USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Fitchburg > Address of the mayor, together with the annual reports for the city of Fitchburg, Massachusetts for the year .. > Part 28
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III. DISPOSAL.
Of a total area of 116.67 acres taken for a disposal area set- tlement has been made with the Fitchburg Railroad Co. for 47 acres of land, the payment being $6462.50 and with Arthur H.
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REPORT OF SEWAGE DISPOSAL COMMISSION
Lowe for 6.5 acres of land, the payment being $892.33. This land being for sale was purchased in 1910 by Mr. Lowe for the use of the department in connection with the disposal of sewage. The wood on the land of the Fitchburg Railroad Co. has been cut off and the brush burned so that this area is in shape to use next year for the purpose of excavating material for the con- struction of filter beds. Test pits have been dug and samples of material taken for the purpose of ascertaining the value of the material as a filtering medium.
IV. RIVER IMPROVEMENT.
One of the leading reasons for the creation of the sewage disposal commission and the construction of the main inter- cepting sewer and disposal works was that the condition of the river might be so improved as to eliminate the nuisance which is prevalent during the minimum flow of the summer months. To further carry on the improvement of the river and prevent so far as possible pollution by persons owning land along the river or by persons having access to the river it seems to your commissioners that something ought to be done to authorize some person or body to exercise authority to prevent the throw- ing of organic matter or unsightly. material into the river. If the city spends a number of hundred thousand dollars in an ef- fort to improve the waters of the river, either the sewage disposal commissioners or some other board or person ought to have au- thority to prevent the pollution of the river through the negli- gence or indifference of private parties in order that the full benefit of the work done by the city may be realized. Whether such authority would be in the nature of walling in or improve- ment of the channel of the river, or would simply be in the na ture of police duty, would have to be determined by the legisla- ture in the text of the act which might be adopted. It seems to your commissioners that this matter might be taken up by you and considered at an early date.
V. DEPARTMENT BUILDING AND YARD.
Having purchased the Walker lot on Water street, as stated in the second semi-annual report, your commissioners believed that it was desirable to erect at as early a date as possi-
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REPORT OF SEWAGE DISPOSAL COMMISSION
ble properly planned buildings upon this lot, that the work to be done by this department might be carried forward as advan- tageously as possible. A number of schemes for buildings were studied and one plan adopted. Detail plans for the pro- posed building were drafted and specifications written. These were submitted to contractors and proposals received October 16 as follows : John R. Hosmer, $16,651; J. D. Littlehale, $17,000 ; S. S. and H. N. Lawrence, $17,245 ; and S. J. Leger, $19,492. The contract was awarded to John R. Hosmer. The building is red brick with Rollstone granite underpinning and trimmings. The main building is 38 ft. x 82 ft., two stories high, the first floor to contain tool room, store keeper's room, men's room and lavatory, the second story to contain work room, laboratory and rooms suitable for offices or other pur- poses. There is a one story ell 27 ft. x 41 ft. 6 in. containing a room for a blacksmith shop and a garage for the storage of three autos or carriages. Work was begun on this building in October and at the present writing is nearly ready for placing the roof. The contract calls for the completion of the building March 15, 1912. This will insure the use of the building for the work of the coming season.
A side track has been constructed at this location of suffic- ient length to accommodate four cars, and use has already been made of this track in unloading a number of cars of sewer pipe. This track will be extended in the spring to the full length of the lot, and possibly a wooden building constructed for the storage of cement and other supplies. The cottage house on the lot is being occupied at present and rental of $13 per month received. This house will probably be removed from the lot the coming season. The whole area of the lot is needed for department uses.
VI. WORK ACCOMPLISHED AND PLANNED FOR 1912.
Considering the fact that studies for the main intercepting sewer were not sufficiently completed to warrant any attempt at construction until early in the summer of 1911 your commis- sioners believe that they have made a satisfactory start on the work for which they were appointed. About 3,500 feet of the · main sewer has been built and an additional length of about
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REPORT OF SEWAGE DISPOSAL COMMISSION
2,300 feet is now under contract. Studies are being made and will probably be completed during the winter for Section 1 between that portion of the sewer already contracted for and the disposal area, and also for the section of the main sewer westerly from Putnam street. Studies are also being made rel- ative to the method of disposal and the construction work necessary therefor. It is hoped that during the season of 1912 the main sewer may be completed from the disposal works to Sheldon street, and possibly as far west as Oak Hill road, pro- vided Broad street is decreed or an easement taken in that location. It is also expected that the disposal plant will be so far constructed that connections from existing outlets can be made with the main sewer and that all of the sewage so far as the main sewer shall have been constructed will be delivered to the disposal works by the end of the season. This will prob- ably remove at least 50 per cent of the present flow of sewage from the river. This briefly covers the possible construction for 1912, although legal or physical difficulties may be encount- ered which may make it impossible to accomplish this amount of work.
VII. ADDITIONAL LEGISLATION.
Chapter 461 of the Acts of 1910, authorizing the appoint- ment of the Sewage Disposal Commission states that the Com- mission shall construct a main trunk sewer and a system of sewage disposal as approved by the State Board of Health re- ferring evidently to the action of the State Board of Health in December, 1903, approving the plans recommended by the late Freeman C. Coffin. During the past eight years there has been such an advance made in methods of sewage disposal that it seems to your commissioners that Fitchburg ought to be allowed to avail itself of some of these approved methods, es- pecially as some of them are apparently less expensive in first cost and also in maintenance than that already approved by the State Board of Health. Your commissioners have made arrangements for some modification of this act by the legislature of 1912. Just what form this new legislation will take has not yet been definitely decided, but the following petition and copy of a proposed act have been presented to the legislature.
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REPORT OF SEWAGE DISPOSAL COMMISSION
To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General Court Assembled
The undersigned citizens of Fitchburg respectfully repre- sent that they are the Sewage Disposal Commission appointed under authority of Chapter 461, Acts 1910, and they would respectfully petition your honorable bodies to adopt the ac- companying act.
ARTHUR H. LOWE. DAVID M. DILLON. DANIEL A. BOYLE. Sewage Disposal Commission.
AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE THE CITY OF FITCHBURG TO ESTAB- LISH A SYSTEM OF SEWAGE DISPOSAL.
Be it enacted, etc., as follows :
SECTION 1. The city of Fitchburg without being re- stricted as to the method, is hereby authorized to construct, maintain and operate main drains and a system of sewage dis- posal for said city.
SECTION 2. No act shall be done under authority of the preceding section until the plans for said system of sewage disposal have been approved by the State Board Health, and said Board need be in no manner prejudiced by any previous action by it upon plans submitted by the city of Fitchburg.
SECTION 3. So much of the Acts of the year 1910 as may be inconsistent with the foregoing provisions is hereby repealed.
SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on its passage.
VIII. EXPENDITURES-IMPROVED SEWER SYSTEM
For the six months ending December 31, 1911, your com- missioners have expended the sums indicated in the following table under the various sub-divisions, which table also shows the total amount spent in this account to December 31, 1911.
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REPORT OF SEWAGE DISPOSAL COMMISSION
GENERAL CHARACTER OF EXPENDITURES
For six months ending December 31, 1911
From beginning of work to Dec. 31, 1911
General work applicable to all divisions of Improved Sewer System.
Administration.
$486 45
Stenographer and bookkeeper,
$288 00
624 00
Stationery, printing, stamps,
73 21
394 25
Telephone and express,
68 89
133 04
Traveling
15 64
135 91
Furniture and fixtures,
405 00
2,132 71
Rent, light and care of rooms,
413 18
875 73
Books and maps
71 95
Miscellaneous,
35 03
43 58
$1,298 95
$4 897 62
Department Yard, Water street.
Repairing buildings,
1 62
114 19
Furniture,
9 85
9 85
Water rates,
4 50
4 50
Purchase of lot,
12.245 5
Sidetrack at yard,
1 080 00
New buildings,
7,312 42
7,312 42
7,328 39
20,766 21
Engineering.
Chief Engineer,
$1 099 80
$1,903 50
Assistant engineers and draftsmen,
3,048 89
5 611 97
Inspectors,
802 76
802 76
Consulting engineers and special studies,
1,739 98
1.739 98
Transportation,
56 30
140 55
Engineering and drafting tools and supplies,
177 32
1,462 44
Books and maps,
39 00
City Engineering Dept. (surveys),
122 85
Parker, Bateman & Chase, (surveys),
60 02
Miscellaneous supplies
16 00
49 75
6,941 05
11,932 82
Main Intercepting Sewer.
Wash borings,
99 44
596 16
Advertising,
53 95
104 35
Printing,
159 00
159 00
312 39
859 51
Section 3.
McCarthy & Walsh,
35,058 41
35,058 41
Pipe,
428 60
428 60
Castings,
107 33
107 33
Miscellaneous supplies,
96 80
96 80
35,691 14
35,691 14
Section 2A.
Little & Seretto,
10,135 88
10,135 88
Pipe,
238 02
238 02
Castings,
10 10
10 10
Miscellaneous,
65 76
65 76
10,449 76
10,449 76
$46,453 39
$47,000 41
Disposal.
Land purchase,
$6,466 90
$7,369 48
Test pits,
296 24
296 24
Cutting brush,
1,458 27
1,458 27
Miscellaneous,
1 15
1 15
8,222 56
9,125 14
Separation.
Rain gage,
131 99
131 99
131 99
131 99
$70,376 23
$93,854 19
$8,627 34
$25,663 83
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REPORT OF SEWAGE DISPOSAL COMMISSION
RECEIPTS.
General :
Fixtures,
$42 89
Telephone charges,
1 53
Miscellaneous,
45
$44 87
Department yard :
Rent, of house,
$91 00
Old lumber,
30 00
Rent of pumps,
48 25
$169 25
Engineering :
Damage to drafting
table,
$2 00
Supplies sold,
6 72
$8 72
Disposal :
Cord wood,
$285 75
Old shed,
15 00
$300 75
$523 59
Loan,
100,000 00
$100,523 59
IX. PUNCH BROOK DIVERSION.
The petition of the Safety Fund National bank and others, asking that the course of Punch Brook from Academy street be diverted through Academy, Main and Rollstone streets to the Nashua river, which was referred on July 6 to the Sewage Dis- posal Commissioners, was considered by the Commissioners, and the chief engineer and consulting engineer were requested to investigate this matter and report. Their report was submitted to the City Council November 28, 1911, and is given in full in Appendix A.
If it is the intention of the City Council to do anything relative to Punch Brook in the near future it would seem to your commissioners that early action ought to be taken because work which will probably be done on the main intercepting sewer and connections next season in Putnam street and in
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REPORT OF SEWAGE DISPOSAL COMMISSION
Main street between Putnam and Prichard streets could be combined with work recommended by the engineers relative to the Punch Brook problem and a considerable saving in total expense could be made.
X. SEWER MAINTENANCE.
As stated in the second semi-annual report the maintenance of the sewer system was continued by the Street Commissioners from December 1, 1910, to May 1, 1911. During the twelve months ending November 30, 1911, there was expended in this account $5,600.03, of which amount $4,380.95 was for cleaning catch-basins. The following amounts have been expended in recent years for cleaning catch-basins : 1904, $4,016.30 ; 1905, $3,726.04 ; 1906, $3,710.23 ; 1907, $3,841.34 ; 1908, $4,059.43 ; 1909, $2,639.99 ; 1910, $2,888.09, and 1911, $4,380.95. While the amount expended for cleaning catch-basins in 1911 has been larger than in any other year in the recent history of the city it can be confidently stated that there has been more thorough cleaning and care of the catch-basins than has been customary. The appropriation for sewer maintenance of $3,500 per year is altogether inadequate to properly carry on this work, as from the figures above given it can be seen that the appropriation is not sufficient in ordinary years to even clean the catch-basins to say nothing about the necessary expense of cleaning and flushing, sewers and doing such minor repairs as are required each year. In this connection it might be well to state that if there was more care taken by the street department in the selection of material used for surfacing streets where there is liable to be a heavy wash at times of rain there would not be the need of so much expenditure in the cleaning of catch-basins. There are certain catch-basins in the city which have been cleaned seven or eight times during the past season and yet it was a season which was not marked by excessive rains. It is no credit to one department of the city to so carry forward its work as to make another department incur an unnecessary ex- pense in doing its work. In addition to the inferior material used on some streets there is a noticeable neglect on the part of the street department in cleaning gutters with the result that at times of heavy rain material that could easily have been taken
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REPORT OF SEWAGE DISPOSAL COMMISSION
from the gutters and carted away is washed into the catch-basins, necessitating a large additional expense for shovelling from the basins before carting away. It seems to your commissioners that more attention by the street department along these lines would be the means of saving considerable expenditure of the city's money in keeping the catch-basins in condition to do the work for which they are constructed.
Your commissioners would recommend that there be a substantial increase in the appropriation for sewer maintenance in 1912. The average expenditure under sewer maintenance account the last eight years has been $5,027.80. It would seem to your commissioners that in order to properly maintain the system the coming year, including some repairs which ought to be made to certain man-holes and catch-basins there should be an appropriation of $6,000. The following table shows the re- ceipts and expenditures under this division for the twelve months ending November 30, 1911 :
SEWER MAINTENANCE.
RECEIVED
DEC. 1, 1910 - MAY 1, 1911 (BY STREET DEPARTMENT)
EXPENDED
$3,500 00 43 42
Appropriation,
Cash,
Cleaning and flushing sewers,
$15 69
Repairing sewers,
85 25
Cleaning catch-basins,
875 73
Repairing catch-basins,
87 07
Miscellaneous,
113 20
MAY 1, 1911-Nov. 30, 1911
108 44 56 32
Cash,
Debts receivable,
Cleaning and flushing sewers,
410 71
Repairing sewers,
36 09
Cleaning catch-basins,
3,505 22
Repairing catch-basins,
116 95
Miscellaneous,
354 12
1,891 85
To balance,
$5,600 03
$5,600 03
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REPORT OF SEWAGE DISPOSAL COMMISSION
XI. SEWER CONSTRUCTION. ·
As stated in the second semi-annual report, sewer construc- tion was carried on by the Street Commissioners from December 1, 1910, to May 1, 1911. During the twelve months ending November 30, 1911, there was expended in this account a total of $14,103.46 as given in detail in the accompanying table, which shows the expenditures and receipts.
Sewers have been constructed as ordered by the Mayor and Aldermen in Beech, Bridge, Carey, Essex, Martel, Maverick, Melrose, Pratt, and Roosevelt streets and in Pratt road. The sewer ordered constructed in Elizabeth street has been partly constructed. Owing to the excavation in Elizabeth street being almost wholly rock it has been a slow and expensive construc- tion. Sewers have also been ordered in Clifton, Columbus, Rollstone, and Woodland streets, and in Gardner and West- minster Hill roads. The purchase of pipe has been inade for some of these sewers and some preliminary work done, but they were ordered so late in the season that construction was necessarily deferred until another year. Catch-basins have been constructed in Clinton, South and Water streets. Other catch- basins ordered will be constructed before winter if possible, otherwise the work will be delayed until another year.
Since your commissioners have assumed charge of the work they have issued 109 permits for connections with public sewers. From December 1, 1910, to May 1, 1911, the Street Commissioners issued 21 permits for this purpose, making a total for the twelve months of 130. According to the report of the Street Commissioners the number of permits issued in 1910 was 173 and in 1909, 98. The average number issued for the years from 1900 to 1908 inclusive was 52. This would seem to indicate that during the last three years there has been a steady growth throughout the city if the erection of new buildings is anything by which to judge.
The item of $3,772.75 for special studies in 1900 and 1903 is an expenditure transferred to this account by the auditor in order that the account might be removed from the current yearly account and payment therefor included in the municipal loan.
36
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REPORT OF SEWAGE DISPOSAL COMMISSION
SEWER CONSTRUCTION
RECEIVED
DECEMBER 1, 1910 TO MAY 1, 1911 (BY STREET DEPARTMENT)
EXPENDED
$165 51
Balance December 1, 1910.
106 84
Assessments.
32 93
Cash.
House connections,
$154 64
Catch-basins and manholes,
109 22
MAY 1, 1911 TO NOVEMBER 30, 1911
2,726 71
Assessments.
988 19
Cash.
919 96
Debts receivable.
Sewers.
Beech street,
676 81
Bridge street,
297 83
Carey street,
353 99
Clifton street,
107 50
Columbus street,
4 74
Elizabeth street,
2,466 59
Essex street,
284 58
Gardner road,
7 29
Martel street,
484 36
Maverick street,
275 14
Melrose street,
220 75
Pratt street.
301 80
Pratt road,
1,245 50
Rollstone street,
183 03
Roosevelt street,
578 96
Westminster Hill road,
2 08
Woodland street,
72 30
Catch-basins.
Clinton street,
34 85
Dover street,
5 00
South street,
39 31
Water street.
27 01
Private work,
61 78
Traps,
66 00
House connections,
1.549 47
Miscellaneous.
Brick,
40 26
Castings,
160 80
Pipe and cement,
291 11
Car tickets,
50 00
Kerosene,
21 46
Shovels,
25 75
Office supplies, Sundries,
56 60
Special studies 1900-1903, (Coffin & Barnes),
transferred by Auditor,
3,772 75
9,163 32
Loan to balance,
. $14,103 46
$14,103 46
34 20
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REPORT OF SEWAGE DISPOSAL COMMISSION
There is personal property of the city under the control of your commissioners of a total value as listed of $5,116.14. The value of this property used in connection with the maintenance and construction work and located at the department yard amounts to $1,505.26, the value of that used by the engineering department for field and office work amounts to $1,650.78 and in the main office, including office furniture, the personal prop- erty amounts to $1,960.10. A list of this property is on file at the office.
The work done under the divisions of sewer maintenance and sewer construction are treated more in detail by the super- intendent in his report, which is transmitted herewith as a part of this report. The work in connection with the improved sewer system is given more in detail in the report of the chief engineer and consulting engineer, which is herewith transmitted to you as a part of this report.
ARTHUR H. LOWE, DAVID M. DILLON, DANIEL A. BOYLE, Sewage Disposal Commissioners.
SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT
To the Sewage Disposal Commission,
GENTLEMEN : - I herewith respectfully present my report as superintendent covering the work under the maintenance and construction accounts for the year ending November 30, 1911.
MAINTENANCE.
In beginning any new work or organizing any new depart- ment it takes some time to plan the work and determine methods for carrying forward the work to be done. While I began my work as your superintendent in December, 1910, yet it did not seem to be desirable to organize and maintain a day labor force during the winter to care for such a small amount of work as would probably be needed. Accordingly arrangements were made to have the superintendent of streets continue this work for some months as he had done for years before the sewage disposal commission was appointed. This arrangement was continued until May 1, 1911. At that time Mr. A. M. Jackson, who had been superintendent of streets and sewers in Leomins- ter for some years, was appointed as assistant superintendent. Mr. Jackson has had charge of all the day labor force in this division so that I have had to spend very little time on the de- tail of the maintenance work, thus allowing me to devote my time to the engineering features of the construction work and the improved sewer system.
The most important feature of this division is the cleaning of the catch-basins which entailed an expenditure for the whole year of $4,380.95 or about 78% of the total expenditure. From May to November inclusive some account was kept of the cost of cleaning catch-basins which shows that during these six months covering a total of about 1,260 basin cleanings the aver- age cost was $2.56. The average amount of material handled
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REPORT OF SEWAGE DISPOSAL COMMISSION
from each basin was 1.58 cubic yards making the cost per cubic yard $1.62. The difficulty of finding suitable places to deposit waste material without excessive length of haul is a problem which faces all city departments as well as citizens and corpora- tions. This difficulty will increase with the growth of the city and will probably tend to increase the cost of cleaning catch- basins year by year so far as teaming is concerned.
All catch basins have been thoroughly cleaned and kept cleaned even though some have been cleaned six or eight times during the season. I believe that a little more care on the part of the street department in the selection of material to be placed on our steeper streets would greatly reduce the number of clean- ings required for some of the basins at the foot of these hills. It does not seem just for the street department to place on such streets material that does not easily become compacted and which at the time of any ordinary rain will completely fill the basins. Further, if more attention was given to cleaning gut- ters throughout the summer much of the material now taken from the basins could be taken from the gutters at much less expense. 1 have observed gutters in different sections of the city filled fully one-half the depth to the top of the curb with ma- terial which during a good shower would be washed into the basins. And during building operations much material is de- posited in the streets and allowed to remain there many weeks which adds materially to the amount of matter that fills the basins. Perhaps such an ideal condition of street cleaning would add somewhat to the cost of street maintenance yet it would lessen the cost of cleaning catch-basins more than it would increase the cost of street maintenance and so the city would not only be the gainer financially but there would also be a gain in the attractiveness of the public ways. The total number of catch-basins to be cared for at present is about 859. This in- cludes all inlets to the sewers for surface water. Some of these are round grates in the car tracks or in the gutters with but small basins in which material is held and so need but little care and attention, but fully 90 per cent are regular basins with curb inlets.
All the sewers built on the flatter grades have been tho- roughly inspected and flushed with water from fire hydrants through fire hose so that at present all the sewers are in good
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REPORT OF SEWAGE DISPOSAL COMMISSION
working condition. I shall aim to have all such sewers as are liable to stoppage inspected and flushed at least twice every year.
The cast iron covers to a number of manholes are a foot or more below the surface of the street. In such cases I believe the covers ought to be raised to bring them about to the street grade. Whenever it becomes necessary to enter such a man- hole it causes too much disturbance to the street surface to un- cover it and during winter causes a large expense to get through that amount of frozen road surface. It does not cost much to raise one such cover but to raise quite a number makes a large total expense. I shall endeavor to remedy this condition as fast as funds are available to do the work.
The inverts of many of the manholes built during the earlier years of sewer construction are one to three feet below the sewer grade. This is a very undesirable condition as this sump makes a cesspool in which putrefaction of sewage is in progress, causing offensive odors to arise from the different inlets for surface water. Further, this putrefaction causes septic action of a portion of the sewage, making it somewhat stale when it reaches the outlet at the river. While this is not par- ticularly objectionable under present conditions, yet when disposal works are built and in operation it will be decidedly objectionable as it is generally considered that fresh sewage is very essential in the kind of disposal works which we will probably build. I believe the inverts to these sump manholes ought to be changed at as early a stage in our work as possible.
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