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Because of the fact that the several departments of the city have in their charge complete electrical plants for generating power, light, etc., it was deemed advisable, after the abolition of the Electrical Construction Division and the Repairs Division, to employ in this department an electrical engineer, who practically had the supervision of the installation of nearly all this apparatus, including the plants on all ferry-boats, Insane Hospitals (Austin and Pierce Farms), City Hospital, Parental School, and all the various institutions located on islands in the harbor, the various drawbridges propelled by electricity, and the plant at the Pumping Station, Cow Pasture.

His duties being to furnish other departments, free of expense to them, at their request, with plans and expert advice on all matters pertaining to this line of work, also the frequent testing of the candle power of the incandescent lamps furnished the city, in order that the correct standard of the same may be maintained, and the city receive the full advantage of the light charged for ; the department also employs a painter, two carpenters, and two general electricians whose duties are to look after the emergency work in their respectives trades on the various buildings and offices in charge of this department.

The following buildings, or parts of same, are hired for municipal purposes :

For Offices.

Estates numbered 32, 62–64 Pemberton square; rooms 904, 905, 917 to 923 inclusive ; 927 and 928 Tremont Building; building at Mattapan; and rooms 610–616, inclusive, Huntington Chambers.

For Armories.

No. 120 Tremont street; Congress Hall, Charlestown; Bacon Hall, Roxbury; and No. 130 Columbus avenue.

J'or Ward-rooms.

Spellman Hall, Gray's Hall, South Boston; Winthrop Hall, Dudley-street Opera House, Roxbury; Tomfobrde Hall, Minton Hall, and Dorchester Hall.

JFor County Purposes.

Rooms 201–210 Pemberton Building, for Court of Land Registration.

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The Architect Division was transferred from the Engineering Department on May 11, 1900, and made a division of the Public Buildings Department, with the expectation that the several departments of the city would consult with this department as regards the plans, specifications and expert advice relating to building construction, heating and ventilation on any contemplated buildings or alterations, which during the past year the departments have not taken advantage of, and the work of this division has been confined to the preparation of plans, etc., for this department alone. This division is equipped to handle much of the work of the different departments which is now being done by other architects, and I trust that advantage will be taken of the opportunity offered.

The Ambulance Station is located on National street, South Boston, on land leased of the Carney Hospital. The two ambulances have rendered valuable assistance to this district during the past year. The station is kept open day and night and calls answered at any hour.

The ambulance has been called to all sections of the city by parties desiring to be treated at the Carney Hospital.

During the past year the following cases were cared for by this station:

Accident . e e e e o e & 103 cases Medical . e o so to o & e 379 Surgical . e e o o o e o 2.54 * * Total . © © © © e t © 736 ‘ ‘ Taken to Carney Hospital . o o e e 657 Cases Taken to Children’s Hospital & o e o 39 . . Taken to other hospitals or treated on street e 40 < * Total . o & e © & & to 736 ‘ ‘

It is now customary for the City Council to appropriate funds for repairs, alterations, etc., of the Fire, Street and Police Departments buildings, direct to the several departments, they having charge of the carrying on of the repairs on the same.

The following will give a general idea of the repair work done on the various buildings in charge of this department during the past year :

City Hall.

Gutters and roofs repaired and all the joints resoldered : repairing roof of underground vault on account of leakage under the ventilators of same, necessitating the removal of earth and applying tar and paper, also concreting over same and resetting ventilators; painting of various rooms and hallways throughout building, including offices of the Street Commissioners, Water Department, rooms of the Common Council; carpenter work, repairing dormer windows, sheathing up checks of same, new bed mouldings around roofs of same ; carpenter work in closets of fourth-floor toilet-rooms, sheathing up small rooms for Street Commissioners, and laying new and repairing old flooring in various parts of building on account of installing new plumbing fixtures, casing pipes and general jobbing ; new window sashes put in office of Clerk of the Common Council, and repairing lockers of the Common Council and fitting keys to doers of same, and general fitting up of room for janitors; resetting of marble tiling in corridors and toilet-rooms; remodeling of fourth-floor toilet and installation of entire new set of bowls and urinals; running hot water to wash basins in offices of the Engineering Department, Lamp, Street, City Clerk’s and other departments, and new wash bowl in Water Income Division ; general repairs on steam-heating apparatus, including blow-off pipe from boiler; installing new water-filtering tanks in the Treasurer's and Collecting Departments; extensive installation of electric-lighting apparatus in the various corridors and offices of the City Auditor, Collecting, Assessing and City Clerk Departments, including a number of new fixtures; new steel-constructed filing cases installed in underground vault for records, etc., of the Auditing Department.

Old Court House.

General repairs on roof; painting corridors of entire building, two coats of oil paint; changing over offices for City Collector; laying new floors in offices of the Health Department, and painting all walls of same ; building fireproof vaults for Registry Department, which included mason work, placing of iron beams and applying mixture of concrete over expanded metal on ceilings; general repairs on plumbing and heating system throughout building; painting and whitening of rooms in basement; enlarging private office of the Building Department; laying new floors and painting; sheathing walls and laying new floors in blue print room.

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