This department is in charge of a board of five members, whose duty it is to collect, compile and publish such statistics relating to the City of Boston and such statistics of other cities, for purposes of comparison, as they may deem of public importance, also to furnish statistical information to the City departments and to the public on request. Up to 1914, the department published two series of Special Publications, one on Extraordinary Receipts and Expenditures, the other on Ordinary, the latter issued annually with detail tables covering the last five fiscal years, also a Bulletin of municipal statistics, issued quarterly, with tables arranged by months, containing 40 to 48 quarto pages. A selection of such statistical material as has appeared hitherto in those publications will eventually be brought together in a municipal Year Book. The MUNICIPAL REGISTER (Containing 340 to 350 pages of information about the City departments, also population, financial, election and other statistics) is compiled and edited annually by the department and the annual document of the City Council, "Organization of the City Government of Boston," for 1921 contains 75 pages of the latest statistics contributed by the department, mostly relating to Boston but including other information of general interest. The latter are also published as a separate document. STREET LAYING-OUT DEPARTMENT. Main Office, 401 City Hall Annex, fourth floor. [R. L., Chap. 48, §§ 88-90; Stat. 1870, Chap. 337; Stat. 1895, Chap. 449, § 23; Stat. 1897, Chap. 426; Rev. Ord. 1898, Chap. 39; Stat. 1899, Chap. 450; Stat. 1906, Chaps. 258, 393; Stat. 1907, Chaps. 403, 584; Stat. 1908, Chaps. 447, 519; C. C. Chap. 51; Stat. 1909, Chaps. 209, 486, §§ 28, 31; Stat. 1911, Chaps. 169, 415, 453, 591; Stat. 1912, Chaps. 338, 339, 371, 558, 661; Stat. 1913, Chaps. 263, 432, 536, 554, 577, 680, 799; Stat. 1914, Chaps. 119, 128, 569, 641; Rev. Ord. 1914, Chap. 34; Gen. Stat. 1915, Chap. 176 and Spec. Stat., Chap. 91; Spec. Stat. 1917, Chaps. 318, 329; Spec. Stat. 1918, Chap. 155; Spec. Stat. 1919, Chap. 224; Stat. 1920, Chaps. 74, 312, 465; Stat. 1921, Chaps. 191, 407; Stat. 1922, Chap. 316.] OFFICIALS. JOHN H. DUNN, Chairman. JOSEPH F. SULLIVAN, Secretary. Salary, $3,300. BOARD OF STREET COMMISSIONERS. JOHN J. O'CALLAGHAN. Term ends in 1925. Salary, $4,500. ENGINEERING DIVISION. FRANK O. WHITNEY, Chief Engineer. Salary, $3,500. IRWIN C. CROMACK, Assistant Chief Engineer. Salary, $2,900. PERMIT DIVISION. Office, 44 City Hall. THOMAS J. HURLEY, Chief of Division. Salary, $2,500. A member of the Board of Street Commissioners is appointed each year by the Mayor to serve for three years from the first Monday in January. The Board has power to lay out, relocate, alter or discontinue highways in the City, and to order specific repairs thereon, also to order, with the approval of the Mayor, the construction of sewers and to take for the City any lands, water courses and ways deemed necessary for such construction. It levies the betterment assessments on estates benefited by the construction of new sewers and new or improved highways (see Chapter 536, Acts of 1913), also awards damages for takings of land, and grants to landowners permission to open private streets. In 1895 the duties of the Board of Survey were transferred to the Street Commissioners; in 1907 they were charged with the licensing of street stands for the sale of merchandise, in 1908 with the regulation of street traffic, and in 1913 with the authority to grant or withhold permits for the erection of automobile garages. The fees for these permits are: For erecting a public garage, $100; for a business garage for trucks, $100; repair shop, isolated, $5.00; unit group, $1.00 each unit; private garage for one or two cars, $1.00, and if in excess of two cars $1.00 more for each such excess. There is no annual garage fee. By the Amended City Charter of 1909, the jurisdiction previously exercised by the Board of Aldermen is vested in the Street Commissioners, with the written approval of the Mayor, as to the naming of streets, as to trees in the streets, as to permits or licenses for special use of same, including the construction of coal holes, vaults, bay windows and marquees, in, under, or over the streets, also for the location of conduits, poles and posts and the storage of inflammables and explosives. They collect the annual license of $1.00 for selling and keeping gasoline. As authorized by Chapter 680, Acts of 1913, the Street Commissioners issued on April 9, 1914, their "Rules and Regulations Relating to Projections on or over Public Highways." These rules were amended in 1915, as authorized by Chapter 176, General Acts of that year, the changes taking effect July 20. The penalty for disregard of said rules is a fine not exceeding five dollars for each day of negligence after five days' notice. Fees for permits and each annual renewal thereof are fixed as follows: As provided by Chapter 447, Acts of 1908, the Street Commissioners were authorized to make such regulations as they deemed needful to prevent the increasing congestion and delay of traffic in the streets caused by the multiplicity of automobiles. New traffic rules were promulgated in December, 1908, and went into effect January 1, 1909. The latest revision of same was issued August 1, 1922, showing 55 One-way streets. The rules are enforced by the Police Commissioner, having in charge a traffic squad of 156 men, and the penalty for violation is a fine not exceeding twenty dollars for each offence. SUPPLY DEPARTMENT. Office, 808 City Hall Annex, eighth floor. [Ord. 1908, Chap. 6; Rev. Ord. 1914, Chap. 35; Ord. 1919, Chap. 6.] FRANK P. ROCK, Superintendent. Salary, $6,000. CHARLES E. THORNTON, Chief Clerk. Salary, $2,500. It is the duty of the Superintendent of Supplies to furnish all the material, apparatus and other supplies required for the special use of the Public Works Department, and such material for other departments of the City as may be asked for by requisition signed by the head of such department, except furniture and stationery. TRANSIT DEPARTMENT. Office, 1 Beacon street, sixth floor. [Spec. Stat. 1918, Chap. 185; Ord. 1918, Chap. 3; Ord. 1922, Chap. 1.] COMMISSIONERS. THOMAS F. SULLIVAN. Salary, $7,500. OFFICIALS. THOMAS F. SULLIVAN, Chairman. EDWARD F. CONDON, Secretary. Salary, $4,000. ERNEST R. SPRINGER, Chief Engineer. Salary, $6,000. In accordance with Chap. 3, Ordinances of 1918, this department was established to exercise the powers and perform the duties formerly in charge of the Boston Transit Commission, whose official existence terminated July 1, 1918. A brief account of Rapid Transit construction undertaken by the Commission will be found on pages 108 and 109. TREASURY DEPARTMENT. Office, City Hall, Rooms 21 and 22, first floor. [Rev. Ord. 1898, Chap. 40; Stat. 1908, Chap. 210; Ord. 1908, Chap. 4; C. C. Title IV., Chap. 9; Stat. 1911, Chap. 413; Stat. 1913, Chaps. 367, 672, 788; Rev Ord. 1914, Chap. 36; Stat. 1920, Chap. 140; Ord. 1920, Chap. 12; Ord. 1921, Chaps. 1 and 2; Stat. 1922, Chap. 521.] JOHN J. CURLEY, City Treasurer. Salary, $6,000. Term ends in 1925. EDWIN A. WALL, Cashier and Acting Treasurer in the absence of the Treasurer. Salary, $4,000. The City Treasurer has the care and custody of the current funds of the City, of all moneys, properties and securities placed in his charge by any statute or ordinance, or by any gift, devise, bequest, or deposit; he pays all drafts and all checks and other orders directed to him from the Auditing Department for the payment of bills and demands against the City; he pays all executions against the City when duly certified as correct by an officer of the Law Department, even if the appropriation to which the execution is chargeable is not sufficient. He pays the principal and interest of the City debt, as the same becomes due, and has charge of the issue, transfer and registration of the City debt. He receives and invests all trust funds of the City, and holds the income thereof subject to expenditure for the purposes designated in the gift. He disposes of the balance remaining at the end of each financial year as the City Council may direct. The City Treasurer is also County Treasurer and Treasurer of the Sinking Funds Department. The Treasurer publishes reports yearly. Since 1882 he has published monthly statements. VESSELS AND BALLAST DEPARTMENT. Office, 173 Sumner street, East Boston. [R. L., Chap. 66, §§ 8-16; Rev. Ord. 1898, Chap. 41; Rev. Ord. 1914, Chap. 39.] CORNELIUS J. DONOVAN, Chief Weigher. Appointed annually. This department is under the charge of the Weighers of Vessels and Ballast, two in number, one of whom is designated by the Mayor as chief. They receive the fees, after payment of expenses, as compensation for their services. WEIGHTS AND MEASURES DEPARTMENT. Office, 106 City Hall Annex, first floor. [R. L., Chap. 62, § 18; Stat. 1882, Chap. 42; Rev. Ord. 1898, Chap. 43; Stat. 1909, Chap. 382; Stat. 1910, Chap. 209; Stat. 1913, Chap. 503; Stat. 1914, Chaps. 346, 379, 452; Rev. Ord. 1914, Chap. 37; Gen. Stat. 1915, Chap. 253; Gen. Stat. 1916, Chap. 120; Gen. Stat. 1919, Chaps. 91, 128; Ord. 1919, Chap. 1; Stat. 1920, Chaps. 259, 369.] JAMES A. SWEENEY, CHARLES E. WALSH, LOUIS HERTGEN, BENJAMIN P. HUTCHINSON, THOMAS A. KELLEY, CHARLES O. SIKORA, FRED A. THISSELL, JOHN A. GARGAN, WILLIAM D. FAY,* MARTIN J. TRAVERS,† JOSEPH MARTIN‡, EDWARD J. MCMANUS‡ (Temp.), Deputy Sealers. Salary, $1,900. PHILIP F. LEONARD, Mechanician. Salary, $1,500. This department is under the charge of the Sealer. The Sealer and Deputy Sealers are appointed also to seize illegal charcoal measures. (R. L., Chap. 57, § 93.) The standards in use are supplied by the Commonwealth and are determined by the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey, Washington, D. C. The office was authorized by the statute of February 26, 1800. Annual reports have been published since 1868. By Chapter 382, Acts of 1909, all principal and assistant sealers are included within the classified civil service. By the new Statute of 1919, Chap. 128, sealers of weights and measures are to charge the following fees: For sealing all scales with a capacity of more than 5,000 pounds, $1.00 each; for all scales with capacity of 100 to 5,000 pounds, 50 cents each; for all other scales, balances, and measures on pumps, 10 cents each; all weights and other measures, 3 cents each. They are also to receive reasonable compensation for all necessary repairs, alterations and adjustments made by them. * Salary $1,800, with yearly increase of $100 up to maximum of $1,900. † Salary $1,700, with yearly increase of $100, up to maximum of $1,900. Salary $1,600, with yearly increase of $100, up to maximum of $1,900. |