USA > New Hampshire > Strafford County > Rochester > Annual report of the city of Rochester, New Hampshire : for the year ending 1910 > Part 1
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10
GEN
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01883 2938
GENEALOGY 974.202 R58, 1910
JOSEPH WARREN, MAYOR
Nineteenth Annual Report
OF THE
CITY OF ROCHESTER NEW HAMPSHIRE
For the Year Ending December 31st Nineteen Hundred and Ten
ROCHESTER
Printed by Rochester Printing Company Rochester, N. H.
Inaugural Address
By Mayor Joseph Warren
Gentlemen of the City Council :
I am to be your presiding officer for another year, having been elected by the voters of Rochester to again serve as mayor of your city.
I have enjoyed the work of the past year exceed- ingly, and only hope the next one will be as pleasant.
There are none of us infallible, and I am no excep- tion; but I assure you that the mistakes I have made have been unintentional, for I have endeavored to be fair and just in each instance.
Now that we are assembled to outline our work for the ensuing year, let us use our best efforts in dealing with matters which will improve the conditions of our city.
SHADE TREES, PARKS AND COMMONS
For some unknown reason a great number of our shade trees have died in the past few years, and it will be necessary for you to give your committee on shade trees, parks and commons a liberal appropriation, in or- der that they may replace them with young trees.
In the past year the committee have set out two hundred and seven shade trees of various kinds-one
4
ANNUAL REPORT
hundred and thirty-five on the Common on South Main street, and seventy-two on streets in different localities of the city-at an approximate cost of fifty cents per tree.
We have a number of small lots at the junction of different streets, commonly called squares, which should be beautified by curbing, grading, and seeded to grass and kept in shape, as such things add greatly to the beauty of our city.
Woodman Square is a most attractive spot, and should ever encourage us in this kind of work. Great praise should be given the residents around Woodman Square for the interest which they have shown, and the time and money which they have expended on the same.
Your committee have in the past year started to improve a small lot on Main street, East Rochester, and one other lot near the Baptist church on Charles street. I understand that the citizens nearby have subscribed quite liberally towards curbing for the latter. I hope that you may deem it advisable to complete this work in the spring.
In my judgment you should appropriate at least five hundred dollars for this department.
BROWNTAIL MOTH.
The extermination of the browntail moth is still a perplexing problem The past year your city has pur- chased a power sprayer at a cost of one thousand dol- lars, which gives excellent service. The shade trees throughout your city, numbering more than three thous- and, were sprayed twice during the last year at a cost of less than four hundred dollars.
5
CITY OF ROCHESTER
The spraying in the early spring was quite success- ful, but the second spraying was a trifle late, as the moths had already formed their nests; therefore the spraying was not as beneficial.
The second spraying should be done the first of Au- gust each year. I wish to say that the delay of the second spraying was entirely the fault of your mayor.
We are satisfied that spraying, if done at a season- able time, is the right and the most economical method for the treatment of all tree pests.
The management of this should come under the committee on shade trees, parks and commons.
PUBLIC BUILDINGS
Various repairs have been made on the Gonic, East Rochester, Allen, and Maple street school houses; also on the Torrent, Gonic, East Rochester, and Cocheco hose houses and the city shed.
The new school house on School street, and a new shed on the city lot, twenty-four by forty-eight feet, (for storage purposes), have been built.
We feel that there will be no need of any more ex- pense in this line for a number of years, as they are all in good repair, and we have school room enough to accommodate a substantial increase.
SCHOOLS
On the completion of our new school house our schools will have been supplied with ample class room for a number of years.
Your building committee have let all contracts for
1a
6
ANNUAL REPORT
the completion of the new School street school house, have paid for the lot, and have furniture to furnish five class rooms, and are still within the appropriation of seventeen thousand dollars.
I wish at this time to thank the committee-Mr. McCrillis and Dr. Annis-who have rendered me valu- able assistance throughout the construction.
Our schools, as a whole, are in fine shape, with an able corps of teachers, and Mr. Bacon, as principal of the High School, is doing excellent work.
HEALTH
Your health officer has been prompt and thorough in his duties in each and every case.
The overseer of the poor is attentive and liberal in all cases.
My attention has not been called to a single case of neglect, and I am confident that there is not a single case of want but what has had immediate attention.
We have been very fortunate in being able to keep within our appropriation.
WATER AND SEWER
This department has been managed most satisfac- torily, and I would recommend the continuation of the present policy, with such changes from time to time as conditions may demand.
ROADS, BRIDGES AND DRAINS
This subject is ever new, and with all of the knowl-
7
CITY OF ROCHESTER
edge and experience of our engineers, road building is still in the experimental stage.
I find by experience that each location must be treated in a way peculiar to that particular locality.
Our first consideration in road building is the cost of material, for no road can be made without a quantity of good wearing material such as gravel, crushed stone, clay, or hard subsoil.
We have located in various parts of our city such materials as I have described, and in my opinion the greater part of our roads must be constructed with these materials. The question arises how they can be used and treated to be of the most value to our city.
I find that the best method of building a gravel. road, when the material is available, is to use forty-nine parts of good, coarse gravel, thoroughly wet and rolled; one part pulverized clay, spread on while the gravel is wet, and worked into the gravel with a spring-tooth harrow; then cover with one-half inch pea gravel, rolled and left to dry ; cover with asphalt oil ninety-five per cent asphalt, put on heated from two to three hun- dred degrees. One half gallon of this oil should cover a square yard. It should be spread evenly and left two days to penetrate the soil, and finally covered with three-quarters of an inch gravel (pea) and rolled. A road twenty-four feet wide built in this manner with material within a mile, will cost approximately twenty- five hundred dollars per mile. It is my opinion that a road of this sort will wear longer and cost less for repairs than any other kind.
On Main street, from the bridge on North Main street to the railroad crossing near the Wallace shoe
8
ANNUAL REPORT
shop, I would recommend macadam, with the use of as- phalt and tar in its construction.
I would suggest re-covering Portland street, from Main street to the railroad crossing ; and Liberty street, from Main street to Charles street, with crushed stone. Congress street, from Main street to Charles street, and Union street, from North Main street to Wakefield street, should be macadamized. I hardly expect all of this to be accomplished in one season, but I mention it that your committee may consider where, in their opin- ion, the appropriation can be expended to the best ad- vantage to our city and accommodate the greatest number of people.
Our other streets should be shaped with road ma- chines and rolled with the steam roller in the early spring, when the soil will yield to such treatment. The country roads ought to be shaped and repaired in the early spring.
I find that the road leading to Meaderboro Corner is entirely worn out, and new material must be hauled thereon. This road is traveled by more heavy teams than any other road leading to our city, and I would recommend that a gravel road, such as I have described, be constructed in this place. A greater part of the Farmington road should be treated in like manner.
Your Superintendent of Streets is at present haul- ing gravel on the old Dover road, which will be shaped and rolled in the early spring.
As to the State road, the condition which confronts us is one which is most unfortunate and perplexing. Although the lay-out as a whole may be satisfactory, the fact that the lay-out is over a part of the city not
9
CITY OF ROCHESTER
traveled by more than five per cent of our taxpayers is most unfortunate for Rochester. It seems to me that this is an exceptional case, and that we would be justi- fied in asking the State to pay seventy-five per cent of the cost of construction.
In the abolition of grade crossings on the Milton road, as prepared by the State and the Boston and Maine railroad, instead of the Boston and Maine paying two-thirds of the grading, as papers filed with your city indicate, the railroad should do the entire amount of the filling in, or pay two-thirds of the entire cost of build- ing from one crossing to another, as per original propo- sition of the Governor and his Council to me.
The Gonic, East Rochester, Axhandle, one on the Barrington road, and Rochester Neck bridges, and a number of smaller bridges must be re-planked in the early spring.
We should make an estimate of the lumber needed and ask for bids in the open market. I would suggest that we use nothing less than four-inch plank in either case.
SIDEWALKS
We have many miles of sidewalks in our city, and the repairs have never yet been realized, as a great deal of this work has been done by the highway department and no separate charge made of the same.
I find by investigation that there has been no sys- tem in this work, either as to the lay-outs or kinds of material used. Sidewalks should always be laid on grade, and materials used to conform with the sur- roundings. For instance : Granolithic should be con- structed on Main street and in central parts of our city;
10
ANNUAL REPORT
brick and concrete for our compact residential districts; and cinder and gravel on our partially settled streets.
We have a lot of worn concrete sidewalks which should be re-covered. There is at least 7,440 square yards that ought to be covered at once, at an estimated cost of $2,232. It seems a matter of economy to do this before it gets in such a state that repairing would be impossible. If this work cannot be contracted at a reasonable price the city should provide itself with an outfit, hire an experienced man, and do this work under the management of your street department.
STREET SPRINKLING
One of our greatest necessities is well sprinkled streets. We need this during our dry season, as it pro- tects our health and adds greatly to our comfort. To accomplish this without the addition of unequal burdens is a most difficult problem.
In my opinion, districts should be laid out, and two- thirds of the cost of sprinkling should be paid by an extra tax assessed on property within said districts, and one-third should be paid from the general funds of the city, as all citizens are benefitted more or less by sprink- ling. This work should be done by the street depart- ment.
FIRE DEPARTMENT
Although we have a well organized fire department, I find there are changes necessary and that certain reg- ulations should be made. In most of our fire companies we have men grown old in the service, and it seems that they still remain in the companies; and by so doing they
11
CITY OF ROCHESTER
keep out younger men, who should be taken in occasion- ally, hence improving and insuring the life of the com- pany. It is ever thus, that age must give way to youth, and I would advise a city ordinance regulating the age, ability, etc., as may seem right and just in your judg- ment.
In the absence of a fire engine we have no second- ary supply of water for fire protection under the pres- ent arrangement. I would advise the laying of an eight-inch pipe from the pump at Clark's mill across to Congress street, running thence to Main street and con- necting with the hydrant at the corner of Main and Congress streets and with the pipe that crosses to Han- son street corner. This same pipe should be laid through Arrow street to Main street, and connected with a hydrant at each end of Arrow street.
A six-inch pipe should be laid from said pump to North Main street, across to a point near Factory court, and connected with a hydrant at Factory court and an- other on North Main street, near the north corner of the Hale estate; the approximate cost of the same being one thousand dollars, with no great cost of maintenance. This service should be extended from time to time to meet the demand of the public.
STREET LIGHTING
Your committee on streets have labored most dili- gently in re-arranging the lights, and have now one of the best and most thoroughly lighted cities in our State. There have been more than one hundred new lights added at no extra expense of installation or mainte- nance to the city. According to the terms of our con-
12
ANNUAL REPORT
tract we can have all-night lighting for an extra cost of less than $1,300 per year. In consideration of this fact I would suggest all-night lighting, as it adds very much in the way of police protection and convenience of the general public.
POLICE
There has been some dissatisfaction expressed in regard to the enforcement of the liquor law. It is diffi- cult to accomplish this with our limited number of policemen without the co-operation of the general pub- lic, which is lacking ; and it seems to me that those who do not show any disposition to assist in this matter should at least refrain from criticism.
In every instance where there has been a complaint filed, investigations have followed and, where condi- tions have warranted, prosecutions have been made, with the result that your police department is not aware of a single place where liquor is being sold illegally at the present time.
In the enforcement of this law all those interested should lend their assistance by reporting to the City Marshal each and every case where, in their opinion, liquor is being sold illegally. I do not state this in the spirit of criticism, but to make known the facts.
Your police are well aware that they must do all in their power to enforce the liquor law, as well as all other laws, to enable them to hold their positions, and in all cases when any one of them fails to do his duty a com- plaint should be made to your Mayor, as chairman of the police committee, in order that discipline may be main- tained and the rights of the public protected.
13
CITY OF ROCHESTER
EQUALIZATION OF TAXES
The past year your Assessors have made some pro- gress towards the equalization of taxes. Still, it seems to me that they have hardly accomplished the result which the people have a right to expect of them. With- out doubt they are much handicapped by the people not giving them a sworn inventory of their taxable prop- erty, which should be done by every property owner, as prescribed by law.
This law should be enforced, and in all cases where such inventory is not returned the Assessors should call such delinquents before them and, if a satisfactory ex- planation is not made, they should be fined and doomed for four times as much as such property would be taxa- ble if truly returned and inventoried according to the law thereon.
It is a most difficult proposition to select a cour- ageous and well informed man for assessor on account of the small salary he receives and the severe criticism to which he is subjected. I feel confident that if this policy is carried out your tax rate would be considerably lower.
APPROXIMATE FINANCIAL STATEMENT
With the systematic and valuable assistance of our City Clerk, I am able at this time to give you a very ac- curate statement of the financial condition of the city. Although our books were not closed until Saturday night, December thirty-first, your auditor has been able to submit the following statement :
14
ANNUAL REPORT
LIABILITIES
Outstanding notes, $143,705 72
Accrued interest on notes to date, 2,563 83
Sewer bonds,
39,000 00
Accrued interest on sewer bonds,
682 50
City Hall bonds,
65,000 00
Amount due water works account,
10,714 96
$261,667 01
ASSETS
Amount due on Collector's list, $19,496 76
Boston & Maine Railroad stock, 800 00
Cash in hands of treasurer, 19,929 54
$ 40,226 30
Net indebtedness, exclusive of water bonds $221,440 71 Water bonds, $170,000 00 .
You will find by comparing this statement with the financial statement of nineteen hundred and nine a net decrease of seven thousand, one hundred and fifty-nine dollars and eighty-six cents on your debt. This includes fifteen thousand two hundred dollars on account of the new school house, and, deducting the amount used for the new school house from the amount of debt, there would be a decrease of twenty-two thousand, three hun- dred and fifty-nine dollars and eighty-six cents.
I feel that a greater decrease can be shown this year, as there will be no new buildings necessary, and but very few repairs needed on the old buildings.
You will notice by this report that the city owes quite an amount in outstanding notes. These notes are in small denominations, being held mostly by residents of your city, and it becomes necessary to give new notes
15
CITY OF ROCHESTER
to pay old notes, thus increasing the volume of business quite materially.
It occurred to me, as a safeguard, that it might be well in the future to create an office for registration, that each new note might be registered, said register to be open to the public.
GENERAL REMARKS
Finally, I will say that my relations with the heads of the various departments have been of the most pleasant nature. Although we have differed in some instances, everything has been settled without discord.
I find that one of our great troubles is extravagance. One cause of this is that we do not deal with matters concerning the city as we would our personal affairs. We should guard against favoritism. The city cannot well afford to give her patronage to any one business concern where it is apparent that the same goods can be purchased elsewhere at a lower price. However, every- thing being equal, it is needless to say that our resident business concerns should have the preference. The cus- tom of allowing all departments to purchase merchan- dise without first referring to the proper committee has very naturally led to extravagance.
It seems wise to me, in the interest of economy, for the city to purchase a driving horse and a two-seated democrat wagon, to be kept at the city stable, for the use of all departments, as our stable hire amounts to considerable during the year. It is quite unnecessary for your Superintendent of Streets to use a team all of the time, and this one team would answer for all pur- poses with a very few exceptions, thus enabling us to deduct the two hundred dollars allowed the Superintend- ent of Streets for a team.
16
ANNUAL REPORT
I have found by examination that we have no plan of our water system or surface sewer, and only a par- tial plan of our deep sewer. The city should have these plans made at once, with numerous blue prints and with all measurements, as they are constantly needed for ref- erence.
I have asked the Twin State Gas and Electric Com- pany to furnish the city with plans showing the location of their poles and lights; also the Gas Company to fur- nish a plan of their pipes. I mention this as your city cannot well afford to be without such plans.
Gentlemen, we have with us new members, men of business experience, with new ideas, and we expect them to introduce new measures, and as much as I re- gret parting with. the men who have served the people faithfully and diligently, always trying to do their part, it is right and proper to make such changes.
This is an age of progress, and the people expect new things and improvements in the old. It is right that they should have them, but, in consideration of all matters, economy must be the watchword, and all appro- priations must be made with the greatest good to the greatest number of our taxpayers.
I now want to thank you all for the generous sup- port which you have tendered me in the several under- takings of the past year, and I cannot soon forget the many friendly favors which I have received at your hands.
I wish to thank the general public for their confi- dence in me. I fully appreciate the responsibilities which fall upon me, and I shall try to perform my duties faithfully and honestly.
City Government
As Organized January 4, 1911
MAYOR JOSEPH WARREN
COUNCILMEN
Ward One
JOSEPH O. HAYES WILLIAM R. GERRISH GEORGE A. QUIMBY
Ward Two
WILDER B. NEAL JAMES O. WATSON THOMAS J. KITTREDGE
Ward Three .
A. ROSCOE TUTTLE WILLIAM MCELWAINE STEPHEN C. MEADER
Ward Four
ISADORE P. MARCOTTE A. GASPARD GELINAS FREDERIC E. SMALL
Ward Five
CHARLES C. TORR H. CLIFFORD TURNER FRANK B. MAGUIRE
Ward Six .
JAMES B. YOUNG WILLIAM S. LOUGEE CHARLES G. JENNESS
2
18
ANNUAL REPORT
City Clerk-Horace L. Worcester
City Treasurer-John L. Copp City Solicitor-Samuel D. Felker Collector of Taxes-David J. Lucey Street Commissioner-George T. McDuffee
Superintendent Water Works and Sewers-Fred W. Crocker.
Marshal-John Young
Assistant Marshal-Isaac D. Piercy
Night Watch-Ferdinand G. Sylvain
Police at Gonic-Warren W. Daggett
Police at East Rochester-Thomas H. Gotts, Horace H. Mills
Chief Engineer Fire Department-Horace C. Hanson First Assistant Engineer Fire Department-Charles E. Randall
Second Assistant Engineer Fire Department-Leslie M. Seavey
Third Assistant Engineer Fire Department-Elmer E. Lowd
Fourth Assistant Engineer Fire Department-Louis M. Richardson
Sanitary Officer-Charles E. Goodwin
Overseer of the Poor-Forrest L. Keay City Physician-P. J. Kittredge
Board of Health-Charles E. Goodwin, Forrest L. Keay, P. J. Kittredge
19
CITY OF ROCHESTER
Assessors-Everett M. Sinclair, Charles W. Evans, Jo- seph Letourneau
Plumbers' Examining Board-Albert P. Covey, C. E. Goodwin, P. J. Kittredge
Trustees Public Library-Mayor Joseph Warren, John Young, Sidney B. Hayes, Fred P. Meader, Stephen C. Meader, Horace L. Worcester, Willis McDuffee Special Police-W. A. Hanscom, Frank S. Edgerly, Ed- . ward Josselyn, Charles H. Eastman, Edward L. Tebbetts, Patrick Keating, Philip Hughes, Albert E. Rollins, Arthur H. Bickford, Walter J. Seavey, I. Dana Hodgdon, Albert Mace, Louis Grassee, B. Ford Parsons, James F. Adams, John Lowe, Byron P. Nute, Joseph Woodes, Lemuel E. Goodwin, Jo- seph Noyes, Samuel E. Shapleigh, Martin J. Dono- hue, William J. Hartford, Walter Burnett, Charles H. Prescott.
STANDING COMMITTEES
Fire Department-Maguire, Tuttle, and Gerrish Street Lights-Lougee, Young, and Marcotte Printing-Torr, McElwaine, and Quimby Adams Fund-Neal, Watson, and Lougee Elections and Returns-Kittredge, Torr, and Small Bills in their Second Reading and Enrolled Ordinances -Turner, Marcotte, and Young
Legal Affairs-The Mayor, Kittredge, and Turner Purchasing Committee-The Mayor, Meader, and Wat- son
Police-The Mayor, Maguire, and Gelinas
20
ANNUAL REPORT
Finance Committee-The Mayor, Meader, and Hayes
Shade Trees, Parks and Commons-The Mayor, Ger- rish, and Jenness
Public Instruction-The Mayor, Torr, and Small Claims and Accounts-Neal, Jenness, and Turner Public Buildings-Maguire, Tuttle, and Kittredge Roads, Bridges and Drains-Hayes, McElwaine, and Gelinas
Water Works and Sewers-Meader, Quimby, and Jen- ness.
Finance Committee
Recommendations for Annual Appropriations
We, the Committee on Finance, having considered the amount necessary for the maintenance of the sev- eral departments for the year 1911, recommend the fol- lowing amounts be appropriated for their support :
Sidewalks,
$ 2,000 00
Health,
100 00
Public Library,
3,000 00
Sampson Post,
150 00
East Rochester Library,
200 00
County Tax,
11,969 85
Street Lights,
6,600 00
Highway Maintenance,
8,000 00
Macadam and Permanent Improvement,
6,000 00
Fire Department,
5,000 00
Interest on City Hall Bonds,
2,600 00
Sewer Bonds,
6,500 00
Interest on Sewer Bonds,
1,137 50
Miscellaneous,
2,000 00
City Poor and Soldiers' Aid,
2,000 00
Schools,
29,000 00
Police,
3,000 00
Coal for City Hall,
500 00
Insurance on City Hall,
885 00
Parks and Commons,
500 00
Salaries,
6,000 00
$97,142 35
2a
Important Resolutions and Orders Passed by the City Council
ANNUAL APPROPRIATION
Resolved by the Mayor and City Council of the City of Rochester :
That, for the support of the various departments for the year 1911, there be raised by taxation the sum of ninety-seven thousand, one hundred forty-two dollars and thirty-five cents ($97,142.35), and the Assessors are directed to assess that amount, with such overlay as may be thought necessary; the interest on notes to be provided for by the amount coming from the State, the balance from the State unexpended to be applied to the reduction of the city debt.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.