visited, with such facts and circumstances, with the history of the truant and his
157
family, which may be valuable for future reference, and where any facts and circumstances connected with any case seen of sufficient value for permanent record, these facts have all been recorded in a suitable book furnished the officer for that purpose. Upon this record has been placed the facts connected with cases for future reference in the department.
The statistics for the last year are as follows :
Number in school, Jan. 1, 1865, or connected with it, 16 Whole number during the year. 37
Number admitted during the year, 21
Number discharged, and run away and not returned, 25
Number in school, Jan 1, 1866, 12
Number received from the town of Milford,
7
Number discharged
7
Average age of those admitted,
10%
Age of the oldest, -
15
Age of the youngest, - 7
Term of longest sentence, - - 2 yrs.
Term of shortest 66
-
3 mos.
Of those sentenced from the city who have left the school, so far as is known, 6 have left town, 2 have been sentenced a second time for truancy, two are industriously at work in the city at some useful occupation, and four are attending the public schools. Those who have re- turned to the schools are reported by their teacher, to be much improved in their willingness to constantly attend school, and in their personal habits have improved much in neatness. These statements are most true of those boys who have received the longest discipline in the Truant School.
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158
The appropriation for the school has been $1200 00
Received from Milford for 131 5-7 weeks board of 7 boys and clothing,
387 85
Labor of boys, and making skewers,
24 20
Amount,
1612 05
The expenses have been,
.
Salary of Teachers,
-
-
471 00
Clothing,
-
659 94
Furniture. -
42 24
Books for school, and papers and records,
90 00
Fuel and supplies, -
50 82
Amount,
$1314 00
Balance unexpended,
$298 05
The boys have been boarded at the Almshouse, at an expense to that department of some $661 for 864 weeks board, which is not included in these expenditures. To offset which, the entire proceeds of their labors excepting the items given above, have been merged in the amount of sales made from the farm during the season, or swell the inventory of the amount of produce on hand at the annual appraisal.
The appraised value of the Personal Property belong- ing to the school Jan. 1, 1866, is four hundred and ninety dollars.
The future management of the school will be vested in the board of Overseers of the Poor, under the Act of the last Legislature, re-organizing that Board. By that Act the Superintendent of the schools, and the City Marshal will be ex-officio, members of that Board.
The change is believed to be a very important one,
-
159
and one which will be of valuable service in aid of giving the right tendency to the charities, which the government will always have to direct, to the end that the young may be aided to become useful members of society and not its plague or its curse, and the aged may have supplied to them the means of support of which they have been deprived either by misfortune, shiftless- ness or criminality.
To our successors we commend this Institution as one worthy of support, as long as the causes exist which de- mand its maintenance, with the hope they may be able to correct any evils now connected with its administration as well as to increase and make more effective its useful- ness. To their consideration we hope to be pardoned for suggesting a similar provision being made, for girls belonging to the same class of offenders in our city-a conviction which the experience of the past year has forced upon your Commissioners.
All of which is respectfully submitted.
PHINEHAS BALL. Truant CHAS. B. PRATT. Commissioners.
HIGHWAY COMMISSIONER'S
REPORT.
CITY OF WORCESTER, Jan. 15, 1866. To the Hon. City Council of the City of Worcester.
The Commissioner of Highways, in conformity to the requirements of the Ordinance of the City, herewith presents his Annual Report of the receipts and expendi- tures of the Highway Department for the year ending on the thirty-first of December last, together with a Schedule of the property belonging to said Department, with the appraised value of the same.
The receipts have been as follows, viz :
Amount appropriated for highways and bridges, $16000 00
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