Jerry Wishnow was combing through bins at a flea market on the Lynnway years ago when something caught his eye: a 72-page paperback titled “Town of Marblehead Auditors’ Report, 1890-91.”
As Marbleheaders closely follow today’s budget and override debate, Wishnow said the old report offers a fascinating look at how little — and how much — has changed.
CURRENT PHOTOS / LEIGH BLANDER
Wishnow, a retired award-winning media producer who lives in town, recently revisited the book and shared some of its highlights with the Marblehead Current.
In 1891, Marblehead’s total valuation of taxable real estate was $4.7 million. Compare that to $9.8 billion today, according to Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer.
The town’s population was about 8,200 in 1890. There were 1,677 taxable property holders, broken down as 1,336 resident individuals, 58 resident firms and corporations, 268 nonresident individuals and 15 nonresident firms.
Marblehead’s tax rate at the time was considered high compared with neighboring communities.
The 1891 rates were:
- Marblehead: $16.80 per $1,000
- Salem: $17.60 per $1,000
- Swampscott: $10 per $1,000
- Nahant: $6.50 per $1,000
- Boston: $10.50 per $1,000
The report also detailed annual appropriations for town departments, including $21,959.74 for schools, with $15,297.40 allocated to salaries; $3,767.90 for police; and $14,850 for fire services.
One section that particularly caught Wishnow’s attention focused on Marblehead’s almshouse, listed under the town’s “poor department,” which received a $7,000 appropriation.
At the end of the report, town auditors wrote a striking appeal to residents:
“The best we can do here is beg the citizens to go and look the premises over and ask themselves if the comforts and conveniences are such as would be satisfactory to them were they to be thrown upon the charity of the town… Whether a more liberal policy is desirable for the future, we will not venture to suggest.”
Wishnow said the language stood out.
“It was like they were telling residents, ‘Have a heart,’” he said.
The report also includes 23 town meeting warrant articles that reflected the issues of the day.
Among them were proposals to petition the Legislature for permission to establish an electrical plant to provide light and power for the town and its residents, appropriate $1,000 for soldiers’ relief, and create a bylaw related to truancy.
Residents were also asked to appoint all town officers and School Committee members.
Wishnow says many names in the book sound familiar today, including Goodwin, Cloutman, Graves and Doliber.
“There’s also Litchman and Roads, Warren,” he said. “Oh my gosh, they’re all here. They haven’t gone anywhere.”
