Mr. William W. Pierce, the former clerk of the Board, who had been ill for many months, died on the 29th of April, 1874. He had held the office all the time from May, 1863. He was a man highly respected in the community, an intelligent and efficient officer, whose services had been of great value, and who from first to last had the full confidence of the Board. The assistant clerk, Mr. George G. Power, acted as clerk pro tem., from April 1 to June 9, 1874, when the present clerk, Mr. Joseph H. Caldwell, was elected, gave the required bonds, and entered upon his duties.

The total water-rates for the year 1874, as shown in the report of the clerk, were $235,030.97; and for the four months ending April 30, 1875, $147,404.59. The clerk's report will show the number of water-takers, the number and kinds of fixtures, buildings, etc.

The amount of water bonds outstanding April 30, 1875, was $1,280,000.00.

The amount of the sinking fund April 30, 1875, was $138,228.76.

The whole quantity of water delivered from the reservoir, in the year 1874, was 2,838,824,783 gallons. This included 57,191,137 gallons, which was furnished the Cochituate Water Board for the city proper, in thirty days, from Nov. 8 to Dec. 8, 1874. Leaving out this supply to the city proper, the average daily consumption in 1874 was 7,621,187 gallons, a decrease from the year 1873 of 134,844 gallons. In the four months ending April 30, 1875, the whole consumption amounted to 1,205,836,426 gallons. On the 22d of April, by directions of the Cochituate Water Board, the Mystic water was shut off from East Boston, and the Cochituate let on. Up to this date (April 22) the average daily consumption from Jan. 1, 1875, was 10,324,833 gallons. In assenting to the order of the Cochituate Water Board to shut off the supply for East Boston, the Board acted under the advice of the City Solicitor.

In closing this report, the members of the Board think it proper that they should state that they have held their positions by virtue of an election by the City Council of the City of Charlestown previous to annexation. The terms of office of all but one of their number have expired, and the three years for which that one was elected will terminate in April, 1876. The provision that the members of the Board should hold their positions until others are elected in their stead is their only warrant for exercising the powers and performing the duties of the Mystic Water Board. With the exception of the order passed December 7, 1874, directing the Board to make the prices of water in the Charlestown district uniform with the rest of the city, no rules for the government of the Mystic Water Board have been made by the City Council; no ordinance to take the place of the ordinance of the City of Charlestown, which was annulled by annexation. An ordinance proposing to abolish both the Cochituate and the Mystic Water Boards, and to put the Cochituate and Mystic works under the care of a board of Commissioners, who should be constantly employed in this service, and compensated with proper salaries, was reported by the Committee on Ordinances soon after the two cities were united, and a majority of this Board believed then, as they do now, that the interest of the city would be promoted by such a change. The passage of the ordinance, however, failed in one branch of the City Council, and no substitute affecting us as a Board was passed in 1874. Early in the present year the same change was again proposed, and in the statements made while the discussion on the subject was going on in the City Council, an erroneous impression seems to have been given as to the opinions of the members of this Board, which had perhaps, but little, if any, influence in the result, but which, nevertheless, they desire the privilege of correcting. A majority of the members of this Board are decidedly of the opinion that an interest of the magnitude

and importance of the Water Works of the City of Boston, at the present time, should be placed, with the least possible delay, in the hands of a Board whose whole time and talent should be devoted to its management.

Respectfully submitted,

TIMOTHY T. SAWYER,

FRANCIS CHILDS,

FRANCIS THOMPSON,
NELSON BARTLETT,

THADDEUS RICHARDSON.

3

REPORT OF THE WATER REGISTRAR AND CLERK.

OFFICE OF THE MYSTIC WATER BOARD,

CHARLESTOWN DISTRICT, March 18, 1875.

Hon. TIMOTHY T. SAWYER, President Mystic Water Board:SIR: I herewith present the Annual Report of the Water Registrar and Clerk for the year 1874, in conformity with the City Ordinance.

The number of water-takers registered January 1, 1875, was 15,867, distributed as follows: Charlestown District, 4,850, Chelsea, 3,619, Somerville, 2,635, East Boston, 4,348, Everett, 415.

During the year 1874 the water was supplied as follows, viz.:

The water has also been supplied for 23 fire-engine and hose-houses, 91 public schools, 62 saloons, 130 offices, 25 churches, 8 armories, 6 hotels, 5 railroads, 2 breweries, 1

distillery, 3 gas-houses, 1 sugar refinery, 6 tanneries, 3 potteries, 5 brick-yards, 3 coal oil companies, the Middlesex Bleachery, the Everett Chemical Works, the American Tube Works, the Navy Yard, Naval Magazine, Naval and Marine Hospital, State Prison, McLean Hospital, 3 City Halls, the Winnissimmet Ferry Company, the Public Institutions at Deer Island, and other public and miscellaneous establishments.

The amount of receipts for water-rates for 1874 has been as follows: Charlestown District, $89,532.14, Boston, $50,396.89, Chelsea, $34,971.75, Somerville, $29,517.81, Everett, $3,474.67, making $207,893.26, and there was due to January 1, 1874, for water-rates of that year, the sum of $27,137.71, making a total of $235,030.97 (for that year); in addition to the above, there has been received for water used in previous years the sum of $16,929.10.

The aggregate amount of water-rates to January 1, 1875, is $1,295,245.76.

The expenses of the office for 1874, including all the charges for collections in Chelsea, Somerville, and Everett, and exclusive of $2,500, reserved by the City of Boston for collection of East Boston rates, was $2,126.81, viz.: for clerk-hire, $1,726.66, printing, advertising, and stationery, $400.15.

The number of places shut off for non-payment of waterrates was 194, 93 of which have again been let on.

The amount collected for off-and-on water, and fines, was $282.00.