Housing, Parking and Roadwork in 1924 Lowell – (PIP #68)

By Louise Peloquin

City Hall and municipal administration offices are hives where worker bees coordinate their efforts to act for the benefit of the community. Meetings are held. Commissions are created. Projects are elaborated. Sometimes however, the hives get of sync and the honey of good intentions turns sour.

Housing, parking and roads have long been crucial items on Lowell’s agenda.

L’Etoile – September 11, 1924

FIRST HOUSING COMMISSION SESSION 

     At its first meeting, held yesterday afternoon in the mayor’s reception room, the Rental Commission became a deliberating body. Mayor John J. Donovan opened the meeting by saying that its objective was creating a commission.  The mayor then asked that a permanent president be named. Attorney Cornelius J. O’Neil was elected. On city engineer Stephen Kearney’s motion, John H. Dwyer, president of the Bureau of assessors, was named temporary secretary.

     President O’Neil declared that the commission’s first task should be to identify its vested powers. Attorney O’Neil explained the action of the State Rental Commission, founded during the war and presided by Mr. Hultman. 

     City engineer Kearney then made a motion to obtain City attorney Patrick Reynold’s opinion regarding the duties of the local commission. The motion passed.

     After a ten-minute session, the commission adjourned until its next meeting set for October 10th.

     Members present at yesterday’s meeting were Mayor Donovan, John H. Dwyer, Stephen Kearney, John E. Moynihan, Mrs. Hilda Benoit, Cornelius J. O’Neil and William Kiernan. Parker H. Murphy, other commission member, was not able to attend.

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L’Etoile – October 28, 1924

AUTOMOBILE PARKING

The police will start stricter surveillance on Middle Street. – Automobiles will be able to park on Brown Street.

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     The city wants to vigorously and severely enforce the ordinance limiting automobile parking on Middle Street to twenty minutes. The police has received orders to particularly monitor this street. Also, as of Monday, parking will be allowed on Brown Street, a decision which will certainly please motorists.

     Street marking for the parking spots is now under way. Brown Street parking will particularly suit those who wish to go to Memorial Auditorium.

     Speaking of Middle Street, yesterday, Sargent Edward Connors, traffic control police chief, declared that it was necessary to enforce the twenty-minute limit to motorists who want to park between Central and Dutton Streets because deliveries to shopkeepers with Middle Street storefronts should not be blocked. 

     Parking rules are respected on Merrimack Street, added Sargent Connors. Motorists tend to park their cars on French Street between Brookings and the canal bridge. Parking spaces are available there at any time of day. 

     From now on, we will be able to park on the lower part of Dutton Street, on the east side, thanks to the goodwill of the Merrimack Mill directors.

     Parking on the train track side will be possible, another advantage for motorists who have to go to the city business center. 

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     L’Etoile’s weekly column Au fil de la plume, literally translated on the thread of the pen, featured quips on current news. (1)

“Au fil de la plume” – October 30, 1924

     The new regulation forbidding parking on Merrimack Street between Central and Dutton Streets has only one fault: it should have been implemented a long time ago. Not doing so was flagrant abuse. Our main Lowell artery was no more and no less than an open air garage.

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     The rule should also benefit the shopkeepers in this section of Merrimack Street. How many times have we not had to shop elsewhere because the line of cars along the curb made access impossible?

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L’Etoile – September 16, 1924

THE MAYOR ASKS
THE CITY COUNCIL
TO INQUIRE

Nothing can be done to remediate the present road conditions without cooperation of the City Council which is vested with the required power.  

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     Mayor Donovan addressed the following letter to the city Council concerning the vote taken to stop city paving work because of expended funds.

     To City Council members.

          “Gentlemen,

     According to the charter clauses, it is my prerogative to counsel you on administering departments when I find it necessary.

     The budget of the various road services is close to depletion. Opinion is greatly divided on the administrative powers of the present management.

     Two letters were sent to the City Services Commission stating that the Council should vote for an additional budget, funded by a loan, to complete the unfinished program during the fair season. I recommend passing ordinances in favor of borrowing money to allow pursuing work outside while this is still possible. However, I also strongly recommend that an extensive survey be conducted in order to establish what is dysfunctional within the department, to identify the responsible actors and to enforce effective road improvement measures.

     The charter stipulates that I, as mayor, cannot intervene to make staff, administration or management changes within the department. I can do nothing without joint action from the City Council. In addition, it is impossible for me to conduct an executive survey to investigate the department. That is the legislative role of the City Council. I pray that you exercise the authority with which you are vested in order to discover what is not functioning properly within the department. The public has the right to know the real facts. Losses and extravagance should not be allowed.. If the department does good conscientious work, the public should be informed as well. However, the widespread call for improvement prevails. I am led to believe that there is too much misunderstanding and jealousy and not enough cooperation among the junior members of the department. This is extremely detrimental to department competency and contributes to inadequate administration. 

     It is important that the City Council act immediately to solve this problem. May it search for the real shortcomings within in the department. May it face the issue without fear and may it formulate well-defined plans for improvement, no matter who is offended. When you do this, you can be assured of my approbation. Until then, I cannot act.

John H. Donovan,
Mayor (2)

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1)   More “Au fil de la plume” briefs in PIP #46:

https://richardhowe.com/2024/11/05/new-at-the-white-house/

and in PIP #50:

https://richardhowe.com/2024/12/24/lowells-christmas-1924/

2)   Translations by Louise Peloquin.