Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-01-06

w tle udIn anu SllSuS, WHICH mas Deen accom-
pIished, leaving the cash value in improve.
! mens and supplies Sl040 81 greater than at
the close Of the preceding municipal year.
The city water works have been greatly
improved, SO that the income in future will be
| much increased. Heretofore there had been
| no means OF testing the amount of water used
| by any water taker Water meters have been
| procured and applied, and in some cases it has
| been ascertained that individuals were using
four or live times more water than they paid
| for, and i'll some few cases persons were re-
ceiving less than they paid for. BY applying
these meters, justice can be done to all 100
feet OF pipe have been laid-new and improv-
ed hydrdnts and boxes have taken The place of
old ones-and the water works are in a great.
ly improved condition, and will yield in future
a much larger income to the city. There has
been expended in this department $1,000.
Never in the history of our city have there
been so many aud such large congregations of
people as during the past year. Yet there has
been no riot, no mob, no connection. Peace,
quiet, and good order, have characterized the
city. This is an indication that the police
have been efficient and faithful in the dis.
charge OF their duties. Every citizen who has
called upon the marshal with a complaint for
the violation Of any law of the state or ordi.
nance OF the city, and who was ready to point
out the evidence, has been promptly attended
| to. 1t Is sale rule, in most casts, that pub.
| lie prosecution is unnecessary when the ind
vidual or individuals affected by the evil are
unwilling to make the complaint or point out
! the evidence. Our streets have been filed
with armed soldiers-civil war has existed in
| the country, great excitement has prevailed,
| the property and homes of citizens have been
protected, and all could walk about our streets
without fear of molesiaton On the occasion
| nj larUp lSSpD hlo a 10,
officers have been temporarily appointed, yet
the expenses of this department have been
about $1,000 less than the year preceding. The
number OF persons arrested for drunkenness
for three years past are as follows:
In 1859, 5O6 in 1860, 400; in 1861, to
Dec l7th, 450. Of this number a majority
have not been residents of the city. In 1860
fifteen complaints were made against persons
for selling intoxicating liquors. In 1861 sew
enteen complaints were made against the same
class of individuals
The City Register containing the ordinances
and laws of the state applicable to the city,
was published eight Yeas since. The city
council at an early day resolved to have a
revision of all the ordinances of the city, and
to have them published in proper form. This
has been work OF great labor and no incun
siderable expense. The ordinances have been
all carefully revised, altered, amended and re
enacted, and are nos in the press, and will in
a few days be ready tor delivery Much credit
is due to the committee who had this matter in
charge, and vino have untiringly labored to
accomplish this desirable object.
The monument to the memory of Colonel
Timothy Bigelow, the brave and heroic com.
mandcr Of the fifteenth Continental regiment.
in the war OF the revolution, has been erected
on our Central Park, and dedicated under the
auspices Of the city council on the memorable
18TH day OF April last. This beautiful aud
chaste structure, which has attracted so much
attention, and is highly ornamental TO our
public grounds, was erected by the munifcence
of Colonel I. Bgeow Lawrence IF the CITY
of Boston.
In April last civil war burst upon the coun.
try with all its horrors. The city of Worces.
ter responded promptly and nobly to the call
of the government. The gallant Worcester
Light Infantry was the first uniformed and
well armed company to march into the CAPITAL
OF the country to defend it against a wicked
and unjustitiable rebellion. From chat time
to the present our patriotic citizens, native
and adopted, have voluntarily enrolled their
names i'll the service of their country, so that
at the present time we have from this city ac-
cording to the best data we can obtain, one
thousand men in the army and navy, enlisted
Tor the war. 10 arm, equip, and uniform,
kdS was TIE case Win the lllree months YOlun.
teersl to provide for their families according
to the laws Of the state-to supply the troops
with the numerous articles not provided by the
government-to care for the sick and wounded
returned from the battle field--to be courteous
and hOspltabie to the numerous troops which
nave passed through our city to the seat of
war-has imposed numerous duties and great
responsibilities on the city government, and
has been attended with heavy disbursements.
amounting at the LIST of December, 1861, to
Sl2,259 H. This war debt should be refund
ed to the city by the state. Indeed, large
part of it has been disbursed under the provis.
ions of the law of the commonwealth.
This sum has been temporarily borrowed
as it is to he refunded to the city from the
state, most of it in the coming month. Had
it been necessary to disburse ten times this
amount in order to sustain the government in
maintaining the constitution, preserving the
Union, and putting down this wicked and
unprincipIed rebellion, it would have been
promptly granted and cheerfuliy disbursed
The city Of Worcester, in proportion to the
number of her inhabitants, stands in the front
rank Of the patriotic cities of the Union, which
have promptly and periodically contributed
men and money to sustain and uphold one of
the best governments God ever bestowed on
any people.
The valuation of the real and personal estate
in the city,
In the year 1860 was S16406900
In the year 1861, was 1623J6OO
Showing decrease of $4,000
The total tax in 1860 was Sl4O,745 70
The total tax i'll 1861 was l392l2 20
Showing decrease of taxes, S1533 40
The county tax in 1860 was S17OlO52
The county tax i'll 1851 was % go az
Increase of county tax, S6,3lS96
State tax in 1860, 50 637 20
State tax i'll 1861, 590J 81
Increase of state tax, Sl24232
SO that the state and county tax, in 1861,
was STOOL Is greater than in 1860
The result is, that all the ordinary expenses
OF the city have been paid, leaving most OF the
different departments in a greatly improved
condition.
We have paid for what may be termed ex-
traordinary expenses, viz -
For new school house. Orange street. $1,000 90
For new road from James mill to Au
burn 600 60
For addition 10 barns and sheds at aims
house, &c., 1910 81
For Public Library building, about $50 90
For excess OF state and county tax, 1851 rs
Total, s2I,222 81
The interest has been paid on The city debt,
and it will probably be reduced to 900 at
the close Of the municipal year--the library
building debt Sl4 500, and the debt for school
house $4,000, besides the war debt advanced