Town annual reports of the several departments for the fiscal year ending December 31, 1873, Part 3

Author: Worcester (Mass.)
Publication date: 1873
Publisher: The City
Number of Pages: 450


USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Worcester > Town annual reports of the several departments for the fiscal year ending December 31, 1873 > Part 3


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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29


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CITY DOCUMENT .- No. 28.


The expenditures of the department have been $75,961.01, and of this sum about $45,000 have been paid for new apparatus, land for engine houses, and towards contracts for building.


During the year 1873, there were sixty-three alarms of fire given in this city. Sixty of these were for fires, and three only were false.


The total loss incurred was $51,700, of which $47,200 was covered by insurance, leaving the net loss to the owners of the property damaged $4,500.


In this connection I propose to allude briefly to the act of the legislature April 15, 1873, authorizing the city of Worcester to take Newton hill, and to establish and maintain a reservoir, which was approved by a decided majority at the last municipal election. Upon reflection, I find that a proper treatment of this matter un- folds the whole subject of public parks and play grounds, as well as the necessities of our fire and water departments ; and as the period within which the city may take this property extends two years from April 15, 1873, I have no desire to press the subject upon your attention now, being perfectly willing to abide the time when it shall naturally claim your consideration.


I am constrained to say, however, that the condition of our pipes during the past two weeks is the reason why I have introduced the matter under this head. There are contingencies not to be avoided, when without a reservoir of water in the city, the pro- perty of the citizens would not be sufficiently protected by the present distributing mains. Eminent engineering talent has de- monstrated beyond a doubt, that a storing and distributing reser- voir on some one of our neighboring hills, would furnish streams of water with a natural head sufficient to reach our highest build- ings, and which could be made effective long before the steam apparatus could be brought to position. We have enjoyed a singular immunity from fire, but the experience of Chicago and Boston teaches us, that we should avail ourselves of all possible means of protection while we have the opportunity.


THE VETO POWER.


On the day of the last city election, the act of the legislature,


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MAYOR'S ADDRESS.


passed in March, 1873, conferring upon the Mayors of the several cities the veto power so called, was adopted by a very large ma- jority. The act requires the mayor to approve or disapprove in writing, every ordinance, order, resolution or vote, to which the concurrence of the two branches of the city government is neces- sary, and every order of either branch involving the expenditure of money; and if the mayor shall disapprove thereof he shall re- turn the same with his objections in writing to the branch in which it originated. After executive disapproval, an affirmative two- thirds vote of those present, and voting in each branch, becomes necessary to give force to such ordinance or other proposition.


The mayor of Boston has had for many years a similar power and responsibility, and doubtless the good effects of this rule in that city, induced the legislature to extend its application to the other cities of the state.


The extent of this prerogative, is to guard against hasty and ill-considered legislation, by investing the executive with the authority and the duty of interposing his veto, and thereby re- calling the legislative branches, to reconsider and revise their action; and by enlarging the power, to increase the responsibility and accountability of the executive magistrate.


I am sure that you will concur with me in the opinion that the new rule of administration under which we are to act, ought to ex- ercise a conservative influence upon each department of the city government; upon the two legislative branches, not less than up- on the mayor, and that we shall accept the almost unanimous vote of our fellow citizens in adopting it, as imposing on us the duty of discretion and circumspection in our conduct of public affairs.


CONCLUSION.


Gentlemen of the City Council.


I have endeavored to bring to your notice some of the various subjects which will naturally claim your attention and considera- tion. That the task has been imperfectly done, no one is better


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CITY DOCUMENT .- No. 28.


aware than myself. I derive no little satisfaction, however, from the certainty that we shall be judged by our actions, and not by our words. Let us then take up the burden of our responsibili- ties with cheerfulness, and, mindful of our oaths of office, manfully discharge our duties according to our judgment and ability.


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-- OF --


HON. CLARK JILLSON,


MAYOR OF WORCESTER,


DELIVERED BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL, DECEMBER 29TH, 1873.


Gentlemen of the City Council :


The events of another year have been traced upon the dial of Time. The words we have uttered and the labors we have per- formed in the discharge of our duties as public officers have been garnered up and crystallized into history. It is fortunate if we can look back upon them without regret, and still more fortunate if those who come after us are obliged to admit the wisdom of our deliberate judgment. We have each learned our individual lesson and each may draw from it some practical suggestion wor- thy of recognition in the future.


It is clear that whoever assumes to perform the duties incumbent upon any member of the city council or the chief magistrate of a city no larger than Worcester, will find ample room to display his best thoughts and exercise his most mature judgment, even if he only performs well the work prescribed by law, without attempt- ing to assume the dignity of a leader, to gratify the sickly ambi- tion that so often clings to pride of birth or education.


FINANCES.


On the 17th day of April, in the year 1848, the town of Wor- cester closed the first volume of an honorable record, covering a period of nearly two hundred years, and placed itself in line with kindred municipalities, as a new and progressive city.


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CITY DOCUMENT .- No. 28.


A distinguished citizen, somewhat advanced in years but of sound judgment and unquestioned integrity, was made its first chief magistrate. He discussed the city finances in his inaugural address, and claimed that some method should be adopted for the payment of the debt, which then amounted to $95,000; and that no increase should be allowed.


The second Mayor said, "No sensible man will contend for one moment that the debt of the city should be increased ;" and year after year a similar statement was made, because the people were pleased to hear it ; but a silent undercurrent, concealed from the public eye by the deceptive allurement of moderate taxation, was rolling up a debt, the interest of which became double the amount of the entire indebtedness of the city in 1849, the princi- pal amounting to millions of dollars.


Moderate taxation will never pay the city debt. It must be accomplished by a reasonable tax, and by keeping the expendi- tures below the appropriation upon which such tax is based. A sinking fund, made up solely by special appropriation, would ex- tinguish the debt in the course of time, if the other appropria- tions were sufficient to raise by taxation enough to pay all ex- penses for the entire financial year. But a sinking fund composed largely of the unexpended balances remaining in the treasury on the first day of December in each year, has the disastrous effect to leave the treasury bare at that time and compel the city to bor- row large sums of money in anticipation of taxes with which to pay all the expenditures of the city from the first of December till the next October, when the taxes again become due. If it is possible to obtain a vote of the city council to make an appropri- ation sufficient to cover all the expenses incurred by its own vote and the contracts of the several committees under this system of borrowing, it makes a commendable record; otherwise the debt must be increased.


The real success of any administration will depend largely upon the condition of affairs at the beginning of the year and the way they are left at the close.


If taxation for a single year, should happen to be moderate, necessary improvements curtailed, and the city debt diminished a few thousand dollars, the result might have a pleasing effect


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upon the minds of the people. But if a failure to perform cer- tain duties should create a necessity, real or imaginary, for unusual expenditures the next year, it might become a question whether the seeming economical administration was not the ex- travagant one after all.


Our labors connected with the finances during the year have been difficult and perplexing. We had transmitted to our care and management a temporary loan of more than eight hundred and fifty thousand dollars, liable to be called for at any moment.


We are not responsible for this debt. It had been contracted by others and thrust upon us to be managed in the interest of the city. It so happened that no call was made during the month of December, 1872, but on the sixth day of January, within an hour after the inauguration ceremonies, we were called upon to pay $50,000 forthwith. On the 8th of January we paid $40,000 ; on the 9th, $8,500; on the 14th, $60,000 ; on the 20th, $4,000 ; on the 22d, $75,000, and on the 24th, $50,000.


All these sums, amounting to $237,500, we were obliged to borrow in January, at 7 per cent. on call, to meet obligations contracted previous to our term of office. This state of affairs at once attracted the attention of the Finance Committee, who, dur- ing the summer months, made an effort to fund a portion of the debt by selling the bonds of the city.


It had been stated in political circles that the unjust Sewer Assessments, made in 1872, had been and were detrimental to funding the debt, but it is no more than justice to say that upon going into the market, it was found that our bonds were sought for and considered as good as other municipal bonds, and could be readily sold at the market price. But it is true that such bonds could not be sold at as high rates in 1873 as in 1872, when the entire debt might have been funded at 98 or 982.


This opportunity was allowed to pass, and we were compelled to fund this year at 92} and 932, or let the whole remain at 7 per cent. on call. The committee were unanimous in their decis- ion to sell the bonds at these rates, commencing at 92}, and when the market became more favorable the price was raised to 93}.


We funded $98,500 of the debt at 92}, $170,500 at 93} and $3,500 at 982. It will be understood that these bonds had 19 years


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CITY DOCUMENT .- No. 28.


to run at 6 per cent. interest. In the years 1878 and 1879 no considerable amount of money was becoming due, and it was thought best to place a certain amount for each of these years, at 7 per cent., as long as we were not likely to be able to fund the whole for a longer period at 6 per cent.


It was also thought that at the maturity of the short bonds there might be an opportunity to refund at better rates. With this view we placed $170,000 due in 1878 and $170,000 due in 1879, at par, making the whole amount funded during the year $612,500. The advantages derived from the funding of this debt can not well be expressed in words.


Early in October a financial panic prevailed throughout the country to such an extent that the entire amount of our debt funded during the year would have been called for, and we should have been obliged to borrow at 12 or 15 per cent. as has been the case in some other New England cities.


The following statement will show the exact condition of the City Finances:


City Debt, Jan. 1st, 1872.


Funded Loan, . $1,894,900 00 561,888 72 Temporary Loan, .


$2,456,788 72


Cash in Treasury,.


83,173 69


Net Debt, $2,373,615 03


Funded Loan, . ยท $1,830,400 00


Temporary Loan, 857,510 55


$2,687,910 55


155,995 75


Cash in Treasury, .


Net Debt, . $2,531,914 80


Increase of debt in 11 months, 158,299 77


City Debt, Dec. 1st, 1873.


Funded Loan, $2,285,700 00


655,527 31


Temporary Loan, .


$2,941,227 31


Cash in Treasury, . $324,307 28


Amount in hands of Committee on Reduction of


City Debt, . 11,306 15


$335,613 43


Net debt, $2,605,613 88 Increase of debt in 12 months, $73,699 08


City Debt, Dec. 1st, 1872.


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VALEDICTORY ADDRESS.


The average monthly increase of the debt in 1872 was $14,- 390.88, which amount must be added to the increase of eleven months, making in all an increase of $172,680.65, in 1872. Previous to 1872 the financial year commenced January 1st, since that time December 1st.


It will be remembered that a large amount of money was received in 1872, on account of sewer assessments, and absorbed in the current expenses. This revenue came from a source entirely outside of any transaction connected with 1872, and must be added to the debt of that year or placed to the credit of 1873. The sewer assessments paid in 1872, in excess of those paid in 1873, amount to $129,345.80. This amount added to the debt of 1872 makes the increase for twelve months $302,- 026.45. This sum placed to the credit of 1873 would not only extinguish our increase of $73,699.08, but would in addition thereto decrease the debt this year $55,646.72.


This comparison between the two years is not made with a view to show that we have conducted the financial affairs of the city with unusual economy, while those who have gone before us have been reckless and extravagant ; but simply to lay the whole subject fairly and plainly before the people, who are competent to judge and will render their verdict in accordance with strict justice.


But in case it is claimed that the present administration deserves no credit on account of the sewer assessments, and that we have increased the debt $73,699.08, then we are prepared to say without fear of contradiction, that with all this against us, we have increased the debt less than any other administration within five years, and $84,600.89 less than it was increased in only eleven months of 1872. It is proper to state in this connec- tion that the ordinance in relation to finance provides that the financial year shall commence on the first day of December and end on the thirtieth day of November following, at which time the books are balanced and the exact condition of the finances ascertained. When this is done the November bills, amounting to fifty or seventy-five thousand dollars, have been audited, but not paid. The Auditor reports the amount of cash in the treasury less the amount of these audited bills, which is the only


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CITY DOCUMENT .- No. 28.


correct report to make ; but the Treasurer says he has fifty or seventy-five thousand dollars more ; and when a true statement is publicly made of the amount of money in the treasury on the first of December, as appears by the Auditor's books, it may be con- tradicted by any ignorant person or dishonest politician, and the statement of the Treasurer shown as against that of the Auditor. The finance ordinance under which we now act, is a complete failure, inasmuch as we are obliged, under its provisions, to pay out thousands of dollars every year without any legal authority whatever. The financial year ought to begin on the first of May for the reason that the city has no right to authorize the borrow- ing of money in anticipation of taxes before the time when such taxes can be legally assessed.


To say that it is not fair for the City Council of 1874 to make appropriations for 1875 carries the mark of dishonesty upon the face of it, because no honest administration will seek to embarrass its successor.


Early last year your attention was called to the necessity of trying to "pay as we go," and this simple phrase is just as import- ant now as it was then, and will have to be complied with before a single dollar of the debt can be paid. Although we have not accomplished all that could be desired, it must be apparent to everybody that an honorable effort has been made to bring the expenses within the appropriations, and that we have succeeded in bringing the outlay and income nearer together by thousands of dollars than has been done before for many years.


Those who come after us will have to pursue substantially the same policy ; but in order to succeed in accomplishing the object desired by the people, will have to apply more vigor with a more persistent determination than we have been able to do, or cease to carry forward ordinary and needed improvements. Twenty years ago, when the annual expenditures of the city amounted to only about one hundred thousand dollars, with the entire City Council elected every year, it was not a difficult task to pursue such a course for one year as to decrease the debt, and in so doing render it necessary to correspondingly increase it the next year. This policy would suit the political leaders of to-day, but those who are to remain in the Council next year will decline to


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accept such an inheritance, and seek to deal honestly by them- selves and their successors.


CLAIMS.


During the year we have settled and paid a large number of important claims, some of which were of long standing. A majority of those who present claims against the City, do so un- der false pretences to such on extent that those who are really worthy sometimes fail of obtaining justice. Many claims are paid when the claimant has no legal right to receive a dollar. It may be judicious for the committee to try and avoid litigation, but they ought to be equally careful about taxing the people to pay unjust claims.


SCHOOLS.


We have not been called upon to make any unusual outlay on account of the schools, except to pay $23,873.87 for a lot of land purchased in 1872, which will not be built upon by the city for years to come. The State law in relation to enforcing constant and universal attendance upon the schools is defective, and hundreds of children are growing up in our midst in ignorance, because the rule of ignorant and dissolute parents is held to be of more importance than the enactment of a wholesome law to make every man and woman intelligent.


It is said that the High School is an expensive luxury. It cer- tainly has that appearance when we consider that less than forty pupils graduate annually in a city of over fifty thousand inhabi- tants, who have provided a school-house at an expense of over $200,000. The teachers are known to be competent-some of them excellent, but the principal defect is that it is a public school not accessible to the public. It is a delicate question to deter- mine how far a High School, provided for all and paid for by all, can be conducted strictly by the rules devised for the manage- ment of institutions more especially patronized by those favored by fortune or other privilege.


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CITY DOCUMENT .- No. 28.


WATER.


There is at the present time an ample supply of water for the use of the City, the high service having been completed last sum- mer. The statement made a year ago that the Lynde Brook reservoir would be full before the first of April, was looked upon as visionary at that time, but an amount of water sufficient to sup- ply the City nearly a year ran to waste during last spring, and as much more will be lost next spring. We ought to have raised the dam five feet last summer. All the rights in and to the waters of North Pond ought to have been secured long ago. As the city increases in population from year to year, these waters will become more and more valuable for flushing the sewers and for other purposes.


SEWERS.


Inasmuch as the Sewer Assessments of 1872 were not satisfac- tory, the whole subject was thoroughly examined for the purpose of devising some method of making a more equitable assessment upon such sewers as had been constructed subsequent to said as- sessment, and it was finally conceded that the plan of taxing by the lineal foot a certain amount of the entire cost of the sewer, putting the remainder into the general tax, was more likely to be satisfactory than any other plan heretofore adopted.


The maps and plans were made for this purpose, but it was found that the assessment of 1872 had covered territory far away from the sewers assessed, and upon the line of sewers not then constructed, so that in order to assess upon the sewers since con- structed, it became necessary to go still farther and assess persons entirely away from the line of these sewers or assess them over again.


It was said that the assessments of 1872 were a fraud upon the public, but it was not, till recently, understood that the equitable right of future assessment had been thereby stolen and carried away. With these difficulties to encounter it was thought best to defer the assessments till the court should determine in relation to the validity of those already made.


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A case has been amicably arranged involving all matters in dispute, relating to the Sewer Assessments of 1872, and is now pending in the Supreme Judicial Court. If the assessment is sustained, the people will have an opportunity to see how much they are liable to be oppressed by indiscretion. If it is not sus- tained, and the City compelled to borrow the money to pay it back, the financial record of 1872 will not be pleasant to look upon.


STREETS.


The large area comprised within the limits of the City makes it very expensive to keep the streets and highways in such repair as to be safe and convenient for public travel at all seasons of the year ; and the continued rapid growth and extension of the densely populated portions renders it important to build new streets, and for the public safety and convenience, to widen and straighten old ones. In the performance of this work there is a reasonable limit beyond which it is not wise to pass.


Wide streets are convenient and necessary, and when the City is built up with stores and public buildings abutting directly upon the sidewalk, they are almost indispensable for the admis- sion of light and air, besides being an effectual barrier against the spread of fire. But in the sparsely populated portions of the City where only dwelling houses exist, standing at least fifteen feet from the sidewalk on either side, sixty feet is a liberal width, and if kept in good repair is far better than eighty feet unsafe for travel.


There are many people who believe it to be a great public duty to build new streets away out into the country where they are not needed except for private travel, because it will cost the City less to do the work now than it will twenty years hence. This is a great mistake. The cost of building a street to-day with the interest on that sum will pay for doing the same work at any time between this and the millennium; and for this reason it is poor policy to increase the City debt for the purpose of making streets much in advance of the public necessity and convenience.


No person should be allowed to open a street for public travel, as a matter of speculation, till he has contributed the land there-


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CITY DOCUMENT .- No. 28.


for, and it has been laid out and the grade established by the City. When this has been done in good faith, the City ought to be liberal with the land-holders. Street after street has been laid out in this city under defective decrees, not establishing any grade or setting forth any intelligent estimate of the expense of construction ; and I have this day availed myself of the first opportunity ever presented in the city of Worcester to exercise the veto power in two such cases.


THE VIADUCT.


We have opposed the building of the viaduct with a full knowledge of the proper relations which ought to exist between the city and the railroads, hoping and still believing that some- thing better might have been agreed upon. It is true that the City is indebted to the railroads, and it is also true that were there no city here there might be no railroads.


The City may have been favorable to the building of the viaduct years ago, when the subject was viewed in a different light from what it now is, and before it was fully understood that some of our principal streets were to be much injured by its con- struction. When this work is done it may be looked upon with more favor, but at present it is being carried forward against the wishes of a large majority of the whole population of the City.


POLICE.


We have been fortunate enough to organize and maintain a Police Department second to none in New England. Its officers have been faithful and efficient, acting in perfect harmony with each other, and conducting themselves in such a manner as to win the universal approbation of the law-abiding people of the city. The whole business of the Department has been conducted in such strict conformity with law, that no officer, during the year, has been proceeded against for assault or false imprison- ment, which has not been unusual in years past.


An even and consistent course has been pursued by the Chief and his assistants, whose long experience has given them peculiar




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