BUILDINGS.

SURVEY AND INSPECTION.

[Stat. 1871, c. 280; 1872, c. 260; 1872, c. 571; 1873, c. 298; Ords. July 8 and Dec. 30, 1871, Dec. 28, 1872.]

This department, in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth and ordinances of the city, has the complete control and supervision of all buildings erected in this city. It regulates the foundations, walls, roofs, dimensions and materials of every structure. Among other restrictions imposed by the law and ordinances on the erection of buildings, it is provided that no wooden building shall be hereafter erected within the following limits:—

Beginning at the intersection of the centre line of Dover and Albany streets, thence running eastwardly through the centre of Dover street to the Harbor Commissioners' line; thence around the northerly portion of the "City Proper," by the said Harbor Commissioners' line to a point on Charles river, opposite the centre line of Parker street, or cross dam; thence through the centre of Parker street or cross dam to a point opposite the centre of Ruggles street; thence through the centre of Ruggles street to the centre of Washington street; thence through the centre of Washington street to a point opposite the centre of Palmer street; thence through the centre of Palmer and Eustis streets to the centre of Hampden street; and thence through the centre of Hampden and Albany streets to the point of beginning.

The said district being shown by a shaded red line on a plan made by the City Surveyor, dated June 26, 1871, and deposited in the office of the City Surveyor.

This department is organized as follows: —

INSPECTOR.

[Appointed by Mayor and confirmed by City Council, Sept. 28, 1874, for a term of three years. Salary, $3,000.] OLIVER L. SHAW, residence, 24 White street.

SEVEN ASSISTANT INSPECTORS.

[Appointed for a term of two years by the Inspector, subject to approval by the Mayor. Salary, $1,500 each, per annum.]

WILLIAM G. EMERY, residence 27 Lexington street. Expiration of term January 21, 1878.

THOMAS P. SWEAT, residence 175 Ruggles street. Expiration of term January 3, 1877.

WILLIAM S. ROBBINS, residence 20 Trenton street, Charlestown. Expiration of term February 8, 1877.

WILLIAM FRYE, residence 8 Quincy street (Ward 21). Expiration of term March 6, 1877.

HARTFORD DAVENPORT, residence Hancock street (Ward 24). Expiration of term March 6, 1877.

George W. GRIFFIN, residence 40 Pearl street (Ward 4). Expiration of term May 1, 1876.

JOHN D. RENDALL, residence White avenue (Ward 17). Expiration of term May 1, 1876.

CLERK.

CHARLES WM. BAKER, 23 Decatur street (Ward 16). Expiration of term January 25, 1878.

[Appointed for a term of two years by the Inspector, subject to the approval of the Mayor. Salary, $2,000.]

COMMON AND PUBLIC GROUNDS.

[Ord. February 28, 1870.]

JOHN GALVIN, Superintendent. Salary, $2,500. [Elected by concurrent vote.] The Superintendent, under the direction of the Joint Standing Committee on the Common, etc., has charge of all the trees in the streets of this city, and of the following

PUBLIC GROUNDS AND SQUARES.

CITY PROPER. - The Common and Malls, containing fortyeight and one-quarter acres, exclusive of the Cemetery, which contains one and one-quarter acres. The length of the exterior boundary of the Common is one mile and oneeighth.

Public Garden, on the west side of Charles street, containing about twenty-four and one-quarter acres.

Franklin Square, on the east side of Washington street, containing 105,205 feet.

Blackstone Square, on the west side of Washington street, containing 105,000 feet.

Chester Square, between Shawmut avenue and Tremont street, containing 57,860 feet.

Union Park, between Shawmut avenue and Tremont street, containing 16,000 square feet.

Worcester Square, between Washington street and Harrison avenue, containing 16,000 square feet.

Lowell Square, on Cambridge street, containing 5,772 square feet.

Park Square, at the corner of Columbus avenue, Eliot and Pleasant streets, containing about 2,867 square feet.

SOUTH BOSTON. - Telegraph Hill, on which the reservoir stands. Independent of the reservoir, there is a lot, containing about 190,000 square feet, reserved for a public walk, and which is enclosed with an iron fence.

Independence Square, situated between Broadway, Second, M and N streets, contains about six and one-half acres, and has been properly graded, the walks arranged, the gutters paved, trees set out, and iron fence built.

Lincoln Square, situated between Emerson, Fourth and M streets, and east of the primary school-house, enclosed by an iron fence. The lot contains 9,510 square feet.

EAST BOSTON. Maverick Square, containing 22,500 square feet, of which 4,398 square feet are enclosed by an iron fence.

Central Square, between Meridian and Border streets, containing 49,470 square feet, 32,310 of which are enclosed by an iron fence.

Belmont Square, surrounded by Webster, Sumner, Belmont and Seaver streets, -30,000 square feet, enclosed by an iron fence.

Eagle Square, on Fountain and Eagle streets, containing 11,862 square feet.

ROXBURY. -- Madison Square, located between Ruggles, Cabot and Sterling streets, containing 122,220 square feet, round which there are 21,580 square feet contemplated for streets.

Orchard Park, located between Chadwick and Yeoman streets, containing 93,862 square feet.

Washington Park, located between Dale and Bainbridge streets, containing 396,125 square feet.

Lewis Park, between Highland and New streets, containing about 5,600 square feet.

Highland Park is the old Fort lot, containing 114,665 square feet, and occupied partly by the Roxbury Stand-pipe, and is in charge of the Cochituate Water Board.

DORCHESTER. - Dorchester Square, located between East and Highland streets, containing about ten acres.

CHARLESTOWN. City Square, in front of Old City Hall, containing about 9,450 square feet, enclosed by an iron fence.

Sullivan Square, bounded by Main, Cambridge and Seaver streets, containing about 17,000 feet, enclosed by an iron fence.

Winthrop Square, bounded by Winthrop, Adams and Common streets, containing about 48,000 square feet, enclosed by an iron fence.

WEST ROXBURY. Soldiers' Monument lot, bounded by South and Centre streets, containing about

feet.

BRIGHTON. — Public Square, bounded by Franklin and

Pleasant streets, containing about 1,500 feet.

PUBLIC PARK.

The Hon. Samuel C. Cobb, Mayor of the city in 1874, having brought to the attention of the City Council of that year the subject of providing at the present time a large Park or Parks for the use of the public, it was determined by the City Council, on Feb. 17, 1874, to refer the whole matter to a Special Commission, composed as follows :

The Mayor, ex officio, two members of the Board of Aldermen, and three members of the Common Council to be elected by concurrent vote, and three persons at large to be selected by the Mayor. The Commission was constituted as follows:

Mayor, Samuel C. Cobb. Aldermen, John T. Clark, James Power. Common Council, George A. Shaw, James J. Flynn, H. J. Boardman. At Large, Richard Frothingham, Edward H. Clarke, William Gray, Jr.

This Commission reported in Dec., 1874, that a Park be established on the Back Bay Lands, and be connected with a series of Parks in the suburbs; and that authority be asked of the Legislature to grant the power to take such lands as may be necessary therefor. (See City Doc. 105, of 1874.)

Such power was granted by the Legislature May 6, 1875 (chap. 185), subject to acceptance by the people. This act was accepted by vote of the citizens June 9, 1875. Yeas, 3,706; nays, 2,311.

And in accordance with said act the following persons were nominated by the Mayor, and confirmed by the City Council, July 8, 1875, as Commissioners on Public Parks, viz. :

T. Jefferson Coolidge, for four years.

William Gray, Jr., for three years.

Charles H. Dutton, for two years, from May 1, 1875. The second Report of the Commissioners, City Doc. 42, of 1876, recommends the establishment of Parks and Park-ways in this city, comprising in the whole 1,133 acres, at an estimated cost of $4,962,000.