USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Worcester > Town annual reports of the several departments for the fiscal year ending December 31, 1882 > Part 16
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BEGAN.
ENDED.
REMARKS.
853
Joseph S. Thayer,
2
Worcester,
Oct. 21, '82
Oct. 27, '82
854
Agnes Thayer,
7m.
Worcester,
Oct. 21, '82
Oct. 27, '82
855
John R. Jones,
10
Unknown,
Nov. 1, '82
Nov. 7, '82
856
Mary Pendergast,
74
Ireland,
Nov. 8, '82
Nov. 17. '82
857
Philomena Germaine,
44
Canada,
Nov. 9, '82
Nov. 27, '82
858
Phillip Kelly,
70
Ireland,
Nov. 16, '82
Continues.
859
John Healy,
40
Ireland,
Nov. 18, '82
Continues.
860
Willie Fitzgerald,
4
Worcester,
Nov. 18, '82
Continues.
861
Margaret Collins,
41
Ireland,
Nov. 20, '82
Continues.
862
Maggie O'Brien,
22
Ireland,
Nov. 25, '82
Continues.
863
James Hayden,
1 w.
Worcester,
Nov. 25, '82
Continues
864
Morris Quirk,
67
Ireland,
Nov. 25, '82
Continues.
865
Margaret Curran,
80
Ireland,
|Nov. 27, '82
Continues.
CITY ALMSHOUSE DEPARTMENT.
Monthly Accounts.
Number of Inmates.
Amount of Expenditures.
Amount of Receipts.
Net Cost.
December, 1881
64
$ 954 04
$436 18
$ 517 86
January, 1882 .
70
1,367 85
384 97
982 88
February
64
1,922 87
382 87
1,540 00
March .
69
1,637 90
497 73
1,140 17
April
51
1,177 45
440 59
736 86
May
55
1,044 61
399 26
645 35
June .
51
1,030 18
590 89
439 29
July
52
1,006 95
401 53
605 42
August
49
1,422 54
365 70
1,056 84
September
50
1,108 98
348 45
760 53
October
43
1,426 11
368 81
1,057 30
November
53
1,927 60
532 37
1,395 23
$16,027 08
$5,149 35
$10,877 73
Appropriated by City Council,
$12,600 00
Receipts,
5,149 35
Total,
$17,749 35
Expenditures,
16,027 08
Unexpended balance Nov. 30, 1882,
$1,722 27
* CITY SCAVENGER DEPARTMENT.
Although on account of the enlargement of the buildings, providing for water and sewage, adding a new steam boiler and tanks and other appurtenances for doing the business on a large scale, the accounts of this Department show the outlay to be
253
OVERSEERS OF THE POOR.
more than the income for the past year, we still pronounce it a success; as what has been done this year is a permanent outlay and will not have to be repeated, and, as our facilities for doing the business are better than heretofore and as by the new loca- tion of the establishment at a greater distance from other farm buildings, there is less risk from fire, and the sanitary condition of all having been much improved, we shall expect in future still better results.
CITY SCAVENGER DEPARTMENT.
Monthly Accounts.
Amount of Expenditures.
Amount of Receipts.
Net Cost.
Receipts above Expenditures.
December, 1881
$2,536 49
$ 101 70
$2,434 79
January, 1882
1,075 32
55 00
1,020 32
February
591 66
67 59
524 07
March
931 71
1,385 46
$463 75
April
425 49
74 55
350 94
May
546 65
83 78
462 87
June
773 82
88 10
685 72
July .
689 51
62 00
7 51
August
2,257 74
2,233 50
24 24
September .
1,046 86
56 00
990 86
October
883 50
40 00
843 50
November
1,118 25
1,218 60
100 35
$12,867 00
$5,466 28
$7,964 82
$564 10
Unexpended balance Nov. 30th, 1881,
$1,393 50
Appropriation by City Council,
3,000 00
Additional appropriation by City Council,
3,300 00
Receipts from Department,
5,466 28
Total,
$13,159 78
Total Expenditure,
12,867 00
Unexpended balance Nov. 30th, 1882,
$292 78
TRUANT SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.
The Truant School which during 1881 had dwindled to such an extent as to induce the State Board to believe it must by this time have become extinct, has during the past year entirely recovered its former proportions. Whether this has been occasioned by there being more truancy, or by the exercise of greater vigilance on the part of the officers, we are unable to
254
CITY DOCUMENT .- No. 37.
say, but the fact remains that it still has a vigorous life which has made itself both seen and felt, and it makes fair promise of being able for some time longer to survive.
Its location and quarters remain the same as heretofore, and the annexed table will show its numbers and cost. A full report of other details will be found in the report of the Superin- tendent of Schools, and the Sub-Committee of this Board who have the same in their particular charge.
TRUANT SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.
Monthly Accounts.
No. of Pupils.
Cost of Teaching.
Cost of Board.
Cost of Clothing.
Total Cost.
December. 1881,
8
$21 00
$ 98 17
$15 50
$134 67
January, 1882 .
8
25 00
109 81
11 00
145 81
February
12
25 00
139 83
5 00
169 83
March .
12
25 00
167 48
40 20
232 68
April
12
25 00
158 79
183 79
May
11
25 00
146 54
17 00
188 54
June
9
30 75
120 08
150 83
July
9
25 00
116 13
15 25
156 38
August
8
27 40
113 36
20 53
161 29
September .
8
25 00
106 65
17 65
149 30
October
9
25 00
117 32
35 25
177 57
November
13
25 00
168 27
9 25
202 52
$304 15
$1,562 43
$186 63
$2,053 21
Cost of teaching,
$304 15
Cost of board,
1,562 43
Cost of clothing,
186 63
Total cost,
$2,053 21
*Appropriation,
2,100 00
Expenditure,
2,053 21
Unexpended balance,
$46 79
Average cost per pupil,
$205 32
The City Physician will, as usual, report on the sanitary condition of the department.
The prompt action taken by him in the treatment of the single case of small-pox which we have been called upon to
255
OVERSEERS OF THE POOR.
provide for during the year, cannot be too highly commended ; and his usual efficiency in the ordinary calls made upon him from the City Relief Department have as heretofore, received prompt attention and considerate care. He has our thanks for the uniform courtesy extended to us in all our official relations.
All of which is respectfully submitted,
GEORGE W. GALE, Clerk.
E. B. STODDARD, Mayor. JAS. M. DRENNAN, City Marshal. ALBERT P. MARBLE, Supt. of Schools. GEORGE W. GALE, Clerk and Almoner. CHARLES F. RUGG, CHARLES BELCHER, ALZIRUS BROWN, JAMES B. McMAHON, CHARLES B. PRATT,
Overseers of the Poor of City of Worcester.
NOVEMBER 30th, 1882.
REPORT
OF THE
COMMITTEE ON THE TRUANT SCHOOL.
To the Honorable City Council of the City of Worcester:
The undersigned submit the following report for the year ending Nov. 30, 1882.
This school was established in the year 1863 as a means of preventing truancy ; it has continued uninterruptedly ever since with this sole purpose. It is this singleness of purpose which has made the school more successful than many similar schools. Other schools of the kind have received pupils on a sentence for other misdemeanors than truancy; they have thus become to some extent Reform schools. This school has the better ac- complished its original design by confining itself to the cure of truancy.
Of the two hundred and fifty pupils who, in the last twenty years, have been inmates of the school, many have become studious pupils and later, steady and industrious citizens ; and where the result has not been thus satisfactory, the causes have been beyond the control of any school, in unsuitable homes, bad companions, and the absence of parental care.
For the past six months the disturbances at the city farm, now happily adjusted, worked harm to the school. . The boys became uneasy; they abused the liberty given them and in several instances ran away ; they heard the groundless criticisms which were rife and expected to be supported in their defiance
257
OVERSEERS OF THE POOR.
of authority. Two were sent to other institutions for running away from this; and two received additional sentences. The necessary abridgment of privileges and the return of the fugi- tives, together with the rewards for well doing which are held out, have put an end to this evil, we hope.
The influence of this school upon pupils inclined to truancy has been referred to in former reports. It is salutary. For one truant who goes to the length of receiving sentence to this place, a dozen or twenty are restrained at some early stage of their career, and kept in school. The need of such an institution in all cities and large towns is evinced by the frequent requests from other towns for permission to send their truants here-a request which has been steadily refused because the accommo- dations are barely sufficient for the city, and for the further reason that each city or large town can best take care of its truants by themselves. It is not wise to mix and thus propagate the evils that go with truancy.
The sum needed for this school the ensuing year will in our judgment be $2,500.
The following statistics exhibit the history of the school so far as figures can :-
Number sentenced since the forming of the school in 1863, 247
Number sentenced during the year, 20
Total,
267
Number at the beginning of the year,
5
Number sentenced during the year,
20
Total during the year, 25
Number discharged by expiration of sentence,
6
Number discharged by pardon,
4
Number eloped and not returned,
3
Total number who have left,*
13
Number remaining Dec. 1, 1882,
12
Greatest number belonging at any one time,
13
Smallest number belonging at any one time,
8
Average number belonging,
10
Average age on admission, 12 years.
* Sent to Reform School, 1; sent to State Primary School, 1; left the State, 1.
.
258
CITY DOCUMENT .- No. 37.
.
Cost of Board, teacher and pupils,
$1,562 43
304 15
Cost of teaching, Cost of clothing,
186 63
Total expenditure,
$2,053 21
Average cost per pupil,
$205 32
Respectfully submitted.
A. P. MARBLE,
Supt. Schools.
JAS. M. DRENNAN.
City Marshal.
CHAS. F. RUGG,
Committee on the Truant School.
Ch. Com. on the City Farm.
WORCESTER, Dec. 26, 1882.
REPORT OF THE CITY PHYSICIAN.
To His Honor the Mayor,
And Gentlemen of the City Council :
On the 29th day of May, a case of small-pox broke out in the wards of the City Hospital. The Superintendent at once noti- fied the Consulting Board, and within two hours after their decision was sent to me, the case was very comfortably located at the City Farm Hospital, with a competent nurse to take care of it. This prompt action, I have little doubt, saved the city from an epidemic of this most dreaded and loathsome disease, for the place in which it appeared was peculiarly fitted for its spread, being in the wards of a crowded hospital, and surrounded on all sides by patients whose infirmities had impaired their vitality, and rendered them an easy prey to the influence of a virulent and contagious disease. By good fortune, as well as by prompt action, no case followed this, and I report it as the only one which has appeared likely to cause any alarm or uneasiness within the year.
Since the last report, I have made, under the direction of the Clerk of the Board of Overseers of the Poor, four hundred and forty-four visits, to the poor of the city at their homes, and have given office advice to one hundred and sixty-four. I have made thirty seven visits to the Police office, and twenty-five to the City Farm. Fifteen individuals, upon examination, have been con- sidered insane and committed to the State Lunatic Hospital, and two have been sent to their friends.
On Monday of each week, except in time of vacations, office hours have been kept for the vaccination of school children. It has been the custom to vaccinate all that apply. This custom I have maintained, using in all cases the best virus that could be obtained. Three hundred and ninety-six children have been the recipients of this most enlightened charity. A very large num-
260
CITY DOCUMENT .- No. 37.
ber also have been examined and certificates of vaccination issued.
The wards of the city, at the Farm, have passed a year of comfort and singular immunity from disease. Ten have died, most of them from protracted and incurable disease, viz : -
1882. Feb. 18. Catherine O'Maley, Chronic Dementia.
Feb. 26. Robert Looney, 61, Paralysis.
March 23. Elizabeth Barrett, 40, Cancer.
March 31. Patrick Coffee, 76, Consumption.
May 26. Henry H. Bainbridge, 50, Brain Disease.
June 6. William Collins, 25, Epilepsy.
Aug. 14. William Prescott, 34, Dysentery.
Sept. 5. William Bottomly, 65, Paralysis.
Sept. 8. Frances Murphy, 78, Brain Disease.
Dec. 22. William Mitchell, 78, Consumption.
Eighteen of the sick poor have died under my care in the city, viz : -
1882. Jan. 6. Joseph R. Lovely, 6, Scarlet Fever.
Jan. 24. Edward Blanchfield, 58, Paralysis.
Jan. 31. Michael Burns, 28, Consumption.
Feb. 27. John S. Stoddard, 40, Poison.
March 12. William Carr, 48, Consumption.
April ɔ̃. Lottie Bennett, 39, Consumption.
May 2. Ann Glynn, 34. Cancer.
May 20. Luther Willard, 61, Bright's Disease.
May 22. Jeremiah O'Connor, 39, Consumption.
Aug. 6. Ambrose Truedell, 95, Dysentery.
Sept. 21. Owen Mckeon, 57, Dysentery.
Oct. 9. Ann Nevins, 34, Consumption.
Oct. 10. Thomas McDermott, 46, Consumption.
Oct. 26. Bridget Donovan, 43, Consumption.
Nov. 1. Margaret Jordan, 31, Consumption.
Nov. 29. Kate O'Toole, 24, Consumption.
Dec. 14. Mary Malone, 26, Consumption.
Dec. 23. John Cullen, 41, Consumption.
I have been greatly assisted in my duties by the Clerk of the Board of Overseers of the Poor, by the Superintendent and Matron at the City Farm, and by the Police Force, on all occa- sions. I return thanks to them all, for their kindness and uni- form courtesy to me.
Respectfully submitted,
RUFUS WOODWARD, City Physician.
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
CHIEF ENGINEER
OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
CHIEF ENGINEER'S OFFICE, WORCESTER, January 1st, 1883.
To his Honor the Mayor and the Honorable City Council :
GENTLEMEN :- The Board of Engineers have the honor of presenting for your consideration their Tenth Annual Report, giving the condition of the Department for the year ending January 1st, 1883, and reviewing its workings during the year ; as Chief of the Department, it is a part of my duty to present in this connection such suggestions and recommendations as seem to me and to the Board calculated to improve and increase the efficiency of the Department.
MANUAL FORCE AND DISCIPLINE.
The manual force consists. of a Chief Engineer and four Assistants, 45 members of Steamer Companies, including drivers ; 31 members of Hook and Ladder Companies, including drivers ; 53 members of Hose Companies, including drivers, and 4 members of the Chemical Engine Company, including driver ; a total of 133. There are also volunteer Hose Companies at Quin- sigamond Village and Coes Square; there is also to be one hose carriage stationed at North Worcester; which will answer calls from their immediate radius, and are of value to property owners in their respective vicinities, a fact which is duly appre- ciated.
18
262
CITY DOCUMENT .- No. 37.
Of the work of the Department during the year I desire to speak in terms of commendation ; every call made for aid has been promptly answered, and the members as in the past have interest in their work. Threatening fires have been numerous, but the record of serious fire losses is not extensive, and it will be the effort in the future to advance, if possible, the Department's standard of efficiency ; it is our duty not to allow it to recede. The Department is now in good condition, and the policy of the · past will be the policy of the future. Changes will be made only when necessary, and when necessity calls for a change an endeavor will be made to make such a change as will result satisfactorily. In this connection it seems proper to speak of the permanent men and their relations to other departments of the city. It seems unreasonable to expect that a man in the Fire Department who is on duty 24 hours a day for 365 days in the year, should shovel gravel the same as other men employed on the Highway Department, in which alone under present con- ditions it appears they can be employed to advantage. It is necessary for the production of the best results that all depart- ments work together harmoniously, but there cannot be harmony unless there are concessions made by all interested. It seems to me unjust to require as much work from one of the permanent members of the Fire Department on the highways as from one of the regular highway employés whose work is done at the end of ten hours, and who is not subject to a call until a stated time the day following. I believe some arrangement can be made between the Fire and Highway Departments which will be mutually beneficial. The interests of both departments and the interests of the city seems to call for such an arrangement, and the Board of Engineers are willing and anxious to make and support such an arrangement.
It also seems to me appropriate in this connection to again call attention to the care and management of Electric Lights and the wires necessary for the running of such lights. The experience of other cities teaches us that there is danger from this source, and we ought to take warning from the lessons elsewhere taught, without waiting for actual experience. That prevention is
263
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
easier and better than cure is as true to-day as ever, and while opportunity offers for prevention it seems unwise to wait until cure becomes necessary. Electric lights and wires are dangerous to life and property in a greater degree than are gunpowder and naphtha, and while their use seems to be demanded by the wants of business, care should he taken to reduce the danger arising from such use to the minimum. Unless they can be properly stretched under and in such places as to in no way interfere with other wires which are of much more importance and compara- tively free from danger; the only alternative seems to be to require them to be run under ground.
FIRE ALARMS AND INSURANCE.
The record of fires and alarıns for the year, is 47 bell alarms, 78 still alarms and 10 telephone alarms, a total of 135; and the property damaged was insured for $287,825.97, the insurance exceeding the loss by $163,037.62. The thorough investigation of the causes of fires has a tendency to diminish their number; by warning people of their danger and increasing the risks taken by incendiaries. The reasons why these investigations should be continued suggest themselves to all, and this work has grown to be one of the many important duties properly belonging to the Fire Department.
With the growth of the city, and the constantly increasing manufacturing interests, the dangers from fire have been largely augmented, and the number of fires and alarms will increase from year to year. Well equipped Fire Departments are not only necessary to a successful insurance business, but are its salvation ; without them the losses by fire would be so enormous that insurance companies could not afford to take the risks at any rates that would be offered. Withdraw the Fire Depart- ments from our cities for two weeks and the cities would be in ashes, and not an insurance company left to tell the story of the disaster. So it is in every city and village in the land; the Fire Departments prevent conflagrations that would be the ruin of the insurance companies.
I desire to call attention to a custom which has grown to be an unmitigated evil, and one with which the Department has to
.
264
CITY DOCUMENT .- No. 37.
contend : Upon the striking of a fire alarm during the day or in the early evening, the streets in the immediate vicinity of the scene of a fire are almost instantly crowded, so that it frequently becomes impossible to move the fire apparatus with that degree of speed which the exigencies of a threatening disaster often require, without endangering the lives and limbs of spectators who block the way. Nine out of ten of these spectators have no other object in attending a fire than to gratify their curiosity. Instead of being of service to the Department, their presence is a positive detriment and adds to the dangers of the fire, besides, they distract the attention of the firemen by the noise and con- fusion they create, and obstruct the passage of persons carrying movable property to places of safety ; among them are many well meaning people, who indulge in this practice without giving a thought to the damage which may ensue. To such as these I would respectfully suggest that, they not only discontinue the practice themselves, but that they discountenance it in others. With a well organized Fire Department, aided by a reliable Police force, the presence of vast crowds of idle spectators can very properly be dispensed with, but if they must come, they will oblige the fire service by keeping at a greater distance from the vicinity of fires than has been their custom hitherto. A prudent regard for personal safety, the fear of being run over or struck by the moving apparatus, the danger from falling walls, would seem to dictate this course, but it does not prove to be a sufficient restraint upon many, and the Police have frequently a very difficult task to perform in keeping the crowds back.
In this connection it will be well to call the attention of owners and drivers of vehicles to the too common practice of driving over lines of hose. This is often done where there is not the slightest necessity for it, and in a spirit of reckless disregard of the damage which may be caused. A large item in the expenses of the Department is directly attributable to this prac- tice ; it usually happens upon the outskirts of fires, and is there- fore frequently unobserved by either firemen or police ; broken couplings and cut hose are almost invariably the results.
265
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
HOSE OF THE DEPARTMENT.
Without strong reliable Hose any department works at a great disadvantage ; as in other work, so it is in fighting fire; if the hose is not reliable, a fire may not readily be checked, and although not at fault, the firemen are liable to censure for allowing the fire to gain so much headway. Good tools are necessary if good work is expected. The plan of renewing a portion of the hose each year has given good satisfaction and should be followed in the future. During the year 600 feet of the American Jacket, Hose has been purchased and 1500 feet of Linen to be used as a reserve, and in the year to come it is recommended that 2000 feet of good reliable hose be purchased to keep the supply up to its proper standard.
APPARATUS.
During the past year a new wagon has been built; this was in a certain sense an experiment ; the result is satisfactory.
The carriage of Hose No. 1 has been changed from a hand to a horse carriage, and during the ensuing year it is recommended that a new and lighter hose wagon be seenred to replace one of the heavy carriages now in use. The heavy carriage should be kept as a relief, and such a provision seems to be called for to guard against accidents which are liable to occur at any time and cause serious trouble.
Hose No. 4, located on Exchange street, should be provided with better quarters and the carriage changed to a horse carriage. Their present quarters and apparatus are not such as to commend themselves for comfort or efficiency, and the changes should be made as soon as possible. The addition of two Bangor ladders during the year has greatly increased the efficiency of this branch of the Department in which they have been placed. At present the apparatus of the Department consists of 4 Steamers, 8 horse Hose carriages, 3 hand Hose carriages, 9 small Chemical Engines, 1 large Chemical Engine, besides 2 small Chemical En gines carried by the Protective Department, and 2 Hook and Ladder trucks in service and 1 in reserve. To keep the appa-
266
CITY DOCUMENT .- No. 37.
ratus in. as good condition as it is at present all unnecessary delay in making repairs should be avoided. It is poor policy to wait till things are worn ont before renewing them, it is neither economical in a pecuniary sense or advisable where efficient service is demanded.
THE PROTECTIVE DEPARTMENT.
The city has purchased 18 Rubber Covers or Blankets for use on Hose No. 1 wagon and the wagon of the Fire Patrol, for the better protection of uninsured as well as insured property ; the investment has been a good one as all the blankets have been spread at fires since their purchase. What has been said of the value of the Fire Patrol in the past is true to-day, and the worth of this branch of the service increases with the growth of the city. On insured property they have spread 141 covers, and on uninsured property 62 covers. In addition to covering goods they have made valuable use of 8 roof covers and furnished additional evidence of their value by extinguishing 14 small fires. Har_ mony continues to exist between the Protective Department and the Fire Department, and there is no reason why it should not continue as each is benefited by cooperating with the other, their separation would be detrimental to the city's best interests.
HORSES.
Six horses have been purchased during the year, one has been exchanged, one has been sold having become unfit for fire service, and one has been disabled and killed. There are now 22 horses attached to the Department, there are 5 pairs of double harness and 12 pairs of single harnesses, all in good condition ; what will apply to other branches of the service will apply to this,-it must be kept in good order or the whole suffers. The strength of the Department is shown by its weakest point ; and to have one part weaker than the other seems the poorest kind of economy and a condition of things which must be avoided. During the ensuing year two new horses at least should be purchased, one for the Beacon street house and one at Webster Square.
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