USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Worcester > Town annual reports of the several departments for the fiscal year ending December 31, 1867-1870 > Part 15
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We find our duties increasing, also in a northerly di- rection around Rural Cemetery to Grove street, and our present force is entirely inadequate to the protection of persons or property in those outside localities.
SANITARY.
In anticipation of a visit of the cholera to our city, the Police have been called into requsition for the last two years, and by a distribution of circulars issued by the Board of Health, and a close inspection of all cellars, yards, and out-buildings, &c., where nuisances were like- ly to exist, the cleanliness of our city, and its general health perhaps were never so apparent as during this period.
The total number of nuisances acted upon, and of which record is kept at the Police Office during the year 1867, is 507. It is to the credit of our citizens that in a majority of cases, the officer did not need to make the second visit ; on being notified they removed the nuisance at once. The negligent and refractory were brought to a sense of their duty, by the vigorous action of the Police.
No duty devolving upon the Police is more disagreea- ble than this sanitary duty, and there is very little con- ception of the value or amount of services performed in this respect.
In this connection I would respectfully represent that all swine should be removed outside the mile circle by Ordinance, or if allowed to remain, that the owners should procure a license for the same under proper re- strictions.
The number of swine reported inside the mile circle in 1867 was 630.
APPOINTMENTS.
I hope the City Council will not deem it unappropriate 29
228
in me, to make a few suggestions in relation to the gen- eral interest of the force.
The appointing power with his Honor Mayor Blake, some two years ago initiated a different mode of appoint- ment and discipline from any which have been tried in years previous, for the Police Department, and the result has developed greatly to the advantage of the commu- nity and the force itself.
The appointment of men for their fitness for the po- sition, and during good behavior, instead of dealing out such appointments as political rewards, is in the practi- cal experience of all well regulated Police Departments, the only foundation on which to rest a successful Police force.
Our Police regulations require as part of the qualifi- cations necessary for each officer: To have been a resi- dent of Worcester, and paid taxes there for the two years previous to his appointment; to be of sound health and vigor, of unquestionable energy and courage, of temperate and industrious habits, of peaceable and courteous manners, decorous and cleanly in his person and dress, respectful to superiors, prompt and decided in action, and disposed to be zealous in the service, and to be able to read and write the English language. Each member of the Police force shall devote his whole time and attention to the business of the department, and he is expressly prohibited from following any other calling, or being employed in any other business.
Although certain hours are allotted to the respective members for the performance of duty on ordinary occa- sions, yet at all times they must be prepared to act im- mediately on notice that their services are required.
It is not an easy matter to find men who will answer . the requirements, the standard of which is none too high,
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in all respects of a first class Police Officer, and when men are found that would make such public servants, they can as a general thing find a more agreeable and lucrative occupation than to engage at $2.50 per diem
Hence when men are found who are qualified, and after a year or more of experience in the business are not found wanting, it would be in my judgment against the interests of the community, to remove them and try an uncertainty.
SHORT TERMS OF IMPRISONMENT.
The experiences of officers of some of our sister cities are identical with our own; in relation to the short terms of imprisonment, for the realy guilty, and the difficulties which officers meet with in bringing them to justice.
The Police Officers often find themselves embarrassed, their efforts to repress crime vitiated, and themselves subjected to unpleasant and unjust criticism, from the fact that too often parties guilty of grave offenses, are subjected to but trivial penalties by the courts, or are entirely excused from punishment, by the action of those in authority in such cases.
It is not unfrequently the case, that crimes punishable by Statute by confinement in the State prison, thus go entirely unpunished after the officer in discharge of his duty has detected the criminal, and secured the evidence necessary to his conviction. Such cases reflect unfavora- bly upon the officers making the arrests, and their fre- quent occurrence, tends to create in the minds of the officers an impression that such arrests were unnecessa- ry.
Under the influence of strong temptation, certain kinds of felony are sometimes committed by persons of previous good character, and who would gladly, if possible, retract / the false step. For such, humanity and sound policy de-
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mand a short term of imprisonment, kind treatment, and in short a reformatory system of punishment, looking to the ultimate restoration of the unfortunate to honesty and usefulness.
But the whole genus of pickpockets, shop-lifters, coun- terfeiters, burglars, horse thieves, adulterers, confidence · men, and other professionals, not a case in a thousand is ever reformed. 1
A short term of imprisonment is no real kindness to the convict, but a outrage to society, as will be conceded by any one who has observed the number of these pro- fessionals in all large cities, and is at all familiar with the difficulties of detecting and convicting them. Many of them though still young, have served out several terms of imprisonment, and their return to prison is only a question of time. How the dictates of philanthropy, even to say nothing of justice, can be satisfied by their periodical visitations upon society it is difficult to imag- ine.
The influence of these rascals is much more extensive than is generally appreciated, in corrupting and leading into crime boys of that unfortunate and too numerous class, who, without employment or home restraint, are to be found lounging about in all cities, and for whom the idle and dissolute habits, flashy dress, and swaggering air of these gentry have a peculiar fascination.
It seems hardly to admit of a doubt, that crime would be steadily and surely diminished, were it the rule to in- flict in all cases of felony where neither mitigating cir- cumstances nor previous good character is made to ap- pear, the longest term of imprisonment allowed by law.
CHANGES IN THE FORCE FOR THE YEAR 1867.
Resigned, City Marshal, March 1,
1
Assistant Marshal, June 24, 1
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Promoted, Assistant Marshals, June 10,
2
Captain of Day Police, June 10 and 24, 2
Patrolman June 10 and 24, 24
Appointed Patrolman June 24, 1
In closing this report I desire to make my acknowl- edgements, to those with whom I have been officially connected the past year. To his Honor Mayor Blake, to the Hon. Wm. N. Green, Judge of Police Court, to Clark Jillson, Esq., Clerk of Police Court, to my prede- cessor, Gen. A. B. R. Sprague and others, for valuable in- formation, wise counsel, and uniform courtesy.
I am also under obligations to Assistant Marshals Wil- son and Washburn, for their willingness, in season and out of season, to co-operate in any business appertain- ing to the department.
JAMES M. DRENNAN, City Marshal.
Truant School.
Gentlemen of the City Council :
The committee on the Truant School beg leave to sub- mit the following report.
Until the beginning of the year 1867, this school had been under the control of the Truant Commissioners, but, according to the provisions of a new law, at that time its management passed into the hands of the Board of Over- seers of the Poor. A committee was appointed by order of this Board, which committee was to have special charge of the interests of the school. It consists of the Superin- tendent of Public Schools, the City Marshal and the Chairman of the Committee on the Farm.
Until the above named time, the accounts of the school had never been kept separate from those of the pauper department, and it had never been known, ex- cept approximately, what the cost of the school had been. But during the year 1867 the accounts have been care- fully kept distinct, and the following is the result.
Whole number of scholars during the year,
22
Average 15.04
Cost of board of teacher and scholars during the year at $2.25 per week, $1947 22
Cost of clothing, books, bedding, &c.,
481 63
For teaching and supervision,
381 00
Total expenses for the year, $2809 85
162 20
Product of boy's labor,
Net expenses, $2647 65
Hence the average cost per scholar for the past year has been, 176 04 The valuation of school property is 415 40
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Until the present year also, it has been customary to pay the Superintendent of the Almshouse, a certain sum for teaching and supervision, out of which sum he himself hired the teacher ; but this arrangement has been discon- tinued, so that now the Superintendent and teacher each receives a stated amount for the services rendered, and the teacher is employed by, and is directly responsible to, the committee on the school, and through them, to the Board of Overseers.
Early in the year, regulations for the management of the school, and for the observance of all parties concern- ed, were adopted by the Board. Those regulations are appended to this report for the information of the public, who can from them gather an idea of the character and scope of the efforts made for the reformation of the un- fortunate children collected here. On the 1st of April the former teacher, Miss Fales, resigned her position, and the committee employed Miss E. J. Parker to succeed her. The latter lady has given satisfaction by her faith- ful discharge of duty, and the committee express their belief that all recent changes have added materially to the efficiency and usefulness of the school.
B. P. CHENOWETH, Supt. Schools,
J. M. DRENNAN, City Marshal,
D. F. PARKER, Chairman Com. on Farm,
Truant School Com.
4
3
4 11
5
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Regulations of Truant School.
SECTION I.
ARTICLE 1. The school shall be under the general di- rection of the Committee on the Truant School, which shall be appointed by the Mayor, from the Board of Overseers of the Poor.
SECTION II.
ARTICLE 1. The Superintendent of the Almshouse shall keep a separate book of accounts for the Truant School, in which he shall credit all appropriations for its support, and all the labor of the boys at a price fixed by the Board of Overseers of the Poor, and he shall charge against the school all the expenses incurred for its sup- port, including the cost of the clothing and the board of the boys, and the salary and board of the teacher.
ART. 2. It shall be the duty of the Superintendent to aid the teacher to secure prompt attendance in the school, ready obedience, good deportment and faithful- ness to study.
SECTION III.
ARTICLE 1. It shall be the duty of the teacher of the Truant School to keep a register of attendance, in which shall be noted the date, cause and length of, and authori- ty for, every case of tardiness or absence froin the school. The teacher shall also keep a faithful record of the de- portment of each scholar, with the reason for, and nature and extent of, every punishment inflicted, either person- ally or by the Superintendent.
35
ART. 2. The teacher shall make a quarterly report of the above and other matters pertaining to the inter- ests of the school, to the Board of Overseers of the Poor, at their meeting next succeeding the close of the quar- ter.
ART. 3. The teacher shall labor to inspire the pupils with self-respect, and, to this end, shall insist on cleanli- ness ; and shall strive to inculcate principles of morality and justice.
ART. 4. The teacher shall assemble them every Sun- day forenoon, and spend an hour with them in the read- ing and study of the New Testament, but shall strictly abstain from all sectarian comment.
GENERAL REGULATIONS.
ARTICLE 1. From the 1st of April to the 1st of Octo- ber, there shall be only one session of the Truant School, each day, which shall invariably begin at 8, A. M., and close at 12, M. No boy shall be kept out of the school for any purpose whatever, except in cases of emergency in the busy farming season, and every such case shall be recorded as provided in Sec. 3, Article 1, and reported by the Superintendent at the next meeting of the Board of Overseers of the Poor. It shall also enter into the next quarterly report of the teacher. From the 1st of October to the 1st of April, there shall be two daily ses- sions of the school, from 9 A. M. to 12 M., and from 2 to 4 P. M., and on no account shall a boy be taken from the school during this season, except by permission previ- ously obtained from the Mayor or some member of the Committee on the Truant School.
ART. 2. The use of tobacco, in any form, by the boys, is prohibited, and both the Superintendent and teacher
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236
are held responsible for the enforcement of this prohibi- tion.
ART. 3. The teacher shall be employed and the salary fixed by the Committee on the School, subject to the ap- proval of the Board, but no teacher shall be engaged without previously passing a satisfactory examination according to the laws of the Commonwealth and the rules of the School Committee of the City of Worces- ter.
ART. 4. The rate of board per week to be charged by the Superintendent against the teacher and pupils of the Truant School shall be fixed annually by the Over- seers of the Poor at their regular meeting in January, but they may change it at any time they deem it neces- sary by a vote of a majority of the members of the Board .. The price per hour of the services of the boys shall also be fixed at the same time and in the same manner, subject likewise to the same conditions of change.
Adopted by a unanimous vote.
JAMES B. BLAKE, Mayor.
GEORGE W. GALE, Clerk.
Report of Overseers of Poor.
Report of the Overseers of Poor.
Gentlemen of the City Council :
The Board of Overseers of the Poor herewith present their Report for the past municipal year.
Owing to the manner in which its members are now chosen, (with the single exception of one of its ex-officio members,) no changes have occurred in the Board for the past two years, the two retiring members of each year having been re-elected for the three succeeding years, and the advantage of having the entire Board well versed in their several duties has conduced much to the efficiency of the whole, and they have been thereby enable to work together much more harmoniously.
The Board, at its organization at the commencement of the year, elected John C. Newton as its clerk by unani- mous vote, he having served a large part of the previous year to their satisfaction, but owing to ill health, he was unable to attend to the increasing duties of the office, and after having served three months, asked to be re- lieved, and the Board elected George W. Gale, its former clerk, to fill the vacancy, which he has done to general acceptance for the remainder of the year.
As was mentioned in our last Annual Report, measures had been taken to separate the accounts of the Truant School from those of the Almshouse department, in order that it might be ascertained what were the exact expenses of each.
240
The office of Commissioners of the Truant School hav- ing been by the revision of the City Charter included in the duties of the Overseers of the Poor, and the Com- missioners having been made ex-officio members of the Board, it was found necessary to appoint a new Commit- tec on the School, and the Commissioners with the chair- man of the Committee on the Farm were constituted as that committee, having the whole subject in their charge, and they recommended that a set of books be kept by the Superintendent in which the whole cost might be shown. charging the Almshouse Department with the value of the labor of the boys, and allowing that Depart- ment a fair equivalent for their Board. This arrange- ment has been carried out, and their Report to your Honorable body will show the result.
The Almshouse and City Farm have been under the care and efficient management of the same Superintend- ent and Matron, Mr. and Mrs. John Farwell, who have so well and acceptably conducted its affairs for several years past, and their efforts to secure the approbation of the Board have been fully appreciated, and we are unani- mously of opinion that the whole establishment was never in better condition, more economically managed, or its inmates better cared for than at present.
The whole number of inmates during the past year have been thirty- four. The average number twenty-seven.
The net cost of their support has been
$1,554 21
which, with the salary of the Superintendent, 550 00
and a Gratuity to the Matron of 50 00
makes a Total of $2,154 21 and an average of 1.53} cents per week for each pauper there main- tained, and will compare favorably with expenditures of former years, either here or in other cities and towns.
The business in the Clerk's Department has been both laborious and difficult.
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By the alterations that have been made in the laws of settlement, brought about as one of the results of our late civil war, thousands that before had only a claim on the state, have by honorable service in the armies on the quotas of our cities and towns, thereby gained a lawful settlement. Many of these the state has liberally pro- vided for by a grant of state aid, thereby enabling them, although in shattered health and with broken constitu- tions, to avoid the immediate necessity of calling on the charity of those more fortunate than themselves, while many others, lured from their homes to enlist in some other town or state by the temptation of a larger boun- ty, have thereby placed themselves beyond the reach of the laws made to benefit them. Still these demand our charitable consideration, as also those who have come amongst us from other lands, and who from their neg- lecting to comply with the terms of our laws of settle- ment, of which they were at the time in ignorance, find on application for aid, that they have no legal claim where they had hitherto supposed they belonged.
These subjects have been brought to the notice of the Board of State Charities, and we have already antici- pated in action some of the recommendations made by our worthy Governor on this subject in his Inaugural Ad- dress of the present year, as will be observed on exam- ination of the various items of expenditure, and account for the large amount of disbursements for persons hav- ing no legal settlement amongst us.
There has been drawn by the Clerk during the year six hundred and ninety-five orders on different parties, for aid disbursed, and fourteen persons have drawn seven hundred and twenty-eight weekly allowances in cash, granted by direct vote of the whole Board, in sums vary- ing from one to three dollars each per week, and amount-
242
ing in all to the sum of eleven hundred and ninety-two dollars and seventy-three cents. A much larger amount has been disbursed in temporary aid granted by the Clerk to the various applicants upon strict investigation of their several necessities and claims, reports of which have been made monthly and quarterly. and referred to a standing committee of the Board on Relief and re- ceived their approbation.
Ninety-five persons have been sent to the State Alms- house at Monson, fifty-nine poor persons have been re- turned to other states from whence they had come to this city and fallen into distress, one hundred and ninety- two needy persons and families have received aid or par- tial support; making three hundred and forty-six per- sons and families cared for during the year, and there has been disbursed
For the weekly allowances in cash,
$1,192 73
Groceries.
664 08
Fuel,
486 29
Transportation.
292 74
Clothing,
29 62
Medicine,
107 18
Burials,
127 00 .
Paid for Stationery, Stamps, Books, Blanks and Printing, traveling expenses on business,
114 28
37 25
other towns for support of our Poor, 629 89
" State Lunatic Hospital bills, -
14,1 14
" State Reform and Nautical School bills,
457 71
" City Physician, .
200 00
" Salary of Clerk of the Board,
800 00
Making a total of disbursement at Clerk's office,
$6,589 91
" City Farm, 2,154 21
And the total disbursements of the Department, $8,774 12
The total receipts of the Department for the year are as follows :
243:
Appropriation,
$10,000 00
Received from other towns,
811 26.
Amount due from other towns, -
743 00
Amount due from the Commonwealth,
538 94
Total,
$12,093 20
The valuation of the Personal Property at the Farm in December, 1866, was
$9,297 39
and in December, 1867, it was but
7,251 75
Making a difference in favor of 1866 of
$2,045 64
Which added to the expenses of this year,
8,744 12
Gives as total disbursements
$10,789 76
Total Assets for the year were
$12,093 20
Disbursements were
10,789 76
Leaving an unexpended balance of - $1,303 44
In the several Quarterly Reports mention has been made of the amounts of assistance rendered to persons and families having no legal settlement. The aggregate of the sums for the year amounts to $380 90, and the bills paid for the support of boys in the State Reform and Nautical Schools, amounting to $457 71, are also in near- ly every instance for those who have no legal claim of settlement ; but by the laws of the Commonwealth any city or town from which they are sent is made liable for the time they remain there, which is during minority or until apprenticed to some one. This has been a cause of complaint, and mention has been made of it in the proper place, and, in the general revision of the whole subject of settlements, charities and social science at the present time recommended by the state authorities, it may be confidently anticipated that many improvements
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244
upon the present laws will be made and in future more general satisfaction given.
GEORGE W. GALE, Clerk.
JAMES B. BLAKE, JAMES M. DRENNAN, B. P. CHENOWETH,
GEORGE W. GALE,
JOHN C. NEWTON, GEGRGE GEER,
GEORGE W. RUGG, DAVID F. PARKER,
WALTER HENRY.
Overseers® of the Poor.
Report of City Physician.
The City Physician has the honor to present the fol- lowing as the annual report required by the ordinance relating to the duties of that officer.
No epidemic of a serious nature has visited our city during the past year, and it is probable that the general health has been much improved, and the spread of dis- eases prevented by the careful sanitary precautions insti- tuted by the Board of Health, while the improvement and extension of sewers, with the consequent removal of that receptacle of filth and source of malaria called Fox's Pond, will certainly have a beneficial effect, by removal of causes of disease beyond the limits of the city.
Notwithstanding this favorable condition, there have been frequent calls for attendance of the City Physician, many of the patients not having a legal residence in this city, but requiring temporary charity in consequence of loss of employment by depression in business, improvi- dence, dissipation, accident, or misfortune.
Humanity requires that all of these should be proper- ly cared for, but this is simply impossible in their crowd- ed and frequently filthy homes, and it appears to me that the greatest need of the city in connection with charitable objects, is the establishment of a City Hospi- tal readily accessible, where the victims of acute diseases and serious injuries can be immediately treated without the inconvenience and unavoidable discomforts and dan-
246
ger of removal to the Hospital at the City Farm. Such an institution under proper management would be of immense benefit to those in need of medical or surgical treatment, and would be creditable to the humane sen- timents of our citizens.
The members of the Truant School and other inmates of the City Almshouse and Hospital, under the efficient and careful management of the Superintendent and Mat- ron, have been singularly free from acute diseases, most cases of illness occurring there having been among the aged and infirm, with chronic diseases of an inveterate character.
One case of small pox occurring in a private family in the city was, at the request of the family, after consulta- tion with the Board of Health, removed to the Hospital building at the City Farm, where it developed as the confluent variety, and terminated fotally. No other case of this much dreaded disease has come under the notice of the City Physician.
During the past year, one hundred and eighty-five professional calls have been made upon the poor in the city at their homes, sixty-three upon patients at the City Almshouse and Hospital, twenty at the Police Office, and thirty-five office consultations have been given.
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