USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Worcester > Town annual reports of the several departments for the fiscal year ending December 31, 1871 > Part 21
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The annual inventory and appraisal at the Farm has as usual just been made and is as follows :
96 Acres of Cleared Land,
$7,680 00
100 Acres of Wood Land,
7,500 00
26 Acres near Harlow place,
1,040 00
30 Acres in Davidson Pasture,
1,280 00
All the Farm Buildings, Total value of Real Estate,
21,000 00
$38,500 00
Stock, Tools, etc.,
7,912 30
Furniture, Bedding etc.,
2,561 50
Utensils, Provisions etc.,
1,475 52
Appurtenances of Truant School, Total valuation,
$50,897 32
The valuation of 1870, was
50,894 07
Difference in favor of 1871,
448 00
$3 25
In making this Inventory the $600 00 recently appropriated
254
CITY DOCUMENT .- No. 26.
by the City Council at the request of the Board, for the purchase of about 25 acres of land recently added to the Farm has not been included, neither is the land included in the above specifica- tion, in order to show clearly the relative expense of the present as compared with past years.
The total expenditure has been $4,826 84
Receipts from Sales, and Board of Truant School, 2,471 13
$2,355 71
Eleven months salary of Supt., and Matron,
666 66
Expense of Alms House Department, Expense of City Department,
7,572 24
Total Expenses,
$10,594 61
And the Resources have been ;
Appropriation by the City Council,
$8,000 00
Receipts from other Cities and Towns,
1,067 35
Receipts from Commonwealth, 2,183 77
$11,251 12
10,594 61
Unexpended Balance, $656 51
A Report on the Truant School may be expected from the Superintendent of schools, he being ex-officio, a member of this Board, and also Chairman of the sub-committee of the Board, on the school. The accounts have as usual, been kept separate from those of the Alms House, and an appropriation made by the City Council for its maintenance. The usual charge of two and a half dollars a week, has been made for the Board of the Teacher and each scholar, and five cents an hour allowed for each Boys' labor, and the expense has been as follows :
Amount paid for Board,
$1,269 32
Clothing, and other Expenses,
409 52
366 66
Instruction and Supervision, Total Expenditure,
$2,045 50
Received from Boys' Labor,
93 00
Net Expense,
1,952 50
Appropriation,
3,000 00
Unexpended balance,
1,407 50
An Appraisal of the property of the School shows its Assets to be
$448 00
In 1870, it was Difference in favor of 1871,
393 00
$55 00
Making the Net Expense,
3,022 37
Total Receipts, Total Expenses,
255
OVERSEERS OF THE POOR.
A Table showing the monthly Disbursement of the Clerk with the amount and kind of aid provided, the number of orders drawn for the same, and total amount of bills, approved in each month, also another showing the number of Paupers in the Alms House, the total expenditure and receipts, and the net expense of each month, and one giving the number of Boys in the Truant School each month, with the amount paid for their maintenance, cost of clothing, and all other expenses, and the amount credited to them each month for their labor, is annexed to this report, to all of which your attention is most respectfully solicited.
GEORGE W. GALE, Clerk.
EDWARD EARLE, Mayor, JAMES M. DRENNAN, City Marshal, ALBERT P. MARBLE, Supt. of Schools, GEORGE W. GALE, Clerk of the Board, JOHN C. NEWTON, OBEDIAH B. HADWEN,
CHARLES G. REED, WALTER HENRY, EDWARD KENDALL,
Overseers of the Poor.
34
256
CITY DOCUMENT .- No. 26.
ALMS HOUSE.
Monthly Accounts.
No of Paupers.
Total Expendi- tures.
Total Receipts.
Net Expenses.
Receipts Above Expenditures
January,
26
$385 82
$329 57
$56 25
February,
27
272 93
173 11
99 82
March,
33
472 16
186 44
285 72
April,
31
680 42
143 16
537 26
May,
26
215 37
203 59
11 78
June,
24
340 67
171 59
169 08
July,
21
312 43
391 18
$78 75
August,
20
196 03
111 47
84 56
September,
23
334 81
295 32
39 49
October,
29
477 54
203 31
274 23
November,
33
1138 66
262 39
876 25
$4826 84
$2471 13
$2434 44 78 75
$2355 69
OVERSEERS OF THE POOR.
257
-
TRUANT SCHOOL.
Monthly Accounts.
No of Scholars.
Cost of Board.
Clothing and other Expenses.
Teaching and Supervision.
Value of Labor.
January,
14
$143 35
$33 77
$3 00
February,
11
105 10
9 33
4 00
March,
12
126 00
91 40
$100 00
5 00
April,
10
90 32
13 63
8 00
May,
8
78 85
27 42
10 00
June,
13
106 07
3 10
100 00
15 00
July,
9
96 43
47 45
20 00
August,
8
89 67
6 50
8 00
September,
10
95 43
52 00
100 00
8 00
October,
19
140 14
5 00
10 00
November,
21
197 96
119 92
66 66
2 00
$1269 32
409 52
$366 66
$93 00
CITY RELIEF DEPARTMENT.
Clerk's Monthly Disbursments,
No of Orders Drawn
Paid Cash Allow-
ances.
Cost of Fuel.
Cost of Groceries.
Clothing. Furniture and
ance and Nursing. Medicine Attend-
Transportation of
„Paupers.
Cost of Burials.
Insane Hospital
Bills.
cal School Bills. Reform and Nauti-
and Stationary. Postages Books
Paid other Towns.
Miscellaneous
Expenses.
Total of Monthly Bills.
January,
196
$12 00 $200 75
$264 00 $12 00
$83 03
$33 55
$29 00
$414 97
$51 12
$32 25
$40 80
$1183 47
February,
189
29 50
161 00
179 00
3 00
36 83
32 73
100 71
5 00
134 52
694 04
March,
153
12 00
114 00
170 00
4 30
144 38
14 00
58 00
170 20
$12 25
685 50
April,
103
32 00
40 50
150 00
41 20
12 83
8 00
141 67
33 03
23 25
459 25
May,
70
12 00
31 50
80 25
8 15
26 93
15 20
60 00
6 00
236 03
June,
63
8 00
9 00
95 00
60 20
7 00
26 00
91 50
10 00
314 75
July,
58
28 00
14 00
85 00
·1 50
54 28
30 10
46 00
613 85
137 19
7 50
1021 42
August,
58
8 00
2 25
95 00
7 75
46 15
5 10
18 00
5 00
15 10
206 35
September,
75
13 00
39 25
93 00
21 25
41 35
8 50
10 00
153 95
1 10
381 40
October,"
62
11 50
45 00
110 00
18 26
14 75
31 25
15 00
108 10
163 49
11 50
16 00
544 85
November,
93
23 00
75 50
83 00
13 85
45 30
14 45
19 50
10 00
284 60
1120 $189 00 $732 75 $1404 25 $90 26 $594 40 $204 71 $262 00 $1560 57 $593 18 $117 38 $185 32 $80 10 $6013 92
258
CITY DOCUMENT .- No. 26. 1 Z
Z 3
-
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE TRUANT SCHOOL.
Gentlemen of the City Council :
The committee on the Truant School respectfully submit the following report for the eleven months ending Nov. 30, 1871.
The origin and purposes of this school are set forth in the report for 1864 contained in City Document No. 19; and its aims are further described in the report for 1870, to which reference is here made. The observations upon its reformatory character and its reflex influence upon boys inclined to truancy, are confirmed by yearly experience. The proposition concerning a system of rewards for meritorious conduct,by which a boy is able to reduce his sentence, has been put in practice to a limited extent, with the best results. One boy has been pardoned as a reward for good conduct. The following has been added to the General Regulations : " Art. 5. Each pupil, whose deportment and scholarship have been satisfactory for one month, shall be enti- tled to some privilege or reward not otherwise granted ; and con- tinuous good conduct shall be rewarded by a recommendation for pardon, one month or more before the expiration of the sentence. These regulations shall be made known to each boy when he enters the school."
By the influence of this school, and the excellent discipline of the Ungraded School on Washington street, which is, for one class of pupils, antecedent to this, the discipline of all the public schools, it is believed, has been greatly benefitted. There are records years back of wild insubordination and resistance to teachers. Each year we hope the number of these is diminishing. Scarcely a complaint of the kind has been made within a year. It has come to be understood that the whole influence of the school committee, the city government, the police and the court,
260
CITY DOCUMENT .- No. 26.
and better still of the public sentiment, will sustain the teachers in the judicious exercise of all needed authority. Hence that authority is rarely questioned.
But there is an evil growing, more insidious, and if unchecked, more dangerous. Truants, we may care for. Unruly pupils can be subdued. The children most sinned against and therefore most to be feared hereafter are such as are not sent to school at all.
To look after these and their more guilty parents and employ- ers, and attend to the truants also, is more work than a single officer can perform. During the period covered by this report the truant officer has attended to two thousand four hundred cases of reported truancy. He has returned to school one thou- sand three hundred ninety-seven pupils. Four hundred children inclined to truancy have been assigned to school according to law, by the overseers of the poor. Of these forty-five persistent truants have been arrested and brought before the muncipal court. Twenty-two have been sentenced to the Truant school : the cases of others have been continued.
It will be seen that the expenses of the school for eleven months have fallen short of the appropriation for the year by $1047.50 This result is gratifying. But the city is rapidly increasing. The number of truants is variable. Other offenders may be sent to this school. We therefore respectfully recom- mend, that the appropriation for this school the coming year, be the same as last.
The following statistics exhibit the attendance, cost per scholar, etc., for 1871 :-
Whole number sentenced to this school since origin,
Dec. 1863,
141
Number sentenced in 1871,
23
Different pupils during the year,
27
Average number in the school,
.12,27
Cases of absence,
0
do tardiness,
0
do : punishment,
16
Average deportment,
83.4
Cases of sickness,
0
Cost of board, teacher and pupils, at $2.00 per week,
$1269.32
Clothing, bedding, books &c,
409.52
Tuition and supervision,
366.66
Total expenditure,
$2045.50
261
TRUANT SCHOOL.
Value of boys' labor,
$93.00
Net expense,
$1952.50
Appropriation,
3000.00
Unexpended balance,
$1047.50
Value of school property,
448.00
Same in 1870,
393.00
Difference in favor of 1871,
$ 55.00
Cost per week for each pupil,
3.31
Same in 1870.
3.271
Total average cost per pupil, per year,
173.59
Same in 1870,
170.00
The rules and regulations adopted at the opening of this School are appended.
Respectfully submitted, ALBERT P. MARBLE, Supt. Schools, JAMES M. DRENNAN, City Marshal, O. B. HADWEN, Chairman Com. on the Farm, TRUANT SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
City Hall, Dec. 8, 1871.
REGULATIONS OF TRUANT SCHOOL.
SECTION I. Article I. The School shall be under the general direction of the Committee on the Truant School, which shall be appointed by the Mayor from the Board of Overseers of the Poor.
SEC. II. Art. 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 support, 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 faithfulness to study.
SEC. III. Art. 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 authority for, every
262
CITY DOCUMENT .- No. 26.
case of tardiness or absence from the school. The teacher shall also keep a faithful record of the deportment of each scholar, with the reason for, and nature and extent of, every punishment inflicted, either personally or by the Superintendent.
Art. 2. The teacher shall make a quarterly report of the above and other matters pertaining to the interests of the school, to the Board of Overseers of the Poor, at their meeting next succeeding the close of the quarter.
Art. 3. The teacher shall labor to inspire the pupils with self-respect, and to this end, shall insist on cleanliness, and shall strive to inculcate principles of morality and justice.
Art. 4. The teacher shall assemble them every Sunday fore- noon, and spend an hour with them in the reading and study of the New Testament, but shall strictly abstain from all sectarian comment.
GENERAL REGULATIONS.
Art. 1. From the 1st of April to the 1st of October, 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 case 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 sessions of 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 per- mission previously 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 pro- hibited, and both the Superintendent and teacher are held responsible for the enforcement of this prohibition.
Art. 3. The teacher shall be employed and the salary fixed by the Committee on the school, subject to the approval of the Board, but no teacher shall be engaged without previously pass- ing a satisfactory examination according to the laws of the Com- monwealth and the rules of the School Committee of the City of Worcester.
263
TRUANT SCHOOL.
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 Overseers of the Poor, at their regular meeting in January, but they may change it at any time they deem it necessary by a vote of the 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.
Worcester, Dec. 7, 1866.
35
REPORT
OF THE
COMMISSIONER OF HIGHWAYS.
WORCESTER, JANUARY 1ST, 1872.
To His Honor the Mayor, and the City Council.
Gentlemen : I have the honor herewith to present my Fifth Annual Report of the operations and condition of the Highway Department, covering a period of eleven months, ending Nov. 30th, 1871, as necessitated by the requirements of the new Ordi- nance on Finance, changing the end of the Financial year to that date.
The general features of the work committed to my charge have been quite like those of former years, and perhaps require no special mention. The continued prosperity and growth of the city has resulted in increased demands by citizens for new streets and the improvement of old ones, which have been met by the City Council with liberal appropriations and frequent orders on this department for the execution of work.
As will be seen by the details herewith submitted, the amount of money expended this year has been less than the previous year. In 1870 with an appropriation of $93,000 this department executed work for the city and for individuals, amounting in total expenditures to $152,454.70 and the appropriation was over- drawn by the sum of $9,459.61. In 1871 with an appropriation of $105,000, the department has executed work for the city and for individuals, amounting in total expenditures to $140,697.59 while there remains to its credit, bills for labor and material rendered the City Treasurer for collection, and the unexpended
266
CITY DOCUMENT .- No. 26.
balance of the appropriation, $28,491.36. The inventory of stock, tools etc., also shows an increase during the year of $3,486.24, making the actual surplus in favor of the department $31,977.60, when the above named bills shall have been col- lected.
In relation to the matter of purchase of materials for the use of the department, about which there has been so much outside criticism, I desire to make special mention, that proposals have been solicited for the furnishing of all supplies used in the department open to fair and honorable competition, and pur- chases made in every instance, at the lowest prices offered for material suitable for the required purposes.
We have on hand ready for use early another year, and paid for, a good supply of materials, as will be seen in detail by the appended schedule; thus obviating the necessity of delay in the commencement of the season's work. I would suggest there- fore, that the orders for work be passed early in the year, to enable the department to avail itself of all the advantages of the best part of the season, as also the mutual connection which one piece of work may have with another, and avoid as much as pos- sible the usual troubles arising from doing work just in the com- mencement of Winter.
I desire again to call the attention of the City Council, as in former reports, to the liability in which the city is involved by allowing water spouts from various buildings to discharge upon the sidewalks. In every instance the frequent accumulations of. ice render the walks dangerous to pedestrians, and no amount of care can obviate the difficulty. The frequent claims against the city for compensation for personal injuries, by people falling on slippery sidewalks, come mostly from this source ; and I am satisfied that there is no safety for the city, save in their arbi- trary removal.
The attention of the City Council is respectfully directed to that portion of Main street between Chandler street and New Worcester. The amount of travel continually passing over it, renders impossible its satisfactory repair, with any earth material accessible ; and I am fully of the opinion, that economy and con- venience unite in the suggestion that it be paved as soon as pos- sible.
267
REPORT OF HIGHWAY COMMISSIONER.
I would also suggest that Manchester street should be paved, for the reasons that its sunken condition and the amount of heavy travel over it, will prevent its satisfactory maintenance by any other means.
The condition of the city stables, live stock, vehicles and tools entrusted to this department, is believed to be excellent ; no ani- mal having been lost by disease or accident during the year. The steadily increasing demand for work during the last five years, has resulted in a large increase in the amount necessarily invested in stables, live stock, tools, &c. During this time, this investment has grown from $19,359.43 at the beginning of 1867 to $58,139.24 at the present beginning of 1872 ; all of which increase has been paid from the appropriations for the depart- ment. Notwithstanding the large increase in teams, the depart- ment is still deficient in this respect, and has been compelled to hire largely of private parties during the year : I would recom- mend, as I have in former reports, an increase in the number of teams owned by the city, if it is expected to continue the system of improvements which has been in progress.
BLOCK PAVING.
The permanent improvement of paving the most important streets with small granite blocks was begun last season, and has thus far given entire satisfaction to the public ; as it furnishes an excellent thoroughfare in place of an imperfect and objectionable one, the cause of continual complaint and annoyance. The work has been continued the past year on the following streets : to wit :
MAIN STREET.
Order of May 24th, 1870, has been completed from Wellington street, Southwesterly : suspended in part last year to admit of construc- tion of Sewer.
Cost of Grading,
$280 50
Carting stone, gravel and sand,
227 00
951.1 sq. yds, blocks at $2 60,
2472 86
Laying 951.1 sq. yds., at 40c.
380 44
Relaying 14.6 sq. yds., at 50c.
7 30
Relaying 21.1 yds, Cobbles at 50c. 8 56
20 00
Storage of stone, Amounting to
$3,396 66
Average cost per sq. yd., $3 57.
Order of June 19th, 1871, from Austin to Chandler sts., has been executed, costing :-
268
CITY DOCUMENT .- No. 26.
For Grading, $675 25
Carting stone, gravel and sand,
356 25
1729.6 sq. yds., blocks at $2 60,
4,496 96
Laying 1729.6 sq. yds., at 40c.
691 84
Storage of stone, Amounting to Average cost per sq., yd., $3 61.
25 00
$6,245 30
MYRTLE STREET.
$59 60 Order of June 19th, 1871, from Main to Southbridge streets, costing : For Grading,
Carting stone, gravel and sand,
199 75
420 sq. yds., blocks at $2 25,
945 00
Laying 420 yds., at 40c.
168 00
Relaying 2 yds., at 50c. 1 00
Storage of stone, A mounting to
$1,383 35
PLEASANT STREET.
Order of June 19th, 1871, from Main to Chestnut streets has been repaved in place of the rough cobbles ; costing :-
For Grading, Carting stone, gravel and sand, $821 95
2156 sq. yds., blocks at $2 60, 5,605 60
Laying 2156 yds., at 40c. 862 40
Amounting to $7,289 95
Less 2156 yds., Cobbles taken up at 30c.
646 80
Net cost to the street, Average cost per sq. yd., $3 08.
$6,643 15
UNION STREET.
Order of June 19th, 1871, under, between and fifty feet each side of the B. & A., and W. & N., Railroad Companies bridges, costing :-
For Grading, carting stone, gravel and sand, $311 50
722.6 sq. yds., blocks at $2 60, 1,878 76
Laying 722.6 sq. yds., at 40c. 289 04
35 sq. yds., cobble paving, 28 00
15 00
Storage of stone, Amounting to $2,522 30
Average cost per sq. yd., $3 49.
SUMMARY.
Of Block paving-City expense.
Total square yds., laid during the season 5979.3.
Average cost per sq. yd., $3 38.
Total amount expended under the foregoing orders, FRONT STREET. $20,190 76
October 2d, 1871, an order was passed to pave Front street on the North side of the street railway track, to the North line of
10 00
Average cost per sq. yd., $3 29.
269
REPORT OF HIGHWAY COMMISSIONER.
curb, between Church and Hibernia streets, as it will be located when it shall have been moved, under the order for widening Front street : also, to remove said track to the center of the street. The block stone were immediately contracted for, and are now on hand ; but the street was not in a condition to pave, on account of delay in removal of buildings ; most of these how- ever have been now removed ; also the arrangements have been made with the President of the Street Railway Company, for permission to move their track ; and the block stone being secured, there seems to be nothing of importance to hinder the execution of the order early the coming Spring.
SIDEWALKS.
The special attention of the City Council has for several years been given to the matter of providing for the obvious need of more sidewalks throughout the city; and has gradually increased the expenditures in this branch of the department, much to the comfort and satisfaction of the inhabitants, as well as the beauty and attractiveness of the city.
Your Commissioner desires the tax-payers and the public generally to understand, that neither the location nor extent of the work and consequent expenditures in this direction, are left to his disposal ; but are the result of petitions daily presented to the City Council, and by them referred to the proper committee to examine and report; and orders have been received accord- ingly for the execution of the work. It should be remembered by those who have felt aggrieved because their petitions were not granted, while others received a favorable consideration and report, that the applications have been exceedingly numerous, and the labors of the committee very arduous and perplexing ; and that while the committee have not felt at liberty to expend more than the liberal amount appropriated, he thinks they have intended to give all petitioners a fair consideration, and to locate the work where in their judgment it was most needed.
CURBSTONE, GUTTER AND CROSSWALKS,
have been laid upon forty-seven different streets as per order of the City Council, at the expense of the city as follows :-
Amount of New curb set,
22370 feet
Curb reset,
6939
Return curb set, Circle
1114
Total No., of feet set, Equal to 5.84 miles.
422
30,845
270
CITY DOCUMENT .- No. 26.
Amount of Cobble paving, new, 10832.6 sq. yds.
relaid,
6284.8 "
66
Crosswalk paving, new, 2725.1 "
66 relaid, 1057.9 "
Total amount of Cobble paving laid, 20,900.4 sq. yds.
Amount of Flagstone, New, 5613.5 lin. feet
relaid, 50.4 «
Total amount of Flagstone laid, 5663.9 lineal feet.
No. of long corners 68, short 101,
Entire cost to the city, $43,795 03 A part of the Return curb, Corners, Flagstone and Cobble paving have been furnished private parties and have been charged accordingly.
There have also been laid for private parties 481 Brick and Stone walks and driveways, using 1053.6 M. bricks and covering
An Area of new walk 20,073 sq. yds.
Relaid walk 2,988 « «
Total, 21,630 yds., costing $32,902 45
Also 31 Concrete walks 2438 yds., costing 1,952 31
Total cost to parties, $34,854 76
Bills of which have been returned to the City Treasurer for collection as per order of City Council. The intention · has been to do the work in a thorough manner, using stock of a good quality at the lowest prices for which good articles could be obtained, and to charge the abuttors only the net cost of the labor and material furnished.
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