USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Worcester > Town annual reports of the several departments for the fiscal year ending December 31, 1882 > Part 27
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8 00
Labor on Lamartine street Station House,
468 35
Plans, &c., Lamartine street Station House,
247 50
$65,091 20
422
CITY DOCUMENT .- No. 37.
Earnings of Department for past year, including appropriation :
Appropriation,
$59,000 00
Fees of Central District Court for 1881,
7,912 20
Cloth furnished officers,
653 62
City team (earnings),
201 00
Extra services of officers,
226 75
$67,993 57
Total expense,
65,091 20
Balance for Sinking Fund,
$2,902 37
The earnings of the department for the present year, and to be credited in 1883, are nearly as follows :-
Earnings of Central District Court, $8,697 86
Earnings of officers at balls, &c.,
226 75
653 62
Cloth sold, City team,
201 00
$9,779 23
The earnings of the department have largely increased, and of course the work in proportion.
In 1879 the fees in the Central District Court
were, $4,541 50
The present year it has increased to, 8,697 86
The Department consists at present of :-
1 Marshal.
2 Assistant Marshals.
1 Captain of the Night Watch. 63 Patrolmen (including Detectives.)
There are two vacancies in the number of patrolmen at present, one of which has been filled by a special officer who is now traveling under pay.
A sum sufficient to pay for Station No. 2, on Lamartine street, and for furnishing and heating the same, will have to be pro- vided for outside of our ordinary appropriation this year; when
423
· REPORT OF CITY MARSHAL.
that Station is completed and a sufficient force transferred thereto to properly police the Southern section of the city, under the care of the best man that can be found, the department will have taken the first decisive step in the right direction. In order to meet those changes which are likely to follow in other parts of the city, the organization of the department should be changed as follows :-
Chief. Deputy. Captains. Lieutenants. Sergeants. Inspectors. Patrolmen.
Such organization as the above now exists in all the large cities of the country. Many other changes are necessary in our charter, and I need not add that a Police Committee should be one of them, and that the officers of the Department should be appointed during good behavior. Neither the laws of the Commonwealth nor the ordinances of the City can be enforced without displeasing somebody, and the tenure of office of the police officer should be so fixed that his removal should not be accomplished except for causes which affect the public good.
A change in the ordinance should also be made. The City Marshal should not be compelled to swear to complaints every morning that he knows nothing about. Every officer making an arrest should swear to his own complaint in court and follow it up until its final disposition. And such a change would soon retire incompetent officers, or those men who were not able to work up their cases properly and present them in court, would have to give place to others. When the city was small and the arrests were 500 or 1000 annually it was well enough for the Marshal to make all complaints in court, but now that we are a city of 65,000 people, and the arrests are 3,260 this year, it is impossible for the Marshal to take especial care of every case.
424
CITY DOCUMENT .- No. 37.
DISCIPLINE OF THE FORCE.
The discipline of the force has been good throughout the year. I believe in the enforcement of strict discipline, and I insist on every member and employé of the Department performing their duties faithfully, or otherwise make way for better men. In this connection I desire to suggest to the City Council that there should be some form of punishment for the infringment of police rules and regulations, other than dismissal or being allowed to resign. There are various offences for which officers should be called to account and for which a fine, or loss of pay for a certain number of days, or suspension for a certain length of time, would answer a good purpose, and put into the hands of the executive a very necessary judicial function, which at present he does not possess.
The following are some of the offences which may be included in the above suggestions :-
Off post. Not found on post. Off post in a liquor saloon.
Failure to properly patrol post.
In conversation while on post.
Intoxicated while on duty.
Fault finding and slandering brother officers.
Failure to discover a burglary.
Failure to discover an open door. Indebtedness.
Absent from duty without leave.
Sitting down while on patrol.
Useing disrespectful language.
Unjustifiable assault.
Asleep during time of duty. Not properly uniformed.
Failure to investigate an affray.
Making an improper arrest.
Riding on car while on patrol.
Failure to report violation of city ordinance.
Failure to report extinguished street lamps.
Failure to try doors.
Failure to report cases at office.
Allowing prisoners to escape.
Receiving bribes.
Receiving presents without approval of police committee.
425
REPORT OF CITY MARSHAL.
Failure to attend his prisoner in court. Disrespect to superior officers. Immoral conduct. Disobedience of orders. Absence from the city without leave. Conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman.
Changes in the department during the year :-
1 Officer resigned to go into other business. 4 Officers were allowed to resign for cause.
4 Officers were appointed to fill vacancies.
Ratio of police to number of inhabitants in Worcester and other cities :-
Worcester,
1 to 1000 Inhab.
New Orleans,
1 to
888 Inhab.
Buffalo,
1 to 1080
New Haven,
1 to
722
66
Pittsburg,
1 to 972
Newark, N. J.,
1 to
822
Washington,
1 to 759 66
Providence,
1 to
599 66
Albany,
1 to
710
Philadelphia,
1 to
660
66
Brooklyn,
1 to
996
66
Rochester,
1 to 1023
Baltimore,
1 to
680
St. Louis,
1 to
770
Cincinnati,
1 to
782
Toledo,
1 to
893
Chicago,
1 to 1006
Troy,
1 to
737
.
LIQUOR LAW.
During the year 1882, there were granted by the Mayor and Aldermen 175 Licenses, viz. :-
1st Class, Innholders,
20 at $250,
$ 5,000 00
1st Class, Common Victualers,
66 at 200,
13,200 00
2d Class, Common Victualers,
10 at 150,
1,500 00
4th Class, Druggists,
28 at
50
1,400 00
4th Class, Grocers,
38 at
200,
7,600 00
4th Class, Wholesale Dealers,
9 at 400,
3,600 00
5th Class, Wholesale Dealers,
4 at
150
600 00
175
$32,900 00
Seven of the above licenses were revoked at the request of the holders, and other licenses were granted to them, at the minimum price, which added $500 more to the original sum,
$500 00
Total for Licenses,
$33,400 00
--
426
CITY DOCUMENT .- No. 37.
Immediately after the granting of Licenses, the following orders were issued and given in hand to all who had applied for license and were refused, and all who were in any manner known or supposed to be selling illegally.
OFFICE OF CITY MARSHAL AND CHIEF OF POLICE.
Worcester, Mass., May 1st, 1882. No .. ... Street. To.
Your attention is called to the following Order of the Board of Aldermen. " Ordered, That the City Marshal be and he is directed forthwith to notify all parties selling Intoxicating Liquors, that this Board will grant no more Licenses the present year, and they are directed to at once desist from the sale of Liquor."
All persons who have not received License and those who are attempting to sell illegally, will govern themselves by the above order.
All those who have received License to sell Intoxicating Liquor must observe its conditions, especially-" that no sale of spirituous or intoxicating liquor shall be made between the hours of twelve at night and six in the morning," " nor during any part of the Lord's Day," etc.
"That no sale of Liquor shall be made on the premises described in the License, to a person known to be a drunkard, or to an intoxicated person, or to a minor."
They must also observe in good faith the conditions of the Screen Law and any other laws that may be enacted with reference to the sale of Liquor.
Every officer in the police department will be held to strict account for the enforcement of the above orders on his beat or district.
Respty, JAS. M. DRENNAN, City Marshal.
Seizures and prosecutions were vigorously pushed after the issuing of the above order, and the Chief Executive of the City was foremost in the work. There were 134 seizure warrants served, and many places overhauled without warrants, and 95 of the number were prosecuted in the Central District Court, and 20 Sunday cases. Of the above prosecutions 42 paid their fines, 25 appealed, 2 were committed to jail, 12 were discharged, and one
427
REPORT OF CITY MARSHAL.
case was placed on file ; 38 persons were driven out of the busi- ness during the year, and 70 places remain that are supposed to be selling on the sly, mostly in dwelling houses ; all of these have been under police surveillence and when sufficient evidence could be obtained against them they have been brought before the Court and prosecuted one or more times. The police have done nearly double the work this year .that has been done in any former year in suppressing the illegal sale of liquor, and as a consequence I submit that the traffic is as well regulated to-day under a license law as it ever can be.
GAMBLING AND THE SOCIAL EVIL.
The Department have performed excellent work in ridding the city of gaming establishments during the year. While games for money may be played in private rooms, or rooms in hotels, or on the stock board, there are no established gaming houses in the city at the present time. The police have also driven from the city all houses of ill-fame, with one exception. The above record we feel justly proud of, and hope the good work may be continued by our successors in office.
TRAMPS.
The tramp or lodger seems to be on the increase again. We have taken care of 2,878 this year, against 1,733 last year, or a gain of 1,145. Why we should have so many more than last. year I am unable to state.
PLAY GROUND FOR BOYS AND GIRLS.
We very much need some public grounds for children and others to occupy for play and amusement, especially in the Southern section of the city. During the Summer season boys are driven from streets and fields, and private lands, by the officers who would gladly protect the children at play if the city would only furnish a few acres of land for a park or play ground. Every college has its play ground or campus for the
428
CITY DOCUMENT .- No. 37.
amusement of its students. How much more so should a great corporation like our city be provided with a play ground and amusements for the 10,000 children and youth within our midst.
Before closing this report I desire to mention a subject to the City Council and others which I think ought to meet with a ready response. There were 232 females arrested by the officers during the present year, and as a matter of common decency there should be a female attendant provided in some way to attend to such prisoners. In some other cities I under- stand that a ladies' guild or benevolent society take matters of this kind in hand and provide and pay for a competent person to look after all females under arrest. If Dr. Francena E. Porter or some other competent lady could be induced to take charge of the above class of prisoners, I think we should all feel that it was a movement in the right direction.
POLICE WAGON AND AMBULANCE.
The ambulance and wagon combined answers a grand purpose in the department; we now feel that we could not well do with- out it. It is in constant demand for all purposes for which it was built.
DRUNKENNESS.
While men and women have ungovernable appetites and can find liquor they will get drunk. I have given a good deal of time and attention to this class of cases, and with the knowledge gained from their friends and the officers of the Department, I have used my best judgment and discretion in disposing of each individual case. To prosecute every person before the court that is arrested for drunkenness is an open question, but there seems to be no other remedy under the law. Socially, nearly all present a different aspect, and when their condition in life is taken into account (and I think it should be), serious and diffi- cult problems present themselves to the court and the officers in the disposition of their cases. I have already contended that the Commonwealth should establish a home for those of the above class who cannot be reformed. Westboro' Reform School
429
REPORT OF CITY MARSHAL.
buildings and large farm has great advantages for such a place. Able bodied men and women, whose only offence is drunkenness, could there be set to work and the proceeds of their labor be turned to good account.
During the year the Honorable Hartley Williams, Judge of the Central District Court, was carried away by death ; his pleasing manners, his long service as an upright and kind-hearted judge, and his great interest in the police Department, endeared him to all. As a last tribute of respect the members of the Department attended his funeral.
In closing this report I desire to express my thanks to Assist- ant-Marshals Thayer and Churchill, who have ably assisted me in season and out of season, in the performance of every duty for the past three years. I also return my thanks to Capt. Atkinson who took such good care of the night force; and to Officers O'Day and Colby for the success, readiness and fidelity with which they performed detective work, I am under great obliga- tions. I also feel that the Department as a whole has done very excellent work, and the peace and quiet of the city was never better cared for than during the past year.
To His Honor the Mayor and Board of Aldermen I am under lasting obligations for their able support and wise counsel throughout the year.
To His Honor Judge Utley, and Associate Justice Woodward, and Maj. Raymond, Clerk of the Court, I am greatly indebted for wise counsel in many difficult cases.
Respectfully submitted,
JAS. M. DRENNAN,
City Marshal.
REPORT
OF THE
CITY SOLICITOR.
To the Honorable the City Council of the City of Worcester :-
The City Solicitor submits the following annual report.
The following suits are pending in the Superior Court for this County :-
1. Michael R. Edwards v. City of Worcester.
An action on an account annexed for excavating and ballasting and for building a wall in connection with a new road at Quinsigamond.
2. Frank E. Lancaster v. City of Worcester.
Petition to revise assessment of damages occasioned by laying out Foster street.
3. William Dickinson v. City of Worcester.
Petition to revise assessment of betterments for laying out Foster street.
4. Timothy W. Wellington v. City of Worcester.
Petition to revise assessment of betterments for laying out Foster street.
5. Geo. E. Hapgood v. City of Worcester.
Action of tort for injury on Beacon street on account of an alleged insufficiency of railing.
6. William Dickinson v. City of Worcester.
Petition for damages occasioned by widening Park avenue.
7. Wm. M. Johnson v. City of Worcester.
Petition for damages caused by raising Piedmont street.
8. Samuel A. Cushino v. City of Worcester.
Petition for damages caused by widening Park avenue.
431
REPORT OF THE CITY SOLICITOR.
9. Worcester Gas Light Co. v. City of Worcester.
Petition to revise assessment of betterments for Quinsigamond avenue.
10. John S. Ballard v. City of Worcester.
Petition to revise assessment of betterments for Quinsigamond avenue.
11. Daniel P. King v. City of Worcester.
Action of tort for injury on highway leading from Green to Grafton streets.
12. Deborah C. James v. City of Worcester.
Action of tort to recover for injury to certain lands by Lynde Brook disaster.
13. Benjamin James, assignee, v. City of Worcester.
Action of tort to recover for injury to goods, &c., of Jamesville Manufacturing Co. by Lynde Brook disaster.
14. Wm. Manning v. City of Worcester.
Petition to recover damages occasioned by laying out Hospital street (now Jaques avenue).
15. Franklin Savings Bank v. City of Worcester.
Action of tort for injury to mill property in Pawtucket, R. I., by pumping from Tatnuck Brook in 1876.
16. The Mannville Company v. City of Worcester.
. Action of tort for injury to mill property in Lincoln, R. I., by pumping from Tatnuck Brook in 1876.
17. The Albion Company v. City of Worcester.
Action of tort for injury to mill property in Lincoln and Cumber- land, R. I., by pumping from Tatnuck Brook in 1876.
18. Pardon Jencks et ali. v. City of Worcester.
Action of tort for injury to mill property in Pawtucket, R. I., by pumping from Tatnuck Brook in 1876.
19. Charles Felix Mason et ali. v. City of Worcester.
Action of tort for injury to mill property situated in Blackstone, Mass., and North Smithfield, R. I., by pumping from Tatnuck Brook in 1876.
20. E. B. Sampson et al. v. City of Worcester.
Action of tort for injury to mill property in Pawtucket, R. I., by pumping from Tatnuck Brook in 1876.
28
432
CITY DOCUMENT .- No. 37.
21. The Dexter Yarn Co. v. City of Worcester.
Action of tort for injury to mill property in Pawtucket, R. I., by pumping from Tatnuck Brook in 1876.
22. Pardon Jencks et al. v. City of Worcester.
Action of tort for injury to mill property in Pawtucket, R. I., by pumping from Tatnuck Brook in 1876.
23. Alfred H. Littlefield et al. v. City of Worcester.
Action of tort for injury to mill property in Pawtucket, R. I., by pumping from Tatnuck Brook in 1876.
24. The Stafford Manufacturing Co. v. City of Worcester.
Action of tort for injury to mill property in Lincoln, R. I., by pumping from Tatnuck Brook in 1876.
25. Bathsheba Benedict v. City of Worcester.
Action of tort for injury to mill property in Pawtucket, R. I., by pumping from Tatnuck Brook in 1876.
26. Bridge Mills Cotton Mfg. Co. v. City of Worcester.
Action of tort for injury to mill property in Pawtucket, R. I., by pumping from Tatnuck Brook in 1876.
27. The Central Falls Woolen Mills v. City of Worcester.
Action of tort for injury to mill property in Lincoln, R. I., by pumping from Tatnuck Brook in 1876.
28. The Lippett Woolen Co. v. City of Worcester.
Action of tort for injury to mill property in Woonsocket, R. I., by pumping from Tatnuck Brook in 1876.
29. The Social Manufacturing Co. v. City of Worcester.
Action of tort for injury to mill property in Woonsocket, R. I., by pumping from Tatnuck Brook in 1876.
30. The Hanlet Mill v. City of Worcester.
Action of tort for injury to mill property in Woonsocket, R. I., by pumping from Tatnuck Brook in 1876.
31. Peter H. Brown v. City of Worcester.
Action of tort for injury to mill property in Woonsocket, R. I., by pumping from Tatnuck Brook in 1876.
32. The Paul Whitin Mfg. Co. v. City of Worcester.
Action of tort for injury to mill property in Northbridge by pump- iug from Tatnuck Brook in 1876.
433
REPORT OF THE CITY SOLICITOR.
33. Geo. A. Flagg v. City of Worcester.
Action of tort for injury to mill property in Millbury by pumping from Tatnuck Brook in 1876.
34. The Londale Company v. City of Worcester.
Action of tort for injury to mill property in Lincoln and Cumber- land, R. I., by pumping from Tatnuck Brook in 1876.
35. The Blackstone Manufacturing Co. v. City of Worcester.
Action of tort for injury to mill property in Blackstone by pump- ing from Tatnuck Brook in 1876.
36. C. D. Morse v. City of Worcester.
Action of tort for injury to mill property in Millbury by pumping from Tatnuck Brook in 1876.
37. The Saunders Cotton Mills v. City of Worcester.
Action of tort for injury to mill property in Grafton by pumping from Tatnuck Brook in 1876.
38. The Pawtucket Hair Cloth Co. v. City of Worcester.
Action of tort for injury to mill property in Pawtucket, R. I., by pumping from Tatnuck Brook in 1876.
39. Joseph T. Green v. City of Worcester.
Action of tort for injury to mill property in Pawtucket, R. I., by pumping from Tatnuck Brook in 1876.
40. Groton Manufacturing Co. v. City of Worcester.
Action of tort for injury to mill property in Woonsocket, R. I., by pumping from Tatnuck Brook in 1876.
41. J. M. Danielson, assignee, v. City of Worcester.
Action of tort for injury to mill property in Woonsocket, R. I., by pumping from Tatnuck Brook in 1876.
42. Sutton Manufacturing Company v. City of Worcester.
Action of tort for injury to mill property in Sutton by pumping from Tatnuck Brook in 1876.
43. American Worsted Co. v. City of Worcester.
Action of tort for injury to mill property in Woonsocket, R. I., by pumping from Tatnuck Brook in 1876.
44. Valley Falls Co. v. City of Worcester.
Action of tort for injury to mill property in Lincoln and Cumber- land, R. I., by pumping in 1876.
434
CITY DOCUMENT .- No. 37,
45. The Cordis Mill v. City of Worcester.
Action of tort for injury to mill property in Millbury by pumping from Tatnuck Brook in 1876.
46. J. H. Mumford, 2d, et ali. v. City of Worcester.
Action of tort for injury to mill property in Pawtucket, R. I., by pumping from Tatnuck Brook in 1876.
47. Harris Woolen Company v. City of Worcester.
Action of tort for injury to mill property in Woonsocket, R. I., by pumping from Tatnuck Brook in 1876.
48. Darius Goff or Soff v. City of Worcester.
Action of tort for injury to mill property in Pawtucket, R. I., by pumping from Tatnuck Brook in 1876.
49. Peter Simpson v. City of Worcester.
Action of tort for injury to mill property in Millbury by pumping from Tatnuck Brook in 1876.
50. The Clinton Manufacturing Co. v. City of Worcester.
Action of tort for injury to mill property in Woonsocket, R. I., by pumping from Tatnuck Brook in 1876.
51. Atlanta Mills v. City of Worcester.
Action of tort for injury to mill property in Millbury by pumping from Tatnuck Brook in 1876.
52. Sarah J. Putnam v. City of Worcester.
Action of tort for injury by falling upon ice on Belmont street.
53. City of Worcester v. Inhabitants of Barre.
Action of contract to recover for the support of the wife of Geo. W. Gates in the lunatic hospital.
54. H. D. Fisher et al. v. City of Worcester.
Action of tort for injury to mill property in by pumping from Tatnuck Brook in 1876.
55. West Elmwood Land Co. v. City of Worcester.
Petition to revise assessment of damages for widening Chandler street.
56. John M. Barker v. City of Worcester.
Action of tort for injury on Main street by reason of alleged defect in the street.
REPORT OF THE CITY SOLICITOR. 435
57. H. A. Fuller v. City of Worcester.
Action of tort for injury to person, &c., by reason of alleged defect in Main street near the corner of Ripley street.
58. Henry Flagg v. City of Worcester.
Petition to revise assessment of damages for land taken to widen Beaver street.
59. Wm. H. Harris v. City of Worcester.
Petition to revise assessment of damages for taking land to widen Ætna street.
60. James B. Wood v. City of Worcester.
Action of tort for injury by reason of an alleged defect on Hermon street between Southbridge and Beacon streets.
61. Napoleon Jacques v. City of Worcester.
Action of tort for injury to horse, &c., by reason of alleged defect in Norfolk street.
62. Thomas Vaugh v. City of Worcester.
Action of tort for injury to person, &c., by reason of an alleged defect in Mechanic street near the corner of Spring street.
Besides the foregoing there are pending in the Superior Court four cases brought against the County for damages, by the alteration and relocation of highways, for which the City may be liable.
63. John S. Ballard v. County of Worcester.
Petition to revise assessment of damages for alteration of Millbury street near Quinsigamond.
64. John S. Ballard v. County of Worcester.
Petition to revise assessment of damages for alteration of Millbury street near the same place.
The petitioner's counsel in the two foregoing cases are of opinion that the City is liable for these damages. Inasmuch as the City has not been served with process the Solicitor has not given much exami- nation to the question.
65. Elizabeth B. C. Washburn v. County of Worcester.
Petition to revise assessment of damages occasioned by relocation of Summer street.
66. Ellen HI. True v. County of Worcester.
Petition to revise assessment of damages occasioned by relocation of Summer street.
.
436
CITY DOCUMENT .- No. 37.
The petitioners in these two cases have filed new petitions in the Superior Court for the same cause against the City, but at the time of preparing this report no process has been served upon the City.
There is pending in the Supreme Judicial Court the following case in which the City is the real party defendant :
1. Worcester Gas Light Co. v. County Commissioners.
Petition for mandamus to compel the County Commissioners to assess damages for diverting Mill Brook from the petitioners' premises into and through the Quinsigamond avenue sewer. Upon a petition to assess damages for this cause presented to the Board of County Commissioners, that Board after hearing refused to award damages on the ground that the petition was not seasonably presented to recover damages for diverting Mill Brook. The present petition to the Supreme Judicial Court is for the purpose of revising the ruling of the Commissioners upon the questions of law involved in their decision.
There are pending before the County Commissioners the following cases in which the City is interested :
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