USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Worcester > Town annual reports of the several departments for the fiscal year ending December 31, 1874 > Part 2
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CITY HOSPITAL.
The City Hospital is an institution of great value to the city in its present condition, but fails to meet the wants of all those who desire and deserve treatment therein, on account of its limited accommodations. A substantial enlargement is much needed.
That part of the Jaques bequest consisting of lands should be sold from time to time, reserving only such portions as may be required for actual occupation for hospital purposes, and the proceeds, together with all other moneys belonging to the fund, safely invested in securities other than those of the city. Perhaps there is nothing more safe than municipal securities, but the investment of the city's own trust fund in its own securities is a proceeding of doubtful legality, and should receive your early attention.
LABOR.
Worcester is a city of workshops, and its entire population, to a great extent, is dependent upon mechanical industry.
Thousands of toiling men are now permanent residents in our midst, and their comfortable and happy homes dot our hill-sides and our valleys. The voice of their industry furnishes music for the morning hour, and blends its harmony with the evening zephyr. Their thoughtful minds and willing hands have long since become a vital element in the growth of this prosperous city. They are proud of the position they occupy as mechanics and artizans, but no prouder than they have a right to be. We are their servants.
The fruits of their labor have been intrusted to our care, and we are under the most solemn obligations to see that they are not thrown away, or disposed of without an equivalent beneficial to them.
17
MAYOR'S ADDRESS.
HISTORY.
The General Statutes provide that cities may appropriate money for procuring the writing and publishing of their histories.
A history of Worcester in the war of the rebellion has been published by private enterprise, but owing to errors and imper- fections, it did not meet with a ready sale. The author of this work desires to sell the stereotype plates, together with a large number of copies of the work in sheets, to the city. I do not approve of purchasing the printed sheets, but if the author would revise and correct the plates under the direction and to the sat- isfaction of a joint committee of the city council, you might well consider the propriety of taking measures to purchase them for future use.
TAXATION.
The rate of taxation should be reduced as fast as it can be without detriment to the growth and prosperity of the city; but there is nothing better calculated to bring this about than a system of economy and good management which shall result in the reduction of the debt.
The valuation of taxable property May 1st, 1874, was :
Real Estate $37,545,550 00 11,639,994 00
Personal,
Total,
$49,185,544 00
Number of Taxable Polls, 13,341 .
Rate : $16 80 per $1000 00.
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
The fire department was never in a better condition than it is to-day, and it only requires your encouragement and support to keep it so.
The fire bell can be distinctly heard in the adjoining towns, but at many points in the city it is difficult to distinguish its sound from that of other bells, therefore, to a great extent it is worth- less. It would do no violence to the science of acoustics to locate this bell in Bigelow court, about thirty feet from the ground, where it would be heard and easily distinguished in all
18
CITY DOCUMENT .- No. 29.
parts of the city. A hose loft is much needed at the engine house in this court, and when built would constitute a proper tower for the bell.
CHARITIES.
The city of Worcester has exhibited a commendable degree of liberality in making provision for its poor; but it should be remembered that the overshadowing distress of poverty has to be borne before the poor-house is reached. To prevent poverty, so far as it can be done in a proper way, preserving the self- respect of the poor, is as much a duty as it is to prevent crime.
SEWERS.
The disposal of the sewage of the city is a matter that will soon claim serious attention, and, in my judgment, is one that needs careful investigation before any money is spent upon it. The finishing of Piedmont sewer will be asked for during the present year, but the debt should not be increased by its con- struction. It will be necessary to finish Mill Brook sewer at Lincoln square, when the Court Mill buildings have been re- moved and the location of Union street at that point changed.
FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY.
This institution is conducted with so much ability and care on the part of the librarian and its able board of directors, that no services will be required at your hands, unless it becomes neces- sary to provide additional room for the accommodation of the circulating department.
CONCLUSION.
Gentlemen :
What I have said to you upon the various topics relating to municipal affairs is but an outline of what you will have to deal with when you come to take up the burden of your several duties.
The time we spend in the public service will not be lost if we
19
MAYOR'S ADDRESS.
approach our labors in candor and forbearance, with a determina- tion to leave behind us a record that may be remembered without regret.
I enter upon the duties of Chief Magistrate with a deep sense of the obligations resting upon me ; but I rejoice to find myself officially connected with so many able and discreet men, many of whom have had years of experience in performing public duty. It will give me great pleasure to coincide with you in all matters connected with our official labors ; and I shall expect from you a willing support, when it is deserved.
Let us try to conduct ourselves so that all our efforts in the public service will now or hereafter meet with public approval.
REPORT OF THE OVERSEERS OF THE POOR.
1
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
OVERSEERS OF THE POOR.
Gentlemen of the City Council :
THE following is respectfully submitted as the Annual Report of this Board, and we have to present the subject in the same manner as heretofore. As in a city growing as fast as our own, not only those who are well provided with this world's goods, are attracted here by our prosperity, but those in search of the best market for their labor, the only riches of which they are pos- sessed, come also. Many have been attracted here by the de- mand for labor on our public works, and, as most of that has been completed, and no corresponding call has been made for labor in the other departments of industry, the supply has been greater than the demand, and they have waited here for better times until they have used up the small amounts they had laid by and have been unable to provide for their families, and being without means to remove them, and with little prospect of bet- tering themselves if they should.
This, taken in connection with the enhanced cost of nearly every necessary of life, has compelled many, who have heretofore been able to fight successfully the battle of life, to succumb to the pressure of circumstances, and either see their families suffering from want, or apply to the authorities for aid. Through the win- ter this was done by a large number who have never applied
24
CITY DOCUMENT .- No. 29.
before, and who, under ordinary circumstances, would have been able to provide for themselves. Strenuous offorts were made by the various members of this Board to provide work for them in order that they might not be obliged to enroll their names on the pauper list, and, through the action of your Honorable Body, those efforts were, in part, successful, and the large amounts that have been disbursed in the various labor departments of the city government have done much to alleviate the pressing wants of the poor, and reduced the amount that must otherwise have been disbursed in this department. The same cause which existed with the commencement of the present year, we are sorry to say, continues with its close, and the large and steadily increasing numbers who continue to call upon us remind us daily of the general stagnation of trade, and call for our most charitable con- sideration in order to prevent positive suffering among the worthy poor.
This state of things is taken advantage of by the criminal classes, who crowd themselves upon us in larger numbers, and make the most forcible demonstrations of their rights and claims for assistance at such times, and endeavor to crowd out their more modest and worthy competitors, and without the most rigid scrutiny to ascertain the truth of their representations, charitably disposed persons are likely to be imposed upon, and what was intended by them as a means of alleviating the sufferings of the unfortunate is made to minister to the maintenance of crime, and renders the position of almoners of public charity exceedingly delicate and laborious, if performed with a reasonable degree of care and fidelity.
The pauper laws, which have always been pronounced com- plicated, and have proved a fruitful source of litigation for years past, have, during the present year, received an important addi- tion, which will probably not render them less so, as the Legisla- tive House Document, No. 310, reported with the law, and the official report of the Attorney General of the Commonwealth, on the interpretation of the same, when read in connection, show their inconsistency so plain as to be readily perceived by any one at all conversant with their workings, and have already been repudiated by the solicitor of the city of Boston, and we have it
25
OVERSEERS OF THE POOR.
stated by the best legal talent of this city that, in their opinion, no intelligent jury would sustain the construction given by him to the first clause of the second section.
Its practical workings will be to settle nearly all the State paupers on the various cities and towns where they happen to reside, and will probably more than double the number of per- sons to be legally provided for by the City of Worcester.
In order that you may have at hand the means of informing yourselves on this subject the three documents above mentioned have been attached to this report and invite your perusal.
The entire number for whom some provision has been made during the year past has been seventeen hundred and eighty-six,- eight hundred and thirty-two males and nine hundred and fifty- four females,-and is more than ever appeared before in Worcester with the single exception of 1870, when it was exceeded by one hundred and forty-two.
The whole number having a legal pauper settlement in this city who have had full support for the whole or a part of the year has been ninety-seven, which is less than last. year, but a they have been supported for a longer time each, the average has been equal to that of last year, which was forty-nine.
The whole number provided for at the Insane Hospital has been eighteen, and the average for the whole year is twelve,-one- third more than that of 1873, which was larger than we ever had before,-and the operation of the law of 1874 will probably increase this class of paupers to a very large extent.
Fifty-five persons and families having no settlement, who had been brought into the State and applied for aid, have been returned to whence they came, in accordance with Chapter 71 Section 25, of the General Statutes. . This class consists mostly of Canadians, who migrate annually to these parts in the spring and return to Canada after having accomplished their summer's work, and, we have many reasons to believe, purposely abandon their wives and children when they return with the intention of expectation of getting them forwarded to their homes gratis, and thereby increase the amount of their annual venture.
Eighty-two State paupers have been sent to the State Alms House at Tewksbury during the year, having been aided to a
26
CITY DOCUMENT .- No. 29.
greater or less extent here. Many of them, infirm, or children, have had to be provided with an attendant, who has been detailed from the Police force, and we are under obligations to those officers, who have been taken mostly from that part off duty and have performed the service without compensation.
The institution has also been visited during the year by a com- mittee selected for that purpose, of which our City Physician was a member, with a view to investigate vague rumors that per- sons sent there had not received proper care or the attention to which, by reason of their infirmities, they were from humanity entitled, and, after spending a day and making a thorough ex- amination of the whole establishment, they reported that it was in its character and appointments all that could reasonably be expected, and that the spiritual as well as temporal well-being of its inmates was properly attended to, and its hospital accommo- . dations would compare favorably with those of much greater reputation.
Seven hundred and twenty-nine applicants, of whom three hundred and thirty-two were males and three hundred and ninety- seven females, with families containing ten hundred and sixty-five persons, all of whom were state paupers, have received temporary aid or partial support during the year. Seven hundred and ten of them, of whom two hundred and eighty-seven were males and four hundred and twenty-three females, resided for longer or shorter periods in this city. This class is more than double what it was last year, when your particular attention was called to the necessity of more liberal provision being made by the Board of State Charities for the large number of sick among them. The same necessity still exists ; and it is to be hoped, as that Board has now, by the passage of the law of 1874, succeeded in turning over the larger number of persons they have heretofore been called on to provide for, to the care and cost of the several cities and towns, they will now be willing to carry the remainder of the burden which properly belongs to them, but has heretofore been borne only in part.
One hundred and twenty-nine heads of families,-seventy-nine of whom were males, and fifty females,-having a legal pauper settlement in this city, have applied for and received temporary aid during the year.
27
OVERSEERS OF THE POOR.
Fifty-five heads of families,-thirty-eight of them males and seventeen females,-having a legal settlement in other cities and towns, have also been aided during the year to a greater or less extent, and the amount of labor and research expended in the examination of city and town records, necessary in order to ascertain where they all have their settlements, so that our own resources may not be drawn upon to provide for those who do not properly belong to this city to support, has been a task beyond the comprehension of any one who has not had some experience in the same, and is not easily understood by the casual observer.
In addition to all those before mentioned as having been pro- vided for in whole, or in part, by this Board, food, to the amount of two hundred and twenty-two dollars and thirty-nine cents has been provided for, and lodging at the Station House given to three thousand five hundred and thirty-eight persons ; being thirteen hundred and eighty-nine in excess of last year. This class rep- resents the drift stuff on the sea of human life, or the drones in our social hive, and again presents the question which has never yet been satisfactorily answered, of what is best to do with them.
In providing for the various persons and cases before men- tioned, by the department for city relief or temporary aid, the clerk, who acts as the almoner of this Board, has drawn for the food, fuel, clothing, and other necessary articles, during the year, two thousand two hundred and thirty-eight orders on various persons, and has given in such small sums as were necessary, or have been ordered by Overseers of the Poor from other places, who have had their poor to provide for here-
In Cash Allowances $618 58
" Fuel . 1,627 62
" Groceries 2,437 31
" Furniture and Clothing
363 87
" Medical Attendance and Medicine 770 02
" Burial Expenses 373 00
" Transportation of paupers 443 77
" Insane Hospital Bills 2,219 04
" Reform School Bills 887 71
" Aid to Worcester Poor in other Towns 525 63
" Books, Stationery, Stamps, etc. 232 76
" Miscellaneous Expenses .
43 21
Total
$10,542 52
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CITY DOCUMENT .- No. 29.
The salary of the City Physician, which is eight hundred dol- lars,-as also that of the Clerk and almoner of the Board, which is fifteen hundred,-are also charged to the Expenditures of the Department for City Relief, and they have received for their ser- vices for the past year-
City Physician $800 00
Clerk of the Board . 1,481 10
Other Expenditures 10.541 62
Total Expenditures of the City Department . $12,822 72
The resources have been as follows :
Unexpended balance of 1873 . $567 53
Appropriation by City Council 8,000 00
Received from the Commonwealth 2,668 70
Received from other Cities and Towns
1,796 54
Total Receipts . $13,032 77
Total Expenditures 12,822 72
Unexpended balance $210 05
Making the Net Expenses of this Department for the year $8,357 48
CITY RELIEF DEPARTMENT.
Monthly Accounts of 1874.
No. of Orders Drawn.
Paid in Cash Allow-
ances.
Cost of Fuel.
Cost of Groceries.
Furniture and
Clothing.
and Nursing.
Cost of Burials.
Transportation of
Insane Hospital Bills.
Reform and Nautical
School Bills.
Paid other Towns.
Books, Stationery,
Postage and Printing.
Miscellaneous
Expenses.
Total.
December,
245 $112 00$ 224 20 $ 264 50$ 23
75 $ 12 85$ 39 00 $ 44 00 $ 445 85
$ 21 48
$ 1187 63
January,
390
53 25
304 07
412 00
134 65
46 51
8 00
39 93
$189 75 $228 37
1416 53
February,
381
51 00
307 37
380 25
109 35
111 10
53 00
46 86
13 57
1072 50
March,
330
72 00
342 22
327 00
67 75
46 95
40 00
31 50
282 70
67 85
88 50
1366 47
April,
266
34 75
191 82
286 00
2 50
50 05
24 00
31 40
217 53
46 38
$ 3 50
887 93
May,
120
30 25
56 66
152 56
2 00
78 60
54 00
39 25
5 00
7 55
425 87
June,
84
72 10
16 63
122 00
2 75
42 00
21 00
22 85
311 76
195 54
July,
73
44 00
21 00
79 00
42 35
33 00
20 75
489 70
50 50
74 13
10 15
2 00
866 58
August,
74
68 00
21 50
84 25
11 00
31 75
26 00
37 45
24 86
6 46
311 27
September,
81
70 28
24 63
110 00
6 45
31 30
10 25
689 03
24 70
82 60
1049 24
October,
91
9 45
46 26
110 00
2 17
125 90
21 00
47 05
166 54
5 00
533 37
November,
103
1 50
71 26
109 75
1 50
150 66
54 00
72 48
127 19
29 26
617 60
2238 $618 58 $1627 62 $2437 31 $363 87 $770 02 $373 00 $443 77 $2219 04 $887 71 $525 63 $232 76 $42 31 $10542 52
29
OVERSEERS OF THE POOR.
806 63
Medicine, Attendance
Paupers.
30
CITY DOCUMENT .- No. 29.
On the 22nd day of October, the Annual Inspection of the Alms House took place, and as usual, every member of the Board was present, and with the assistance of His Honor, the Mayor, and several of his predecessors in office, the Board of Aldermen, several members of the City Council, the entire Board of Assessors, all of the heads of the other Departments of the City Government, with several invited guests from our own and other cities, passed a pleasant day at the Institution, and were shown over the whole premises both in doors and out, and it was conceded on all sides, that, let matters be as they will, either satisfactory or otherwise in other departments, there was no cause of fault-finding here, but that every part, to the minutest detail, was looked after and managed quite as well as though it was a private establishment, and that our worthy Superintendent was the right man for this city and in the right place, and that the Matron of the house not only knew her duties, but discharged them with a fidelity deserving special commendation.
The house and outbuildings are all in the best condition we have ever had them, as during the year the old farm barn has been taken down and replaced by a new and substantial struc- ture, as was recommended last year, which will compare favora- bly with the best buildings for similar purposes to be found in this vicinity.
This, with the new buildings erected during the previous year, taken in connection with the house, make quite an imposing ap- pearance.
There has also been added to the farm by purchase, a lot con- taining upwards of eight acres of land on Lincoln street, from which the water supply for the establishment is obtained, thereby not only securing entire control of the same, but also giving a large increase to the hay-producing part of the farm, which, on account of the keeping of more horses for doing the work in the scavanger department, had become necessary.
This land has been cleared of all underbrush, and the low parts graded up and top-dressed, and put in the best condition for producing a good crop of hay next season. About thirty rods of wall, on the Lincoln street side, have been taken down and rebuilt on the new line of survey for the street, which has
31
OVERSEERS OF THE POOR.
added much to the good appearance of the same, as well as to the security of the crops.
There have also been built twenty rods of strong double wall on that part of the farm through which runs the Old Boylston road, thereby clearing the adjacent land of a large amount of loose stones which encumbered the surface, and making at the same time a substantial inclosure and permanent improvement to the farm.
As was predicted last year with regard to the effect of the scavenger department on the products of the farm, we are able to inform you that our anticipations in that respect have been fully realized, and the more liberal dressing we have been able to give the land from the product of the piggery has made itself manifest in the largest hay crop ever secured on the farm; and competent judges in such matters, who inspected the cornfields, pronounced them equal, if not superior, to any to be found in Worcester county.
The effect on the vegetable crop was as distinctly marked as the others, but, owing to the amount of labor of the inmates of the establishment necessary in rebuilding, grading and fitting up around the new barn, not so much land was given to gardening as usual, but, with the coming year it is confidently anticipated that it will show to as good advantage as the others.
On Sunday, the 25th of October a fire, set by some careless person in the wood lot, caused the destruction of about eight acres of its growth, near two acres of which was valuable timber and the other six of young wood.
This has all had to be cleared up at a large expenditure of time and money, in order that it may be in condition for further product.
This is the fourth time such an occurrence has taken place on the city farm within the past ten years, thereby endangering the lives of the inmates of the institution and the property of the city, and, but for the prompt attention and successful efforts of the superintendent, aided by persons living in the vicinity, might have consumed the whole establishment ; and your attention is called to the subject at this time in order that suitable action may be taken, by which, if possible, its repetition may in future be prevented.
32
CITY DOCUMENT .- No. 29.
The number of paupers at the house at this time is thirty- seven, which is larger by one quarter than last year. Six of them are children, and most of the others are old and sick to such an extent as to make it necessary to provide some one to attend to them and do most of the hard labor about the premises.
There are also six boys in the Truant School, located in one wing of the building, a report of which will be made by the Superintendent of Schools, as they are not included in the Pauper report, but with the teacher, two men who are employed as wagoners, one who takes care of the swine in the scavenger department, one employed on the farm, one female in the kitchen, and the Superintendent and Matron, fourteen in all, make a total of fifty-one persons in the family.
The annual appraisal and inventory of the establishment was, as usual, made on the last Thursday in November, when the Board, with the assistance of the City Assessors, made a valuation in detail of the entire establishment and all its appurtenances, . with the following result :
96 Acres of cleared Land,
$7,680 00
100 66 of Wood
7,500 00
26 66 Harlow Pasture,
1,040 00
50
Davidson
1,280 00
24
Bond Meadow, 600 00
8
Curtis Lot, 2,400 00
Total Valuation of Land,
$20,500 00
Alms House Building,
20,000 00
Small Brick House and Corn Barn,
1,000 00
Small-Pox Hospital Building,
500 00
New Farm Barn, .
7,000 00
Horse Barn and Piggery,
10,000 00
Total Value of Buildings,
$38,500 00
66
Land, 20,500 00
Real Estate,
$59,000 00
Total Value of Real Estate, .
$59,000 00
Farm Stock, Tools, Vehicles, &c.,
7,550 75
Furniture and Household Utensils,
4,510 61
Appurtenances of the Truant School,
490 00
Total Value of Pauper Estate,
$71,551 36
33
OVERSEERS OF THE POOR.
I
The Scavenger Department was appraised by the Board of Assessors, who fixed the value of the Horse Barn and Piggery at ten thousand dollars, as is shown in the list of real estate above, and the
Personal Property at . $7,418 00
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