THE INAUGURAL ADDRESS O F SAMUEL ABBOTT GREEN, MAYOR OF BOSTON, TO THE CITY COUNCIL, JANUARY 2, 1882. BOSTON: ROCKWELL AND CHURCHILL, CITY PRINTERS, No. 39 ARCH STREET. 1 882. TIIE INAUGURAL ADDRESS OF SAMUEL ABBOTT GREEN, MAYOR OF BOSTON, TO THE CITY COUNCIL, JANUARY 2, 1882. BOSTON: ROCKWELL AND CHURCHILL, CITY PRINTERS, No. 39 ARCH STREET. 1 8 8 2. CITY OF BOSTOX. In Common Council, January 2, 1882. Ordered, That llis Honor the Mayor be requested to furnish a copy of his Address, that the same may be printed. Passed. Sent up for concurrence. W. P. GREGG, Clerk of the Common Council. In Board of Aldermen, January 10, 1882. Passed in concurrence. S. F. McCLEARY, City Clerk. ADDRESS. Gentlemen of the City Council: — A new Municipal Government is about to enter on its duties, and, in accordance with the long usage on such occasions, the Mayor delivers an inaugural address. Of late years it lias been liis custom to lay before the convention of the Board of Aldermen and the Common Council such sug- gestions and recommendations as he may see fit to make, besides giving the more important items from the reports of the several heads of depart- ments. With no intention to criticise the custom, it has seemed more in harmony with my own feel- ings to confine this address to the brief statement of* a few topics. I do this the more readily, as my predecessor in olhce has so lately given an able review of the prominent features of a long administration; and in it he covers part of the ground which will soon claim our attention. Be- o sides this, in an address before the last Board of Aldermen, at the end of the year, the Chairman has clearly set forth some matters having a close 6 M A Y O R ’ S A D DRESS. connection with the business that will be brought before us. Both of these addresses are founded on long experience in municipal affairs, and con- tain much that is worthy of your attention. They will soon be printed and within the reach of every member of the City Government. Furthermore, the annual reports of the various chiefs of depart- ments will appear at an early day, and be freely distributed. These reports are drawn up with much care and fulness, and give, with all the accu- racy of official authority, the details of the internal affairs of the city. Any suggestions and recommendations that I might make would neces- sarily be based largely on the statement of others, and I am reluctant to publish opinions taken at second hand, as my own deliberate convictions. Henceforth it will be my duty to become informed on these very points, and, in the language of the charter, "to communicate to both branches of the City Council all such information, and recommend all such measures as may tend to the improvement of the finances, the police, health, security, cleanli- ness, comfort, and ornament of the said city.” The condition of the city finances is of so much general interest that I enter at once upon its consideration. It is a subject of prime impor- M A YOR’S A I) I) II E S S . 7 tance to the citizens of all classes. It fixes the rate of taxation and, in every household, affects the cost of living. The report of the Auditor of Accounts does not appear for several months to come, and for this reason I give, in some detail, a statement of the financial affairs of the city as they stood on December 31, 1881; though it does not include the large amounts recently appropriated by the votes of the City Council for public parks. CITY DEBT. Gross debt, December 31, 1880 . . . $41,103,750 GO Add permanent debt issued in 1881 . . . 39,000 00 Temporary debt of 1882 ..... 84,000 00 $41,226,750 GO Deduct debt paid during 1881 .... 1,208,152 58 Gross debt, December 31, 1881 .... $40,018,598 02 Sinking Funds, Dec. 31, 188) . $13,938,402 07 Receipts during 1881 . . 2,32G,921 07 $16,265,323 14 Payments during 1881 . . 1,209,257 41 $15,056,065 73 Bonds and mortgages, the pay- ments on which are pledged to the payment of debt . . 714,485 69 Total redemption means, December 31, 1881 . 15,770,551 42 Net debt, December 31, 1881 ... $24,248,046 60 8 MAYOR’S ADDRESS Gross debt, December 31, 1880 .... $41,103,750 GO “ “ “ 31, 1881 .... 40,018,598 02 Decrease ....... $1,085,152 08 Net debt, December 31, 1880 .... $26,658,456 41 “ “ “ 31, 1881 .... 24,248,046 60 Decrease ....... $2,410,409 81 City debt, including balances of debt assumed by acts of annexation ..... $27,260,324 04 Cochituate Water debt ..... 11,631,273 98 Mystic Water debt ...... 1,127,000 00 $40,018,598 02 Loans authorized but not issued — By City Council of 1877. For improved sewerage ..... $981,000 00 By City Council of 1881. For additional supply of water . $324,000 00 Widening Portland street . 300,000 00 “ South street . . 185,000 00 “ Kneeland street . 180,000 00 West Roxbury Park . . 600,000 00 City Point “ . . 100,000 00 East Boston “ . . 50,000 00 Charles river embankment . 300,000 00 Muddy river improvement . 200,000 00 Arnold Arboretum. . . 60,000 00 Additional land, Public Library, 150,000 00 2,449,000 00 $3,430,000 00 9 MAYOR’S ADDRESS. By the action of the City Council at the end of last year, Boston is committed to a system of public parks. During several years the sub- ject has been thoroughly discussed, both in public and in private, and the only argument urged against it was the cost. Nearly every large city in this country or in Europe has its park, or series of parks, and Boston will soon stand abreast of them. There are many sanitary reasons in favor of the system, and whatever favors sound health leads to good morals. Tending in the same direction are other arguments which I will not specify. If we have the needful means, it is enough for us to know that such improvements are demanded by the public. At the same time the tax-payers have a right to hold their servants to a strict account of the manner in which the appropriations for the object are spent. T am fully aware that this action of the last City Council does not closely concern us now, but a caution in regard to the expenditure of money is always timely. Fortunately nature has done so much for this wide-spread territory that there is little need of a great outlay at once, and the more expensive improvements can be put off with- out detriment to the public interests. By the terms of the vote authorizing the establishment 10 M AYOR’S A D DRESS. of the parks, the land will be placed under the charge of the Park Commissioners; and the city may well congratulate itself that it has three citizens who enjoy the entire confidence of the community, and, at the same time, are willing, without salary, to assume the care and responsi- bility of this high trust. I have referred to the matter because other appropriations will be required for this object, and during a period when large sums of money are voted for public purposes there is a tendency to grow careless of the economical use of it. The average mind becomes accustomed to unusual amounts, and money is often spent without due foresight. It may be well to remind you that, in the course of a few years, a large part of the Franklin Fund will be available by the city for a purpose kindred to public parks. I)r. Benjamin Franklin died in the year 1790, bequeathing to his native town of Boston one thousand pounds, to be lent to young married artificers, upon certain conditions; and he expected that this sum, in one hundred years, would increase to a very large amount. It was his wish, as expressed in his will, that, at the end of this time, one hundred thousand pounds should be spent upon "public works which may be judged of most general utility to the inhabitants, such MAYOR’S ADDRESS. 11 as fortifications, bridges, aqueducts, public build- ings, baths, pavements, or whatever may make living in the town more convenient to its people, and render it more agreeable to strangers resort- ing thither for health or a temporary residence.” Applying this money toward the embellishment of Boston, under certain conditions, would certainly be in accordance with the expressed desire of Franklin, and would leave the way clear to give the name of the great printer, philosopher, and statesman to one of the new parks. In no other way could the bequest be made to subserve so well the convenience of the whole people. Your attention is earnestly called to the public schools. Yo subject will be brought to your notice, of greater interest to the citizens, or of more vital importance. Education is the very bul- wark of our political liberties. There is no power so actively at work in welding together the tastes, instincts and feelings of the whole people, without regard to social distinctions, as our system of public instruction; and with the growth of our city in population and material prosperity, it becomes a matter of increasing importance to cherish every institution which shall tend to en- large the interests and sympathies common to the entire community. Through her whole history 12 M AYOR’S ADDRESS. Boston has been liberal toward her schools, and the tax-payers are always willing that the neces- sary appropriations should be made in order to support them. >» According to the school census of May last the number of children in the city, between five and fifteen years of age, was sixty-one thousand and fifty-six; and of this number forty-seven thousand seven hundred and thirty-two were taught in the public schools, and six thousand nine hundred and twenty-two in private schools. In June last the following schools were sup- ported by the city: — one Normal, ten Latin and High, fifty Grammar and four hundred and eigh- teen Primary schools. Besides these there were what are termed the special schools, comprising an evening high school, a school for deaf-mutes, two schools for licensed minors, six evening drawing schools, and seventeen evening schools. The average number of pupils attending these special classes was three thousand one hun- dred and fifty-three. These different schools, general and special, required a force of twelve hundred and seventy-six teachers, of whom one hundred and ninety-eight were men, and one thousand and seventy-eight were women. The appropriations made by the City Council MAYOR’S ADDRESS. 13 for public schools during the present financial year amounted to $1,415,760. The expenditure of the year, thus far, as compared with that of the corresponding nine months of last year, shows a decrease of $18,608.34. It is a gratifying fact to note that the expenses of the schools of late have been steadily decreasing, although the num- ber of pupils lias increased at the rate of over one thousand each year. A fit supplement to the question of schools is the Public Library, and I would earnestly bespeak your careful attention to its needs. It is to-day the largest library in the country, and its use increases with its growth. Our system of public education culminates wisely in an institution of this kind. There are various other subjects connected with the municipal government, which I omit to men- tion; though it is not because I fail to appreciate their importance. In the natural course of official duties your attention will soon be called to them, and they will receive, I doubt not, your careful consideration. Gentlemen of the City Council: — Our work is now begun. Let us show by our actions, rather than by our words, that we appreciate the high 14 MAYOR’S ADDRESS. responsibility resting on ns. Let ns do our duty without regard to party or faction, and with sole reference to the good of the city. If we enter upon our labors in this spirit, we niay well leave the result to a kind Providence.