USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Worcester > Town annual reports of the several departments for the fiscal year ending December 31, 1873 > Part 11
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The whole number having a legal settlement in this city, who have received full support during a part or the whole of the year is one hundred and fourteen, and the average number for the year has been forty-five.
The whole number of insane provided for has been eighteen : eleven males and seven females; and is more than double last year's numbers. There were also three persons who were idiotic ; two males and one female.
19
140
CITY DOCUMENT .- No. 28.
Thirty-four persons and families having no settlement, who had been brought into the State and applied for maintenance, have been sent back whence they came, in accordance with the laws for such cases made and provided.
Ninety-one State paupers have been aided to a greater or less extent and afterwards sent to the State Alms-House at Tewks- bury. This is one-half more than the number of the previous year. The cost, when they have been able to go without an at- tendant, has been one dollar and seventy-five cents each ; but in many cases where they have been infirm, aged, or crippled, an attendant has had to be sent with them, who, in most cases, has been detailed from the police force, and has added much to the cost and trouble of transportation, neither of which, as was stated last year, has been made less by their being obliged to change cars twice, and pass over three different railroads in order to reach their destination.
Three hundred and forty-seven heads of families, comprising one hundred and seventy-seven males and one hundred and seventy females, with four hundred and ninety-six children, making in all seven hundred and forty-three persons, all of whom were State paupers, have received temporary aid, or partial support, during the year. Three hundred and forty of them were relieved for the first time, and four hundred and forty-four had a residence in the city for longer or shorter periods. Many of them were too sick to be removed to a State Alms-House, and where they had fami- lies dependent upon them, they have had to be provided for at the expense of the city, as no allowance is made by the Common- wealth for any member of a family excepting the one actually too sick to be removed to a State Alms-House, and in his case only after having received notice of the case, and to the amount of the average cost of similar cases in Rainsford Island Hospital. Your attention has in former reports been called to this subject and some correspondence has been held with the agent of the Board of State Charities in charge of the sick State Poor, and also with the overseers of the poor in other cities and towns, all of whom are agreed that it is desirable that a more liberal provision be made by the State for its sick poor, and also some allowance for the support of their families during the sickness of their heads, in
141
OVERSEERS OF THE POOR.
a similar manner to those persons having a legal settlement in the cities and towns. You are respectfully requested to give the subject your careful consideration.
One hundred and thirty-nine heads of families, having a legal settlement, have applied for and received temporary aid or partial support during the year. Eighty were males and fifty-nine females. Of these, sixty-two were relieved for the first time : thirty-nine of them males and twenty-three females. Eighty-seven of them had a settlement in this city : fifty-one males and thirty-six females. Twenty nine had a military settlement: thirteen males and sixteen females. Fifty-eight had a settlement otherwise : thirty-eight males and twenty females. The families of all these consisted of four hundred and fifteen persons : one hundred and ninety-two of them males and two hundred and twenty-three females.
Forty-four males and seventeen females, or sixty-one persons, were confirmed inebriates, and could not be trusted safely with anything which they could exchange for liquor. One instance came to our knowledge where coal had been given to a poor family and they ordered it sent to a beer saloon to pay their bill there.
In addition to the above, there has been food and lodging pro- vided at the station house for two thousand nine hundred and twenty-seven persons, most of them, probably, vagrants who wan der from one city to another, stopping as long in one place as the police regulations will tolerate, and then moving on to another and doing the same there. The cost of providing food for this class has been upward of three hundred dollars during the year.
The City Hospital has, as heretofore, received such cases as have been too sick to send away. Thirty-six persons who have been sent there by the city physician have received treatment for longer or shorter periods during the year, the cost of which has been charged to the Commonwealth ; and part of the same will be repaid to the city.
During the year we have been visited with the small-pox, which has prevailed to a greater extent than for many years past. Our first cases were imported from Boston, where, through the inac- tion of the proper authorities, it was allowed to get such a start as to demand vigorous measures to subdue it, and it is probable
142
CITY DOCUMENT .- No. 28.
that had one-half the labor it cost to check its ravages after it was once started been used in its early stages to prevent its spreading, it would not have prevailed to such an extent. But it was attended to here at once, and such action taken as was need- ful to provide for those who were so unfortunate as to contract the disease, and also to protect those who escaped it. The ex- penses of providing for the emergency were heavy, but not nearly so much in Worcester as in many of the surrounding towns and neighboring cities. There were twenty-six cases of persons hav- ing no settlement, and their expenses, amounting to $1252.87, or an average of $44.34 each, were charged to the Common- wealth, and we have been informed by the agent of the sick State poor department of the Board of State Charities that they have all been allowed. There were also many other cases of those hav- ing a legal settlement in this city and surrounding towns, all of whom were properly cared for, and a majority of them were so successfully treated as to recover, and the expenses attending the same, where we have had them to collect, have, with one excep- tion, been paid without complaint. The exceptional case is that of the County. Three of the prisoners in the County House were found to have contracted the disease, and at the request of the county officers were removed and isolated at the alms-house hospital. A nurse and medical attendant were provided and all other necessary provisions made for them for thirty-six days, at a cost of $269.36, or an average of $89.79 for each person. It also became necessary, as they were prisoners and our hospital was not iron-clad, that they should be guarded, and three policemen were detailed for that service. These officers were kept on guard night and day during the whole time at a compensation of three and a half dollars a day each, and a charge of four dollars a week each was made for their board. The whole expense of this ser- vice amounted to four hundred and fifty-four dollars and fifty cents, all of which the county officers now decline to pay. It is suggested that should they again have occasion to call for similar aid, some arrangement should be made whereby the expense be made to fall upon the parties receiving it, and that they should be made to pay the old score before running up a new one.
Nearly all of these expenses for small-pox were contracted by
143
OVERSEERS OF THE POOR.
the Committee on Health of the City Council, without reference to or consultation with the Overseers of the Poor, and by them ordered to be charged to the appropriation for the use of this board ; consequently many bills will be shown on the Auditor's books of which this board have no knowledge. It is respectfully suggested that should a like emergency again arise, it might save a confusion of accounts in this department and be more satisfac- torily determined what were the exact expenditures of each, if an appropriation were made for the exclusive use of the Board of Health.
In providing for the before mentioned persons by the City Relief Department, there have been drawn at the clerk's office for food, fuel, clothing, medicine, and other necessaries during the year, thirteen hundred and thirty-eight orders on various persons; and there has been given, as temporary aid, in such small sums as, in the judgment of the almoner of the board, were necessary :
In Cash Allowances,
$200 42
" Fuel,
988 67
" Groceries,
1,273 21
" Furniture and Clothing,
97 66
" Medicine, Attendance and Nursing,
1,229 93
" Burial expenses,
377 00
" Transportation,
364 20
" Insane Hospital charges,
1,842 88
" Reform School bills,
626 79
' Aid to our Poor in other places,
446 62
' Books, stationery and stamps,
266 55
" Miscellaneous expenses,
52 00
Total,
$7765 93
The expenses of the City Relief or temporary aid department are also charged with the salary of the city physician, which is $800.00, and that of the clerk of the board, which is $1,300.00, and they have received for such service the present year :
City Physician,
$800 00
Clerk of the Board, 1,270 83
Other Expenditures,
7,765 93
Total expense of the City Department,
$9,836 76
144
CITY DOCUMENT .- No. 28.
The resources have been as follows :
Appropriation by City Council,
$10,000 00
Received from Commonwealth,
1,869 12
from other cities and towns,
1,781 66
Total Receipts,
$12,650 78
Total Expenditures,
9,836 76
Unexpended balance,
$3,814 02
The Auditor's report shows $567.53 still on hand, and the $3246.49 necessary to make up the sum of unexpended balance of the accounts of the overseers of the poor was drawn by the com- mittee on health without consultation with this board, and the bills for that amount were not audited by this department.
The City Alms-House and Hospital have, as usual, undergone their annual inspection, having recently been visited by the whole Board, in company with all the heads of the various other depart- ments, and a much larger number of the present and past mem- bers of the city government than were ever before present on a similar occasion. They embraced the opportunity to make such an examination of the premises, both in-doors and out, as they chose, and were accompanied by the several members of the board and the superintendent of the establishment. Such expla- nations as were asked for were given, and the expressions of con- fidence and satisfaction with the general management and appear- ance of the whole establishment which have from year to year been expressed, were heartily repeated.
Early in the summer, while the small-pox was prevalent amongst us, amounting almost to an epidemic, and the Board of Health found it necessary to take vigorous measures to secure to the citizens the highest possible sanitary condition, it was found that no proper or adequate means had been provided for the col- lection of the city offal. They therefore, in the discharge of the responsible duties with which they were intrusted, decided that it was the proper thing for them to do, to order the superintendent of the city farm to take charge of its collection and make such disposition of the same as was necessary. Accordingly an appro priation was asked for by them and made by the City Council to cover the expenses, and the Board of Overseers of the Poor, find-
145
OVERSEERS OF THE POOR.
ing that the additional duties of city scavengers had been intrusted to them, cheerfully accepted the same and set about making the necessary arrangements to carry out the intentions of the Board of Health in the most satisfactory manner, and, at the same time, to have it done as economically as was consistent with its being done well. As our establishment at the farm had not contem- plated any such arrangement, it was found necessary to procure an entire equipment for the business. Five single-horse wagons, properly constructed for that service, were procured and set to work in the city. Each had its proper route in a certain district in which it was to make its collections, after which it was to carry them to a depot near the route from the city to the farm. The collections amounted to several tons daily, and were taken from the depot to the farm by two double team's, similar in construction to the single ones above mentioned. Having the material on hand the question with the Board became "How can we make the most economical use of so large a quantity ?" It was decided that the larger part must for the present be put into the compost heap for dressing the land, reserving the best to feed to swine. As we had a large quantity of lumber on hand that had been cut on the farm and prepared the previous year for the purpose of rebuilding the farm barn, it was ordered to be used for building a piggery. A building one story high, thirty feet wide and two hundred and thirty feet long, suitably divided and furnished with suitable ap- pliances for preparing the feed, butchering the pork and housing the swine was constructed, and as many hogs purchased as it ·would accommodate.
It was then decided that as our old barn at the farm, which was intended to be rebuilt, could not furnish any accommodation for the additional number of horses which it had been found nec- essary to keep for the scavenger department, a stable was neces- sary. Accordingly one has been built, forty-two feet wide and seventy-five feet long, two stories high, with eighteen feet posts, well fitted for a sufficient number of horses, with harness and wagon room on the lower floor for all the vehicles necessary, and with a hay loft in the upper stories and a basement properly fitted to save the manure and accommodate a large number of swine.
· 146
CITY DOCUMENT .- No. 28.
The satisfactory accomplishment of this business has been at- . tended with no small amount of labor and annoyance on the part of those to whom it has been intrusted. Many obstacles have been placed in our way, and unfavorable comments made upon our proceedings, even by those parties who were the most benefited by our action. On this account I have reported more at length, in order that all may be properly informed on the sub- ject, and in full confidence that when the benefits of our exertions are understood they will be properly appreciated.
The house and all the outbuildings (excepting the barn), are in their usual good condition. No extensive repairs on any of them have been made during the past year and none are now required. A large addition has been made during the year to the water sup- ply, it being found necessary in order to accommodate the new buildings and give greater security in case of fire, but the expense has been trifling in comparison to the advantages obtained.
Our Small-pox Hospital was taxed to its utmost capacity for a part of the year, but it never was intended to fill the requirements of an epidemic, and, although not all that could be desired, still answers the purpose for which it was constructed. Should it be found necessary at any future time to enlarge its capacity, it is recom- mended that a new building be constructed, and in some other location.
In our report on the remainder of the farm buildings, we can- not better convey our convictions of what is needful to be done with the old barn, than by a repetition of what was said last year :
"This barn was built in three different sections, as enlargements became necessary. Afterwards it was moved and considerably twisted in the operation, as well as by having an insufficient foun- dation, which has grown much worse by the action of frost and rain. It is now in such condition as to require very extensive re- pairs or to be replaced by a new structure. The latter course is recommended, as there is a large amount of timber on the farm suitable for the purpose. The materials of the old building with such part of the frame as is sound, and such new timber as can be prepared by the inmates of the Institution, the relaying of the foundation walls and covering the roof would enable us to rebuild and make a substantial structure at a cost of not much over two thousand dollars. It is recommended that such a sum be appro- priated for that purpose."
147
OVERSEERS OF THE POOR.
The condition of the farm is much the same as in former years, and with the addition of the scavenger department, the prospect is that from more generous dressing of the land it will be much improved. With the opening of the new road along the shores of the lake, the location will be more generally known and appre- ciated, and our people will have a just pride in having provided so pleasant and comfortable a home for those amongst us who from various causes have been unable to provide one for them- selves.
The number of inmates of the institution at the present time is twenty-seven : Four of them are young children, the rest aged and infirm persons. Adding the six boys in the truant school, and their teacher, together with the family of the superintendent and the hired help, makes a total of forty-one.
The annual inventory and apprisal of all the effects at the farm has as usual just been made by the Board, who were assisted in their duties by the Board of Assessors, and the result is as fol- lows :-
96 Acres of cleared Land,
$7,680 00
100
" Wood 66
7,500 00
26
Harlow Pasture,
1,040 00
50 Davidson “
1,280 00
24
Bond Meadow,
600 00
All the Farm Buildings,
21,000 00
Total of Real Estate,
$39,100 00
Farm Stock, Tools, &c.,
7,250 00
Furniture and Household Utensils,
4,290 29
Appurtenances of Truant School,
332 50
Total,
$50,972 79
This is the valuation of the pauper department, exclusive of the scavenger account, and is $705.38 less than the valuation of last year, and the value of the lumber on hand at that time and used in the construction of the piggery would more than make the difference of that sum in favor of the pauper account.
20
148
CITY DOCUMENT .- No. 28.
The total expenditure at the Alms-House during the present year for the account of maintenance of paupers has been
$8,793 93
Receipts from Sales and Board of School,
3,157 14
Making the net expense,
$5,636 79
Salary of Superintendent and Matron,
800 00
Net Expenses of Alms-House Department,
$6,436 79
Resources : Appropriation,
6,000 00
Deficit,
$436 79
A separate inventory was made by the committee on the farm, of this Board, assisted by the Board of Assessors of the city, of the effects on hand to the credit of the scavenger department, and the value of the new buildings for its use was not added to that of the real estate of the Alms-House department, but is shown for the present year in a separate statement, and the val- uation of the stable, piggery, swine, horses, wagons and all other appurtenances are, as returned by those gentlemen, $16,815 00.
The Auditor's report shows an appropriation of ten thousand dollars additional, made for the expenditures on account of the scavenger department at the city farm ; also a transfer of eight thousand dollars from the water high service department, and one thousand three hundred and forty dollars and thirty-eight cents from the Truant School, which is the whole amount expended for that work, and the total cost is here shown:
Appropriation,
$10,000 00
Transfer from Water Department,
8,000 00
Transfer from Truant School,
1,340 38
Total,
$19,340 38
Deducting what has been overdrawn on account of paupers at Farm,
436 79
Total cost of Scavenger Department,
$18,903 59
Inventory of Property on hand,
16,815 00
Cost for the Year,
$2,088 59
The report on the truant school will be submitted by the superintendent of the city schools. The accounts of the same have, as heretofore, been kept separate from those of the Alms- House, an allowance of five cents an hour having been made in
149
OVERSEERS OF THE POOR.
its favor for each hour's labor performed by the boys, and a charge of two dollars and fifty cents a week having been made for each boy's board. The expense is as follows :
Amount paid for board,
$959 75
Clothing and other expenses,
269 86
Instruction and Supervision,
475 01
Total Expenditure,
$1,704 62
Received for Boys' Labor,
45 00
Net Expense,
$1,659 62
Resources : Appropriation,
3,000 00
Unexpended balance,
$1,340 38
Which was transferred to the Alms-House Appropriation.
An apprisal of the property has been made and shows it to be at this time,
$332 50
In 1872 it was
400 00
Depreciation,
$68 50
The tables showing the number of orders drawn by the clerk for temporary aid or city relief department, also the disbursments for the several months, and the articles furnished and their amounts ; the number of paupers in the Alms-House each month, with the expenditure and revenue of each month ; the num- ber of boys in the Truant School and the monthly disburse- ments on their account are, as usual, annexed to this report ; and as this department has during the past year been brought more prominently before the public than for several years past, you are particularly requested to give it all the attention that it merits.
All of which is respectfully submitted.
GEORGE W. GALE, Clerk.
CLARK JILLSON, Mayor. W. ANSEL WASHBURN, City Marshal. ALBERT P. MARBLE, Supt. of Schools. GEORGE W. GALE.
O. L. HATCH. WALTER HENRY.
EDWARD KENDALL. C. L. HARTSHORN. JAMES DRAPER.
Overseers of the Poor.
150
CITY DOCUMENT .- No. 28.
ALMS-HOUSE DEPARTMENT.
Monthly Accounts.
No. of Paupers.
Total Expenditures.
Total Receipts.
Net Expense.
Receipts above Expenditures.
December,
36
$738 28
$120 33
$617 95
January,
35
844 12
134 70
709 42
February,
38
485 29
184 76
300 53
March,
42
444 33
167 05
277 28
April,
39
654 94
240 75
414 19
May,
37
548 97
145 07
403 90
June,
34
996 25
109 15
887 10
July,
32
634 84
100 25
534 59
August,
31
1228 01
96 00
1132 01
September,
30
765 10
139 35
625 75
October,
27
555 77
411 09
144 68
November,
28
898 03
1308 64
$410 61
$8793 93
$3157 14
$6047 40 410 61
$410 61
$5636 79
151
OVERSEERS OF THE POOR.
TRUANT SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.
Monthly Accounts.
No. of Scholars.
Cost of Board.
Clothing and other Expenses.
Teaching and Supervision.
Value of Labor.
December,
6
$68 55
$66 75
January,
6
77 50
27 35
February,
8
82 50
March,
8
99 60
56 05
$100 00
April,
9
92 50
May,
9
102 85
14 90
$10 00
June,
5
58 75
10 00
July,
6
67 50
30 54
150 00
10 00
August,
6
77 50
9 60
100 00
September,
4
53 57
34 40
41 67
6 00
October,
6
77 50
10 02
41 67
6 00
November,
6
101 43
20 25
41 67
3 00
$959 75
$269 86
$475 01
$45 00
269 86
959 75
$1704 62 45 00
$1659 62
CITY RELIEF DEPARTMENT.
Monthly Accounts of 1873.
No. of Orders Drawn.
Paid in Caslı Allow-
Cost of Fuel.
Cost of Groceries.
Clothing.
Furniture and
and Nursing.
Medicine, Attendance
Cost of Burials.
Paupers.
Transportation of
Insane Hospital Bills.
Reform and Nautical
Paid other Towns.
Postage and Printing.
Books, Stationery,
Miscellaneous
Total.
December,
149|$ 22 00 $209 50 $ 150 00 $15 00 $
19 30 $ 56 00 $ 30 90 $ 271 75
$ 90 40 $ 32 35
$ 897 20
January,
190
51 00
148 23
149 00
12 00
172 95
42 00
10 30
$179 59
223 74
10 70 $32 00
1031 71
February,
196
5 00
182 25
155 00
14 50
25 72
10 00
58 05
22 25
472 77
March,
197
23 47
154 62
178 00
216 78
31 00
13 55
307 87
18 00
5 00
948 29
April,
118
26 80
57 87
159 71
7 25
104 17
41 00
18 05
14 50
151 93
80 05
661 33
May,
55
6 50
6 37
128 00
236 84
53 00
32 75
41 75
505 21
June,
50
7 50
49 00
20 91
111 33
8 00
274 75
25 00
10 00
506 49
July,
47
15 00
4 12
33 00
2 00
47 16
8 00
81 65
352 00
109 05
5 00
656 98
August,
44
8 15
30 00
2 50
34 38
89 00
14 50
36 95
215 48
September,
55
48 08
59 00
2 25
23 55
18 00
54 45
602 01
78 00
75
886 09
October,
69
35 00
38 35
57 50
4 00
111 20
16 00
34 75
20 00
89 48
7 00
15 00
428 28
November,
168
139 28
125 00
17 25
126 35
5 00
15 25
108 22
19 75
556 10
1338 $200 42 $988 67 $1273 21 $97 66 $1229 93 $377 00 $364 20 $1842 88 $626 79 $446 62 $266 55 $52 00 $7765 93
152
ances.
School Bills.
Expenses.
CITY DOCUMENT .- No. 28.
.
BY-LAWS
OF THE BOARD OF
OVERSEERS OF THE POOR.
SECTION 1. The mayor shall be Chairman, and as such shall exer- cise the rights and perform the duties of the presiding officer of the Board, governed by parliamentary law ; and in his absence the Board shall appoint a chairman pro tem. For transaction of business five members shall constitute a quorum.
SECT. 2. At the first meeting of the Board in January, when the new members take their seats, and before the transaction of any other business, they shall be qualified, according to law, by taking the oath of office, which shall be administered by the chairman. The Board shall then choose a clerk as prescribed by the City Ordinance, who shall perform such duties as shall be prescribed by said City Ordinances and the rules of this Board : he shall keep a full and impartial record of all meetings of this Board, and full accounts of all expenditures of the department, and an intelligible record of all persons aided, either temporarily or permanently, recording all facts in connection with each case that may come to his knowledge by reasonable inquiry and inves- tigation, and reporting all new cases at the next succeeding meeting.
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