USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Worcester > Town annual reports of the several departments for the fiscal year ending December 31, 1867-1870 > Part 2
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31,853,500
15 20 472,000
541,400
1027 54 15 22
Charlestown,
6556
30,000
22,485,400
16 50 299,200
1,020,000
749 54
9 97
Lawrence, __.
5754
26,000
14,683,775 17 20 380,000
564 76 14 62
Springfield, ..
6170
24,000
17,819,230; 17 00 200,000
742 46
8 33
Salem,.
4952
23,000
19,548,100
12 50 213,100
500,000
849 91
9 26
New Bedford,
4690
22,000
22,008,500, 14 50 329,000
200,000 1000 38 14 95
Fall River,- -
5135
22,000
15,220,628 17 00 232,767 75
691 85 10 58
Newburyp'rt,
2894 13,000
7,960,700 20 00,214,725 11
612 36 16 52
ASSESSMENT OF TAXES.
This most important department of the public business, the foundation of our monetary relations and interests, should I believe, claim your early attention and careful consideration, with the view of devising methods of op- eration which shall attain a more thorough system of the business, a careful equalization of the real estate of the city, and a more satisfactory enrollment of the polls and estates of the citizens.
By the provisions of the city charter, the City Council by joint ballot in convention, are to elect three persons to be assessors of taxes ; one person to be elected in the month of February or March in each year, and to hold office for the term of three years. The persons so chosen shall constitute the Board of Assessors. The qualified voters of each ward, at their respective annual ward meetings for the choice of officers, shall elect, by
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ballot, one person in each ward to be an assistant assessor, and it shall be the duty of the persons so chosen to fur- nish the Assessors with all necessary information relative to persons and property taxable in their respective wards ; and they shall be sworn to the faithful perform- ance of their duty.
Theoretically, therefore, we have an established board of three Assessors and a corps of eight' assistant Asses- sors, a force which in its combination would seem to bring to the arduous and responsible duties imposed, an amount of ability and versatile talent to fully encompass and accomplish the work. Practically, however, the sys- tem appears to be defective, and in its operation cannot be expected to meet the demands of our growing city. By the resignation of one of the most experienced members of the board last year, it became necessary to elect two members of the board, which, after some delay in finding a person qualified, and who was willing to assume the posi- tion, was accomplished in the latter part of March. The organization of the board was effected by the appoint- ment of a chairman and secretary, April 26, and by the provisions of the city ordinance it is made their duty to deliver to the collector a complete tax list, showing the amount assessed on each person liable to taxation on his poll or estate, or both, before the first day of September in each year. Thus in fact, the registration of 8,500 polls, and the valuation of nearly $24,000,000 of prop- erty must be accomplished in less than one hundred days, of which time fully one third must be spent upon clerical labor alone. The election of assistant Assessors appears to be merely a matter of form, as the persons thus elected assume no labor or responsibility, and not one has appeared to be qualified for the past year. It is not to be supposed, or can it be expected, that a work of so
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great and growing magnitude can be accomplished per- fectly, and it must be obvious to the most critical that errors and omissions can hardly be avoided ; nevertheless I believe that a board of Assessors organized by a per- manent chairman, whose time and thought shall be specially directed to this department of the public busi- ness, would prove most advantageous to the interests of all. I cannot but feel that no more important duty will come before us than to devise such means as shall ensure a new equalization of the real estate of our city, and a careful revision of valuations.
With a view, therefore, of attaining the most desirable and satisfactory results, I would suggest for your consid- eration such changes in the Charter, Laws, and Ordinances, as shall secure the appointment of a suitable person, who shall be secretary of the Board of Assessors, occupying the office throughout the year, making record of all trans- fers of real estates, noting the increase of, and the value of real estate in all parts of the city, whether defined by actual sale, or local improvement, and by proper atten- tion become conversant with the real and personal prop- erty of the city and citizens, as well as familiar with the polls to be taxed. Such an officer to be paid a remunera- tive compensation, which shall enable him to devote his entire time to this department of the city's interest. The adoption of such a system would, I believe, save to the city annually an amount much in excess of any sum which would be paid out, afford a guarantee of a more thorough and equal basis of taxation, and in results prove much more satisfactory to the citizens.
SCHOOLS.
The educational department of our municipal system, the care and instruction of the eight thousand children which in connection with the Board of School Committee
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are placed under our charge, will claim your earnest at- tention and demand your continued interest.
In congratulating ourselves upon the present condition of our schools and the high standard of attainment they have reached, let us not point to them as trophies of our thought and skill, for in reality the system and its fruits are but the ripened product of other minds, sheaves gathered up on the harvest field of the generations ; rather let us individually as well as officially strive to do our part to help on the great work of education, that other generations may realize the perfectness of the whole fabric and know that we were true to these public trusts temporarily placed in our hands. Let us also bear in mind, that the social standing and moral character of Worcester in coming years, depends upon the faithful- ness with which each succeeding government shall devel- ope and cultivate the intellectual faculties of the genera- tion ; never forgetting that judicious expenditures for Schools will lessen the expenses of our reformatory insti- tutions, and every good seed sown in the mind of the poorest boy, will under the beneficial influences of health- ful social surroundings ripen into fruit which can but benefit the whole community.
The total number of scholars attending the schools the past year was 7725 being an increase of 841 during the year. The average number occupying seats was 5496 being an increase 616. The average daily atten- dance the past year has been 4934, being an increase of 650 over the attendance of 1866.
The number of Schools in the City is 95, three of which are evening schools.
The number of Teachers employed is 125, sixteen of which are employed in the evening schools.
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The ordinary expenses of this department for the year have been
For Salaries of Teachers,
$58,494 37
66 " Supt., Secretary, Pru. Com.
3150 00
Fuel, 5125 81
Books, maps, apparatus and stationery,
1386 35
Care of Fires, sweeping, &c.,
2684 10
Repairs, 2386 88
Furniture and Furnishing,
1336 48
Printing and Advertising,
514 38
Miscellaneous Expenses,
831 68
$75,792 05
The average cost per scholar is $13.79.
The extraordinary expenses of this department are properly separated from the general annual cost of main- taining the school system, and apply wholly to the amount expended in repairing and re-modelling the school houses, buildings connected therewith and fences and also the furniture in the school rooms already occu- pied, and the material for the furniture to be placed in the new houses on Dix and Lamartine Street.
The total amount of this expense is $13,002.52 of which amount $3173.06 has been expended in re-mod- elling and repairing the house on Thomas St., together with 2050.96 in furnishing the same, $1207.05 in fitting up and furnishing the apartments leased for the tem- porary use of schools, $1713.16 in constructing and re- pairing the fences on Thomas St., Ash St. and E. Worces- ter estates, 772.34 in fitting up and furnishing new room in Ash St. house ; 654.42 in repairing the Front St. house, and the balance in repairing and furnishing other houses in the centre as well as the suburban districts. The thorough manner in which the school property has been repaired and renovated the past year, will preclude the necessity of a large expenditure in this direction for sev- eral years to come.
21
The great and acknowledged defect in our present sys- tem of schools, is over-crowding, occasioned by the limit- ed accommodations afforded by the city for the children whose numbers have within a few years increased so rapidly as to render impracticable the construction of houses to keep pace with the demand. The practical effect of this over-crowding is to lessen the benefits which should be attained, by a gradual lowering of the standard of each grade of school. The generally con- ceded just proportion of scholars to one teacher, is as follows : Sub-Primary and Primary 60, Secondary 50, and Grammar 40; while the practice rendered necessary in our own city for want of accommodation is 72 in the Sub Primary and Primary, and 60 to 65 in the Secondary as well as the Grammar.
A continuance of this condition of affairs must prove prejudicial to the welfare of the children to be educated, and create disappointment and distrust in the mind of the parent as to the result of our educational system, as it is a great injustice to the teacher, who could faithfully meet the wants of a proper number of children, but must become discouraged when obliged to assume a number so large, that regular and just attention cannot be paid to them in the limited time occupied by the school hours. I trust that you will cordially co-operate with the Board of School Committee in any measures that may be devised to remedy this evil, which will be miti- gated in a large degree upon the completion of the houses now in process of construction.
SCHOOL HOUSES.
The continued and increasing demand for additional school accommodations, as presented by the Board of School Committee, and substantiated by facts and statis- tics showing the deficiency of room for scholars already
3
22
admitted to the schools, was brought before the City Council in the early part of last year. The lack of ac- commodations has been temporarily met by leasing a room (entirely unsuitable for the purpose) over a store on Main street, together with a lease of rooms in the Catholic Institute building on Temple street. These acquired apartments have supplied room for new scholars, but have not relieved the over-crowded condition of the schools.
On the 16th of May, the joint standing committee on education was authorized by the City Council, to solicit proposals for the erection of a school house on Dix street, and also to effect a sale of the estate occupied by the Main street school-house. The committee, pursuant to the authority granted them, effected a contract for the building of a school-house on Dix street, with Messrs. H. & A. Palmer, for $23,270. This building is 90 feet in length by 63 feet wide, is two stories in height, with a basement in the northerly side, and contains ten school rooms, with accommodations for 624 scholars, besides a large hall in the roof of the building. The house will be completed and ready for occupancy on or before the Ist of April.
On the 1st of June the committee effected a sale, by public auction, of the Main street school house estate to David S. Messinger, Esq., for $21,537.60, which amount will be paid when possession of the property is given upon the completion of the Dix street house. The great and yearly increasing objections to the use of this prop- erty, on a crowded and noisy thoroughfare, for school purposes, rendered it necessary that some change be made, and when it is considered that the house afforded accom- modations for but 290 children, whose homes were sit- uated west of Main street, and that the price realized from the sale of this estate will nearly equal the cost of
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a much more commodious and better located structure, the wisdom of the action of the Council will doubtless be conceded by all.
In July last, agreeably to a vote of the City Council, the committee on education effected a contract with Wil- lard Ward for the erection of a school house on Lamar- tine street, upon land owned by the city, for the sum of $24,700. This house is of the same ground dimensions and built after the plans of the Dix street house. It contains eight school rooms and an upper hall, will fur- nish accommodations for 524 scholars, and is to be com- pleted early in May, the present year.
The necessity which prompted the erection of this house, was occasioned by the over-crowded condition of the Providence street, Ash street, Salem street, and South- gate street houses, and the rapidly increasing population in this section of the city, whose wants could be met in no other way.
The amount expended for school houses during the year has been as follows :
Orange street house, balance of contract of 1866. $3,622 03
Southgate street house, balance of contract of 1866. 468 77
Dix street house on account of contract 16,200 00
Lamartine street house, on account of con- tract, 9,700 00
$29,990 80
The amount paid on the Dix street house, it will be remembered, will be cancelled by the proceeds of the sale of the Main street house, $825 has also been expended on the Dix street lot of land.
The section of the city, north of the Rural Cemetery, whose population has very largely increased during the past few years, demands better school accommodations
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than are now realized. The population of this district already numbers nearly 100 families, whose three or four hundred children attend school on Summer and Thomas streets, which schools would be relieved from their pres- ent crowded condition, were provision made for these children at some point nearer their homes.
I would therefore call your attention to the propriety of securing a suitable lot and erecting a school in this section of the city, of the general size and character of the one built last year on Southgate street.
The crowded condition of the school house at Quin- sigamond will also require action, with the view of en- larging the same to meet the demand in this section.
FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY.
The continued and increasing popularity of this bene- ficient institution is evinced by the additional number of citizens registered as recipients of books, as well as those who frequent the library for reference, or the reading room to consult the general literature of the day ; a re- sult which must not only afford satisfaction to its foun- ders and donors, but also a feeling of pride to all that this great adjunct to the educational and moral growth of our community, is so highly appreciated and cher- ished. These higher educational advantages being placed within the reach of all, must continue their usefulness through the passing years, and establish by their influ- ence a higher standard of intellectual attainment in the community at large. I cannot commend too strongly for your consideration the interests and wants of this in- stitution, and trust that any demand made upon you by its directors, will meet with a cheerful response at your hands.
The increasing public interest which the commun- ity show to this institution, is evinced by the fact
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that 1326 new names have been added to the list of bor- rowers of books in the circulating division, making the total number of volumes given out from this portion of the Library for the year 59 564, equalling about 1145 per week.
A very marked increase in the use of the Green or reference library is observable, which can but attest the value of this part of the institution in meeting the wants of our people.
The Periodical and Newspaper lists, now quite com- plete, invite and command the attention of all classes ; the room occupied for this department has proved too small to accommodate the public ; this want of increased room will soon be met by the fitting up of the larger room in the basement, formerly occupied by the Natural History Society, which will afford ample accommodation for this purpose.
During the past year 756 volumes have been purchas- ed and added to the circulating division of the library. 190 Books have been purchased for the use of the Green Library, and 201 Books and 453 Pamphlets have been donated to the same department.
The total receipts of the Library for the past year including an unexpended balance of pre- vious years are
$7236 22
The total expenses for the year have been 5267 19
Leaving an unexpended balance of $1969 03
HIGHWAYS.
The demands upon this department of the public ser- vice have been peculiarly trying during the past year, incident to the almost unprecedented severity of storms of snow in January, and the great fall of rain in July and August. The actual cost of breaking out roads and
26
removing snow has exceeded the sum of $5000 -- while the extra expenses attending the repairs of damages to the highways occasioned by excessive rains, is estimated at about $2000. So extraordinary an outlay can hardly be expected to occur for many years.
The revenue of the department of highways, which includes the amounts appropriated for sidewalks, macad- amizing streets, &c., and which is disbursed through the office and under the direction of the commissioner, has been as follows :
Appropriation for highways,
$18,000 00
sidewalks, 8,000 00
removal of snow, 5,200 00
macadamizing streets, 5,000 00
Making the total appropriations for 1867. $36,200 00
To this is added the balance of the credit to the department Jan. 1. 2,529 21
And amount of labor and material sold and collected.
12,107 54
Showing the total receipts of the depart- ment for 1867.
$50,836 75
The expenses of the department for the year 1867, have been as follows :
Removal of snow,
$5,200 00
Expense of sidewalks,
8,548 24
Expense of macadamizing streets,
3,747 45
General repairs of highways and bridges.
26,860 11
Making the total gross amount of expen- ditures.
$44,355 80
And leaving an unexpended balance in favor of the department of $6,480 95
The system of macadamizing streets has been prosecut- ed with continued success, and although the necessity of permanent improvement in almost all our public thor- oughfares, not paved, is apparent, still but a limited
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amount of repairs can be accomplised in one year, with- out incurring too great an annual expense. The special appropriation made for this description of work the past year, has been expended as follows :
On Park and Green streets, 1459 square yards, depth 22 inches, cost $980.85, or 67 cents per yard; on Grove street, 6620 square yards, depth 12.07 inches, cost $2630, or 39.43 cents per yard; on Church street, 637 square yards, depth 6 inches, cost $136,60, or 21 cents per yard.
Making the total cost of macadamizing the above streets, 2455 feet in length and consuming 8716 square yards of material, $3747.45. In this estimate of cost, the items of expense in quarrying and breaking stone, the interest and depreciation on the machinery, and all incidental outlay have been included.
The cost of paving with cobble stone the streets which have been macadamized would have been at least $8,700. I cordially recommend that this system of renewing and repairing streets be continued year by year, precedence being given to the main avenues leading into the city, and to those streets subjected to the heaviest travel.
I would also suggest that measures be taken whereby if practicable, the city may become possessed of the ledge, from which the stone is obtained for the use of the streets, and which is now the property of the state, and leased for a nominal sum to the city for two years from last Oc- tober. The central location of this ledge, the quality of the stone, (which improves in hardness as the ledge is developed,) and the comparative ease with which it is quarried, render it particularly desirable that some per- manent arrangement should be made to render this prop- erty perpetually available to the city, or at least for many years to come.
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SIDEWALKS.
The large number of petitions for the establishment of sidewalks, with curbstones and gutters, during the past year, shows the great and increasing demand for the improvement of the city in that direction. The perma- nent interests of the city would, I think, dictate that some fixed policy be adopted, whereby a reasonable an- nual appropriation should be made for this special object, rather than relying on the spasmodic efforts of muncipal action, where in one year a certain amount of work is accomplished and then, perchance, by fitful policy, further improvement is arrested for several years. With this understanding, based upon a permanent policy, much advantage would be gained in purchasing materials du- ring the winter months, at minimum prices, in anticipa- tion of the demand of the following season.
During the past year the amount of work accomplished in different sections of the city has been as follows :
537 lineal feet of curbstone set. 913 “ flagging laid in cross-walks. 4,041 square yards of paving in gutters. 996 cross-walks.
3,788 square yards of sidewalk have been laid by the city at the expense of individuals, consuming 47,315 pressed, and 99,338 common bricks. There has also been laid by individuals 1,600 square yards of sidewalk, ma- king the total amount for the year of 5,388 square yards.
The amount appropriated for this depart- ment is $8,000 00
To which should be added the amount to its credit, Jan. 1, 1867. 1,359 49
Making the total resources of the Dep't, The total amount expended for sidewalks has been,
$9,359 49
$8,548 23
Leaving an unexpended balance which is included in the account of highways in favor of this department of
$811 25
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SALEM SQUARE.
The grading of Salem Square was by the force of cir- cumstances made necessary during the past season, al- though the government would have gladly deferred action to some future time, when the calls for expendi- ture seemed less imperative than at present. This ex- traordinary expense was precipitated upon us by the decision of the First Baptist Society, whose church, situ- ated upon the highest point of land, has undergone extensive enlargements and alterations during the past
season. The grade established occasioned a cut of six feet in front of the church, which building, while under- going remodelling, could without extra cost be easily arranged to accommodate itself to the new grade, while had the city taken no action in the matter, and allowed the society to have expended so large a sum upon the church in the former condition of the surrounding land, the city would have been virtually cut off from making this needed improvement for a long term of years, or if the work had been assumed, could have been accom- plished only by justly paying a very heavy sum for dam- age to the society's estate. And I have no hesitation in saying that the authorities should have been held respon- sible for neglect of duty, had they not taken active and efficient measures to change this grade, availing them- selves of the peculiarly favorable condition of the attend- ing circumstances, occasioned by the alteration of the church.
The excavation which was composed almost entirely of rock amounting to 2,608 3-10 cubic yards, has been accomplished at an expense of $4,173.28. The re- grading of earth which has been partially completed at an expense of $344.60, will be finished during the
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30°
coming season. The total cost of this improvement has been $4,517.88.
MILL STONE HILL.
In this connection I would call the attention of the City Council to the present condition of the interests of the inhabitants of Worcester in Mill Stone Hill ; a detail- ed history of which was contained in a report made to the City Council in September of last year. The impor- tance of the stone quarries in this section of the city to the citizens, can hardly be estimated, and a sense of duty would seem to dictate that no effort should be spared to maintain and perpetuate every legal right which the in- habitants may have in this territory. The rapid growth of our city, the continued and increasing demand for stone, and the recognized adaptibility of this granite for building purposes, as well as the equally important ne- cessity of its use in the more common demand of material enterprises, would seem to establish its character and de- sirability as well as its convenient location and inexhaus- tible supply. In accordance with the recommendations of the report referred to, I trust the expediency of es- tablishing some rules, may commend itself to your judg- ment, whereby the proprietor of the land may be protect- ed in the full enjoyment of his rights, while the inhabi- tants avail themselves of their rights in the premises, as granted to them in the early history of the town, and established by the decisions of the Supreme Court.
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