Town annual reports of the several departments for the fiscal year ending December 31, 1875, Part 9

Author: Worcester (Mass.)
Publication date: 1875
Publisher: The City
Number of Pages: 490


USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Worcester > Town annual reports of the several departments for the fiscal year ending December 31, 1875 > Part 9


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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 | Part 30 | Part 31


16 00


282,300 00


3,292


1867


·


·


8,541


15,508,950 00


8,427,950 00


23,936,900 00


419,276 16


17 50


298,700 00


3,542


1868


9,137


17,420,350 00


8,799,850 00


26,220,200 00


338,609 52


12 85


280,475 00


3,849


1869 .


9,967


21,608,800 00


9,642,550 00


31,251,350 00


450,607 69


14 40


376,500 00


4,253


1870


10,651


24,169,050 00


9,849,400 00


34,018,450 00


595,214 23


17 40


516,500 00


4,679


1871


11,638


28,039,150 00


10,102,100 00


38,141,250 00


674,214 23


17 40


640,500 00


5,100


1872


13,055


30,844,600 00


11,397,950 00


42,242,550 00


761,130 37


17 40


655,300 00


5,446


1873


·


13,077


36,400,050 00


9,637,050 00


46,034,200 00


833,217 96


17 40


775,900 00


5,723


1874 ·


13,341


37,545,550 00


11,639,994 00


49,185,544 00


852,501 94


16 80


774,700 00


5,864


1875 .


13,003


38,016,200 00


11,283,581 00


49,299,781 00


844,382 36


16 60


774,500 00


5,921


.


5,784


11,122,950 00


5,693,480 00


16,816,430 00


126,391 01


7 00


100,000 00


·


·


·


·


.


·


.


·


.


·


·


.


·


·


.


·


·


145


AUDITOR'S REPORT.


1857. .


1860


146


TABLE


SHOWING THE DEBT AND INTEREST PAID, EACH YEAR, SINCE THE FIRST INAUGURATION OF THE CITY GOVERNMENT, IN 1848.


DATE.


CITY DEBT.


INTEREST.


DATE.


CITY DEBT.


INTEREST.


March 31,


1849, .


$ 95,630 20


$ . .


January 5, 1863, . .


$ 208,414 55


$ 8,607 54


66


66 1850, .


.


96,996 07


·


4, 1864,. .


214,759 70


11,818 93


April 7,


1851, .


.


98,741 88


3,655 98


2, 1865,. .


364,459 70


14,758 65


January 5, 1852, .


101,829 89


2,651 07


1, 1866, . .


424,418 59


25,360 84


3, 1853, . .


108,758 40


6,245 72


7,1867,. .


458,305 14


28,445 85


2, 1854, . .


98,567 70


5,747 77


6, 1868,. .


619,949 85


29,014 75


46,251 85


7, 1856,. .


118,955 48


6,585 05


3, 1870, . .


1,185,718 65


59,465 36


5, 1857,. .


103,993 65


6,949 37


1 2, 1871, . .


· 1,899,808 04


101,244 58


4, 1858, . .


100,188 80


6,781 81


1, 1872, .


2,456,788 72


106,465 35


3, 1859,. ·


99,533 95


8,017 18


Nov. 30, 1872, . .


2,687,910 55


136,259 70


2, 1860, . .


99,429 10


4,646 02


1873, . .


2,941,227 31


186,776 30


7, 1861,.


·


102,324 25


6,055 10


1874, . .


2,984,780 00


209,897 62


6, 1862, .


129,319 40


6,334 16


1875, . ·


2,589,700 00


197,148 66


·


1, 1855, .


98,435 33


6,182 04


4, 1869, . ·


773,290 00


·


CITY DOCUMENT .- No. 30.


REPORT OF THE CITY CLERK.


CITY OF WORCESTER,


CLERK'S OFFICE, January 3, 1876.


To the Honorable City Council :


IN accordance with the requirements of Chapter IX. of the City Ordinances, the City Clerk submits the following statement of the moneys received by him as fees or otherwise, during the year ending November 30, 1875, viz :-


From Licensed Amusements,


$789 00


66


66 Billiard Tables and Bowling Alleys,


280 00


66


66 Hackmen,


180 00


66 Junk Dealers,


75 00


66 Pawnbrokers,


40 00


1,677 Dogs,


1,691 00


Office Fees received in Cash,


1,471 00


Other Fees earned in Office,


$500 00


Amounting to


$4,526 00


which sum I have paid over to the City Treasurer, and hold his receipts therefor.


I have also received for Dog Licenses the sum of 3,54118% dollars, and paid the amount to Charles A. Chase, the County Treasurer, as required by law.


Respectfully submitted,


SAMUEL SMITH,


City Clerk.


ANNUAL REPORT


OF THE


CHIEF ENGINEER


OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.


CHIEF ENGINEER'S OFFICE, WORCESTER, JANUARY 1st, 1876.


To the Honorable the Mayor and City Council :


GENTLEMEN :- Herewith in accordance with the requirements of the Ordinance relative to the Fire Department, we submit the annual report of the Department for the year ending December 1st, 1875, containing a statement and condition of the same, together with the cost of maintaining it, the number of fires and alarms during the year, with the losses and amount of insurance as near as possible to obtain them ; also a list of the officers and members, with the salaries paid them for their services, the num- ber and location of hydrants, also the numbers and location of fire alarm boxes and signal stations, an inventory of property belonging to the city in charge of the Department, and such other information as may be of interest to your Honorable Body and the citizens of Worcester, hoping it will enable you to prop- erly understand the condition, and judge of the necessities of this organization, whose services can be commanded at all times, and under all circumstances, to protect the property of our citizens from fire. We sometimes think these services are lightly esteemed, and never fully appreciated, when the risk of life and injury to health are concerned. The Board are pleased to say


20


150


CITY DOCUMENT .- No. 30.


that your assistance has been cheerfully given the interests of the Department the past year, for which we desire to return our sin- cere thanks.


MANUAL FORCE AND CONDITION OF THE DEPARTMENT.


The manual force of the Department consists of a Chief En- gineer and four (4) Assistants, fifty (50) members of Steamer Com- panies, including drivers ; sixty-eight (68) hosemen of Hose Com- panies-four (4) less than last year. Hose Companies No. 6 and 7 have been reduced two (2) men each, as their carriages are drawn by a horse, and a permanent driver with each carriage enables these companies to do duty with less men. The Board reduced these companies for experiment, and it has proved satisfactory. Thirty-six (36) members of Hook and Ladder Companies, includ- ing driver. This arm of our service has been reduced five (5) men. Hook and Ladder No. 2 is a much lighter truck than No. 1, con- sequently No. 2 has been reduced in number by five (5) men; there are seven (7) members attached to the Babcock Extinguisher, in- cluding the driver. It is contemplated by this Board to reduce this number to five (5), with one permanent man besides the driver, making a total of one hundred and sixty-three (163) men. In addition to the regular force of the Department, there is a volun- teer Hose Company at Grant Square that takes great interest in the Department, and respond, in all cases of a general alarm, and have done good service the past year, for which this Board and the citizens should be grateful. It is a matter of satisfaction to the Board of Engineers to know that our citizens unhesitatingly express the pride they feel in the Department, and it must be great- ly enhanced when they know that throughout the union the opin- ions of those most competent to pass judgment on such matters are universally given in terms of high praise of the equipment, efficiency and discipline of our organization. While we willingly concede that the Departments of other cities are valuable and efficient organizations, the record of our own warrants us in say- ing that it is not surpassed. It is composed of active and experi- enced men, whose prompt performance of the arduous and peril- ous duties devolving upon them, and the results of their labors


151


FIRE DEPARTMENT.


prove most conclusively that they are entitled to the highest con- sideration of our citizens. Quite a number of its officers and members have been connected with the Department for more than a quarter of a century, and nearly all that period have been in active service, and have shown themselves to be most skillful and competent men. The permanent employees are all men of intelligence and fully qualified for their respective positions ; they manifest an interest in everything pertaining to the Department, and most cheerfully obey any and all orders emanating from the Board of Engineers. The horses and stables are models of neat- ness and good order, and the apparatus in their charge is always in splendid condition, and ready for service whenever required. Visitors from abroad, after inspecting our houses, stables, and apparatus universally accord the highest praise; and it promises, under the intelligent care of your Honorable Board to afford the citizens of Worcester every protection from the ravages of fire, which can possibly be expected of any fire department of similar strength. In a word, the Board believe that the Department as now organized is one every way creditable to the city, and a force more reliable and better able than ever before to give that pro- tection to property which may justly be expected from it.


APPARATUS.


The Apparatus at present consists of five (5) steam fire engines-four (4) in service and one (1) in reserve ; one (1) Bab- cock extinguisher, eleven (11) hose carriages-one (1) in reserve ; three (3) hook and ladder carriages-two (2) in service and one (1) in reserve. It seems to us to be an imperative duty on the part of the city authorities to take every precaution that human forethought can suggest. To keep the Department equipped to the highest degree of efficiency, we should have at least two (2) reserve steamers and hose carriages, with good, reliable hose; also trucks and necessary equipments in case of a large fire. All this extra working machinery could be brought into service, as there is a helping hand in all cases of emergency of this kind. All they would want is the material to work with. There would be no additional cost to the city, except the first cost of the


·


152


CITY DOCUMENT .- No. 30.


apparatus and hose. No extra horses would be required, the teams drawing the regular engines and trucks could readily be dispatched for the reserves, if circumstances required it. Each engine company, as at present organized, has an engineer and an assistant. The assistant must be competent to take charge of, and run the engine, if it should be required. By this arrange- ment, there would be no necessity of appointing extra officers or men, and would virtually give us a force sufficient to afford pro- tection to all parts of the city.


Quite extensive repairs have been required during the year to keep in good condition the entire apparatus, both that in service and that in reserve. The boiler of engine No. 3 was found in very bad condition, and has been thoroughly repaired. The old Governor Lincoln steamer has been rebuilt and a new boiler attached. This engine is held for reserve, and is now a first-class engine.


The apparatus is at present in good order, and will probably require during the ensuing year only the usual amount of small repairs, unless serious accidents should occur. Reckless or too rapid driving is forbidden by the rules of the Department. The important thing is to have the apparatus reach the fire in a serviceable condition, and it is clearly of more consequence to ensure that than to run the risk of having an engine disabled in order to make a possible gain of a few seconds. At the same time, promptness in reaching the fire is impressed upon all the members of the Department as their most important duty.


The new apparatus bought during the past year consists of a hook and ladder truck and one hose carriage, and another hose carriage rebuilt. The results of the new apparatus have been very satisfactory. It would facilitate the working of the Depart- ment by adding one or more of Edward B. Leverich's 75-feet extension ladders the coming year, by which we may reach the tops of our large buildings.


LADDERS AND FIRE ESCAPES.


Hook and Ladder duty. That very important branch of the service, for the last few years, has been neglected. The Board


153


FIRE DEPARTMENT.


have again and again urged upon the City Council the importance of procuring new ladders, the ladders not being up to the requirements of the Department. The fire in Taylor's building, the 28th of last May, demonstrated to the Committee on Fire Department that more ladders should be purchased immediately. Accordingly, a contract was made for one of E. B. Leverich's patent 75-feet extension ladders and truck, carrying 375 feet of ladders, which we have now in service; and another of the same kind would be a great improvement, rendered necessary by the erection of so many high buildings in our city.


No branch of the Fire Department is more important to the service than the ladders, for, no matter how freely water may run it can do but little good in extinguishing fire, unless it be seasonably and directly applied. Even when the most powerful engines are in service, the use of ladders is necessary in reach- ing the Mansards and upper stories of high buildings. In fact, there can hardly be an effective Department without extension ladders and efficient men to handle them ; for, to put up a single or double-spliced ladder requires a plenty of trained muscle and good judgment. If they are not active, strong, experienced men they can not do the work. The hook and ladder men are the sappers and miners of the Department, and are as necessary as in an army. Without them the devouring element would produce many more surprises and often steal a march. But yet the ladder system is not perfect, and there is still room for improvement in the construction of ladders, for only a few combine the essential requisites of length, strength and lightness. We do not like to leave this subject without ask- ing the City Council to consider the propriety of the passage of an ordinance compelling the owners of hotels, manufacturing establishments, or work-shops where men or women are em- ployed in the upper stories, to erect and maintain permanent fire escapes from their respective buildings; said escapes to be approved by some proper officer. It would also be of great assistance to the Department in case of fire. There must be responsibility somewhere. We forbid the building of frame structures in our city. We maintain a Fire Department. We cover the roofs of our city with a network of telegraph wires


21


154


CITY DOCUMENT .- No. 30.


that summon, at an instant's warning, the distant engine to the scene of a conflagration. We take every precaution against the destruction of property by fire, yet we take none against the destruction of human life through the same instrumentality. We lay these facts before your Honorable Board for your con- sideration.


HOSE OF THE DEPARTMENT.


There is now in the Department 4,000 feet of carbolized rubber hose, in good condition ; 8,000 feet of leather, and 1,000 feet of rubber-lined linen, in poor condition ; and 1,000 feet of unlined linen, which is new and in good order. It has always been the aim of this Board to purchase the first quality of hose, as well as all other fire apparatus for the use of the Department, knowing full well that the best is the cheapest. Durable hose, in time of a threatening conflagration, is invaluable, when, if a poor quality is used, property worth millions of dollars may be destroyed. The question of providing Fire Departments with a serviceable quality of hose has become an important one with manufacturers of this form of fire equipment. The experience of firemen in the use of hose differs very much, and instead of there being unanimity of opinion as to the best kind of hose, the reverse is the case. Rubber, leather, cotton and linen hose, each have their advocates. This subject, of all others, is of the utmost importance to our Fire Department. While, in almost all other lines of goods, our manufacturers aim to get the highest standard goods possible, it has seemed to us for a long time that a great deficiency was apparent in so important an article as hose. We are all aware the best of engines that can be procured are worthless, or nearly so, when furnished with material that is, literally, weaker than water. While we know that our laws are defective on this point-compelling our cities to buy of the lowest bidder, thereby putting a premium on poor work-we are satisfied that the time has come when we should have laws to put this matter right, and rid us of such impositions as have been practiced the last few years in this particular. We believe we should be so situated as not only to encourage our


155


FIRE DEPARTMENT.


manufacturers, but to offer even propositions for the best quality in every respect. Poor hose neutralizes the value of all efforts of the firemen and their apparatus, however costly and well appointed. It will be seen, therefore, that everything depends upon good hose, and without it fire extinction is always in doubt, and often a dangerous delusion; so that it is of vital importance that our Department be furnished with the best hose that can be obtained; and the Board deem it not only advisable but necessary that quite a quantity should be purchased the coming season.


CHEMICAL ENGINES.


Our Chemical Engine has worked exceedingly well, and has been of great service ; it should be located in the business centre and run to all points that could be reached by it in five or ten minutes from the receipt of an alarm ; it would be excellent for the extinguishment of fires in their incipiency, besides saving the wear and tear of the heavier apparatus, and prevent the great loss that so frequently occurs by water.


The claims for this engine are, that it dispenses with complex machinery, experienced engineers, reservoirs and steam. Car- bonic acid gas is both the working and extinguishing agent, no fire to be kindled, no steam to be raised, no hose to be laid, and no large company to be mustered. The chemicals are kept in place and the gas generated the instant wanted. Mere water in- adequately applied feeds the fire, but Carbonic acid gas never ; bulk for bulk it is thirty times as effective as water, the seventy gal- lons of the two small cylinders being equal to twenty-one hun- dred gallons of water, besides it uses the only agent that will ex- tinguish burning tar, oil, and other combustible fluids and vapors ; one cylinder can be re-charged while the other is working, thus keeping up a continuous stream. Four or five men can manage it. Its small dimensions require but a small area either for work or storage ; a hundred feet or more of its small hose can be carried on a man's arm up any number of stairs inside a building, or up a ladder ; it smothers but does not deluge ; it costs but about one- fourth as much as a steam fire engine, and the chemicals for each


156


CITY DOCUMENT .- No. 30.


charge cost about one dollar and a half. In reports of fires it is often found that water used to extinguish them has occasioned more damage to stock than the flames, and that fires frequently reappear after steamers have been playing for hours on the debris, owing to ignition caused by sparks falling on the charred and splintered wood work; now by the employment of Carbonic acid gas, these evils are overcome ; in the first place it is the gas that extinguishes the fire by absorbing the oxygen upon which it feeds, the water being used simply as a means of conveyance, thus preventing the useless dissemination of the gas before it reaches the flames ; the flames once deprived of oxygen become extinct : the philosophy of the operation consists in the fact that Carbonic acid gas is heavier than the atmosphere; fire is com- bustion by means of oxygen, and cannot burn a second without it. The contents of the extinguisher-a solution in water of a gas much denser than air-shuts off the supply of oxygen and smothers the fire, for fire goes out instantly in an atmosphere containing about ten per cent. of Carbonic acid gas.


WATER AND HYDRANTS.


As this Board is responsible for the success of the Depart- ment, they are exceedingly anxious that all proper facilities be afforded them. One of the main necessities is water, and when that is wanting the work of the firemen cannot be expected to be successful ; as we urged in our last report, the necessity of more water on Main street, we are happy to say that our wishes have been complied with, greatly relieving the fire risk in that locality : a sixteen inch pipe has been laid the entire length of that street.


We again most respectfully call your attention to the necessity of increasing the number of Hydrants ; they should be doubled, particularly in the business centres ; we certainly believe it would be much cheaper, and render the Department more efficient if the hydrants were placed nearer together : in case of a large fire the engines would be concentrated in a smaller space, and be under more efficient control of the officers; there is no section of the city at this time where the entire Department could be put in


157


FIRE DEPARTMENT. .


service effectually ; a few companies would get positions within a reasonable distance of a large fire, but the rest would have to force water through 800 or 1,000 feet of hose, or it may be a still greater distance ; it is also more destructive to hose, as the longer the line the more pressure it has to sustain, and the more liability to burst; and there is nothing that tends more to delay the opera- tions of firemen, or causes more annoyance than the changing of a length of hose, just at the time, perhaps, when the men are most in need of a good supply of water.


To place a hydrant on any water main, costs about 35 or 40 dollars ; one hundred feet of hose costs from 120 to 150 dollars ; the hydrants require but few repairs, while the hose has to be renewed about every three years ; so that we are of opinion that it would be of great advantage, and would save many thousands of dollars if hydrants were placed at every corner of the streets in our business centres.


FIRES AND ALARMS.


During the past year, there has been 38 alarms of fire, a decrease of 20 from the previous year. Attention is especially called to the fact that during the year the City has, with the exception of the fire on the night of May 28, been free from any large and disastrous fires.


It is with regret that we are obliged to call your honors' special attention to the greatly increased number of incendiary and suspicious fires of the past year, which, we think, can be mainly accounted for by the great pecuniary embarrassment of the times. The distress among the laboring classes, occasioned by the stoppage of our mills and workshops, and the shrinkage in value in real estate and merchandise generally, these causes, we think, often suggested and induced those who are over or fully insured to conclude that it was a good time to sell out to the insurance companies. The over insurance often arising from the depreciation of value since the insurance was taken, and some- times by the neglect of the underwriters or their agents. The underwriter should never forget that to the dishonest mnan, " insurance " is but another name for the privilege of converting


158


CITY DOCUMENT .- No. 30.


his house or goods into current funds at will. It often means escape from bankruptcy or the successful concealment of fraud, which, if detected, would result in certain ruin. Over insurance is the key-note to eight out of ten incendiary or suspicious fires. Considering the immense destruction of property by fire every year, the satisfactory explanation of the origin of every one becomos a matter of general and particular importance. If a fire is the result of design, it is important to know the offender, that he may be dealt with as his sins may deserve, and put under lock and key, out of temptation to repeat his villainy. If it has been caused by carelessness or ignorance of the laws of spontaneous combustion, we need to know it, so as to be on our guard against a repetition of similar calamity. We empty our ashes into wooden boxes and place them under the stairs. We leave rub- bish in basements and attics to cause spontaneous combustion. Defective flues are the cause of many fires. Look in whatever direction you may, you see chimneys partially or completely honey-combed from the action of coal gases ; and their tops out of line so as to jeopardize, in windy weather, the lives and limbs of pedestrians. It would seem almost incredible that such a manifest disregard for life and property could exist, but such is the fact.


In calling your attention to the numerous causes of fire, we desire to show your honorable body that the Fire Department, with their facilities, have been efficient during the past year. It is not a reasonable supposition that a Fire Department can pre- vent the start of a fire, no matter how well equipped and organized ; but their efficiency is shown in controlling and ex- tinguishing it after the alarm is given. Taking into con- sideration the location and the headway the fire has gained on the arrival of the Department, it is a well-established fact that the gaining of time is the most essential feature in a struggle for the mastery over a conflagration once in progress. Five minutes gained during the incipiency of a fire often decides the fate of thousands of dollars worth of property. Eighty per cent. of the fires that occur are discovered when they could be easily extin- guished with a few pails of water. Give them ten minutes longer and you reduce your chances sixty per cent. Give them fifteen


159


FIRE DEPARTMENT.


and your chances are not one in ten of extinguishing them before the building in which it originates is consumed and the surround- ing property endangered.


In this connection, we would like to call your attention to the feasibility of appointing a few men, to be permanently employed. With additions of this kind, we can safely say that our hose would be laid at any fire within the fire limits in less than five minutes from the time the alarm was given, and our fire losses reduced at least fifty per cent. These additions would, of course, increase the expenses of the Department, but, taking into consideration the benefits derived, it would prove a very econ- omical measure.




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