Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-01-06

ing portion of the year there have been two
or more persons employed as day police. Ii
addition to these officers, there are severa
constables, who are more or less intimately
connected with the police office, whose com.
pensation depends upon their activity and sue.
cess in finding and arresting actual or pre-.
sumed offenders, and in making complaints
This extrancous force, although highly useful
and necessary at times, will not be relied
upon by me for the performance of the usual
and ordinary duties which belong to this de-
partment.
THE FINANCES.
The appropriations for the year 1862
amounted to $l45,250. But for the bold and
business like appropriation of 500, 900 to pay
for the causeway across Lake Quinsigamond.
this sum, large as it is, would not have been
unprecedented. Our proportion of state tax
was $50, 1888, and of the county tax $2l 600,
making the total amount assessed upon the
polls and estates of the inhabitants of the city
500, 1888, being an increase of $63, 400 over
the assessment of 1861, and exceeding by
$43, 900 the highest tax ever before imposed
upon the city, in 1857. The rate of taxation
was $l2 upon thousand.
The other resources for the last year were
Cash in the treasury January l. 1862 5,7l2 55
Received from uncolleoted taxes of previ-
otal''..'............. ..............$8,7l2 90
The income of the city from other sources
does not vary materially from year to year.
There is now in the treasury applicable to the ex.
penses Of the current year about. $4,000
The amount of uncollected taxes considered
good and collectable isabout.. 5000
Total. ......................... $1,000
Fortunately for us and the city at the pres
ent time, when the support of the government
IN the prosecution of the war requires so much
OF the means, and draws so heavily upon the
resources of individuals and the public, with
the single exception of the steam fire engine
"a wise and necessary purchase there are no
unfinished works of any magnitude left for us
to complete. Our predecessors in this respect,
have made clean work 1t is our duty to
balance the accounts as they stand, to provide
means for present emergencies, and with wise
and liberal forecast, make provisions for the
future.
The debt of the city, as stated by the treas.
ury on the LIST Of January 1862, designated
under the various items of city debt proper, |
public library debt, Quinsigamond lake cause
way debt, Salem street school house debt, war
debt, and high school medal fund, amounted
in the aggregate to $l30,2l9 40. Of this sum
the Salem street school house debt amounting
to 81, 800 has been extinguished. The libra
ry debt has been reduced, by the payment of
$4,000 due in December last; and $6,769 of
the war debt has heen received from the state,
and applied, as understand to the reduction
OF the debt of the city on that account BY
these payments, amounting to $15,269 the
old debt has been reduced to STA 1850 40.
Adding to this sum 1914 800 the amount of the
war expenses of 1862, it will make the pre-
sent debt of the city $209, $50 40.
From this sum should be deducted so much |
of the sum of $4,000 advanced by the city, as
state aid to the families of volunteers, as will |
be refunded from the state treasury. If the |
whole sum shall be allowed, the actual debt of |
the city will be about $4,000, to be in
creased by such fraction of the $4,000, if any,
as shall be disalowed.
Gentlemen Of the City Coanci1:-I have
tins nr9santad t. 4 :: IT, :; - ~,
subjects which will most demand your atten-
ton. The long experience of SO many of you
in former administrations, and your intimate
acquaintance with the wants and resources of
the city, relieve me of much of that self-ds-
trust which should otherwise feel, on enter
ing upon my duties and assuming such grave
responsibilities. We have all the same OBJ |
ject in view. Seeking your counsel, need
ing your indulgent support, / shall strive to
act with you in all measures designed for and
tending to promote the honor and prosperity
of our beloved city, and may kind provi-
dence direct and bless our deliberations and
our labors to that end.