USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Melrose > City of Melrose annual report 1900 > Part 12
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The total amount of the sewer assessments levied to date is $173,247.50.
Abatements made by the board of sewer commissioners to Jan. 1, 1900, (principally on public property) $4,990.46.
Leaving total net assessment of $168,257.04.
NOTE .- These abatements do not include certain suspension of pay - ments for a term of years made by the board of sewer commissioners and the mayor, as by the terms of these suspensions the parties pay interest at the rate of 5 per cent. per annum on all amounts unpaid and they are virtually an extension of time.
CONSTRUCTION.
No main or common sewers have been constructed the past season. The petitions and requests of all persons for this work have been referred to the board of aldermen. It
200
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
may appear inconsistent to state that no sewer construction was actually done and in the same report to show an expen- diture of $1,864.26 sundry bills charged to sewer construc- tion and $1,316.46 stock.
Upon a careful examination of the following items which go to make up these amounts I think it will be readily un- derstood without going into further detail.
EXPENDED.
Sundry bills paid account
Allen case, . $468 70
S. F. Howes, gravel bill 1899, 28 00
John Martin, mason “ 90 53
Awards land damage, . .
200 00
minor “
29 00
Refund for tools returned, .
50 00
Sundry bills per bill book, .
319 05
Paid on pay rolls to other divisions, .
177 25
$1,362 53
Sundry accounts:
Highway division,
. $428 40
Water
71 OI
Park
2 32
501 73
$1,864 26
Stock account:
Paid for brick, $90 00
" lumber, I 08
6
" cement, 232 00
castings, 81 00
pipe, 2,827 43
" labor, 203 83
" advertis'g, 29 80
Carried forward,
$3,465 14
$1,864 26
201
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
Brought forward, $3,465 14 $1,864 26
CR.
By stock charged:
Private sewers, $1,644 77
Highway div., 428 40
Water 71 01
Maint'ce sewer,
2 50
Parks, . 2 32
$2,149 00 $1,316 14
Total, .
$3,180 40
NOTE .- A great portion of the stock purchased this year is such as will be used in the construction of private sewers, and, as fast as used, will be credited to the sewer construction account, so that eventually this account will in no ways suffer.
PRIVATE SEWERS.
At the beginning of the year I consulted with the board of health and was led to believe that it was their intention the coming season to compel practically all buildings to be con- nected with the common sewer. The pipe market being low, I purchased by contract quite a large quantity of pipe and fittings in anticipation of work of this kind, estimating that about six or seven hundred connections might be made, whereas only 261 premises have been connected the past year. This accounts for the large stock balance, $1,316.14. The following is data concerning all private sewers con- structed to date, Feb. I, 1901:
202
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
SUMMARY OF CONSTRUCTION.
Year
Total length in miles
Average cut
in feet
Average cost
per foot
Cubic yards
earth
excavation
Cubic yards
rock excavation
Cost per cubic
yard earth
excavation
Cost per cubic yard rock
excavation
1895
2,096
6.33
$0.4845
7,736.00
$0.441
1896
4.042
6.03
.4543
14,303.00
190.2
.377
$4.50
1897
2.966
6.07
.3933
10,557.00
35.0
.387
4.50
1898
2.073
5.56
.45
6,663.71
101.5
.444
2.90
1899
4.349
5.83
.4589
14,684.00
196.7
.38
4.00
1900
2.48
5.88
.4609
8,541.00
85.0
.413
4,50
Totals
18.006
5.95
$0.4503
62,484.71
608.0
$0.407 $4.08
SUMMARY OF CONNECTIONS.
1895
1896
1897
1898
1899
1900
Totals
Single houses
164
362
264
181
400
239
1610
Double houses .
26
47
31
20
37
13
174
Blocks, stores and ten'm'ts
17
18
10
5
13
6
69
Tenement blocks, of four or more tenants
3
0
11
4
7
0
25
Churches .
3
1
0
0
0
1
5
Club houses
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
Public buildings
1
5
4
3
0
0
13
Hospital
1
0
0
0
1
0
2
Railroad stations
1
1
0
2
0
0
4
Fire stations
1
0
0
1
0
0
2
Mills .
0
1
1
1
0
0
3
Hotels and b'rding houses
1
1
0
1
0
0
3
Stables
1
0
1
0
1
0
3
Private schools
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
Laundry
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
Totals
220
436
322
218
459
259
1914
NOTE .- Total number constructed in 1900 and February, 1901, 261, of which 18 were connected with the state sewer.
The total cost for labor has been $3,915.32.
203
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
The private sewer account for 1900 is as follows:
Total amount collected and paid treasurer, . . $6,092 29
EXPENDED.
Labor as per pay rolls, . . $3,915 32
Stock from yard,
1,644 77
Blacksmithing,
120 99
Tools bought,
60 58
Oil and sundries,
72 02
Replacing concrete,
68 62 5,882 30
Surplus, . $209 99
$137.37 of this amount ($209.99) is cash on hand Jan. I, 1900, leaving a net surplus of $72.62. If each connection could be charged with a portion of the expense of maintain- ing a yard and other incidental expenses, such as stationery, books, blanks, postage, clerical help, etc., this amount ($72.62) which appears here as a surplus would be absorbed.
Statement of collections made by the engineer and superintendent of public works to the credit of the sewer division of the public works department.
W. DABNEY HUNTER, In account with CITY TREASURER.
DR.
To cash on hand Jan. 1, 1900, . $262 78
" actual cost private sewers, 1900, . 6,020 60
To estimate of Isaac Cochran, 30 00
unsettled accounts, 1896, . $59 89
1897, . 19 55
1898, . 8 31
1899, . 169 74 $257 49
Amount carried forward,
$6,570 87
204
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
Amount brought forward,
$6,570 87
To sundry repairs, 1900, 3 22
" rebates unpaid, 3 98
" sewer construction, sundry collections, 444 74
$7,022 81
CR.
By cash paid treasurer, account
private sewers, . . By cash paid treasurer, account construction, 444 74
$6,092 29
By abatements made by the mayor, 18 95
By private sewer accounts un- settled, 1900, $180 70
By private sewer accounts un- settled, Main street, 1900, 152 40
333 10
By private sewer accounts un- settled, 1899, . 35 53
By private sewer accounts un- settled, 1898, 8 31
By private sewer accounts un- settled, 1896,
59 89
6,992 81
Cash on hand, Feb. 1, 1901,
$30 00
MAINTENANCE.
Last year in my request to His Honor Mayor Gould for appropriations for the year 1900, was an item of $1,500.00 for sewer maintenance, which was in some way overlooked, and, although the budget as passed apparently gave all that was asked for, no sum was appropriated which could be legally expended for this purpose. A certain amount of work how- ever was imperative and has been done, and the cost taken from the unexpended balance from sewer construction. The amount of these expenditures to date, as shown else-
205
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
where in detail, has been $979.38. This amount, together with previous deficiencies ($16.93) should be raised in the tax levy and refunded to the sewer construction account.
This probably can be done the coming year provided the aldermen appropriate the amount asked for, $2,000.00. A summary of the expenditures and appropriations for main- tenance to date is as follows:
Expended in 1895, . $276 10 601 04 .
" 1896,
' 1897, . 693 32
1898, . 292 08
1899, . 1,891 60
66
1900, ·
. 979 38 $4,733 52
Appropriated by the town, ·
March, 1899,
3,737 21
Total deficiency to date, .
$996 31
A detail of expenditures charged to maintenance for 1900 is:
Labor as per pay rolls, $516 47
Stock from yard,
2 50
Rent of yard,
350 00
Labor and teams, water division, 32 68
highway
77 73
$979 38
The number of feet of sewers cleaned and cared for each year since the system was commenced is given below:
In 1895 63,763.22 ft. of main sewer 6in. to 24in. diameter. " 1896 1 10,426.60
" 1897 161,953.91 ،،
" 1898 165,889.91
" 1899 173,149.4I
" 1900 173,149.41
Total, 848,332.46 66 cared for to date, or
206
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
about 160.6 miles at a total cost of $4,733.52, making the av- erage cost per mile per annum a little less than $30. When it is considered that this sum also includes the care of 17,976 miles of private sewers, it must be evident to all that both our main lines, as well as our particular or private sewers are well designed and constructed.
SUMMARY OF RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURES OF SEWER DIVISION.
Amount of unexpended balance, Jan. 1, 1900, $3,303 86 Am't receipts P. S. paid treasurer by W. D. Hunter, $6,092 29 Am't receipts Con. paid treasurer by W. D. Hunter, 444 74
Bills collected, highway div., stock, 428 40
66 66 water 71 01
park 2 32
Am't bills collected, pub, works office, 99 00
engineers'
paid on pay rolls, 78 25
$7,216 OI
$10,519 87
Expended :
Construction, .
.
$1,864 26
Stock balance,
1, 316 14_ 3, 80,40
Maintenance, .
979 38
Private sewers,
5.882 30
$10,042 08
Credit balance, .
$477 79
HIGHWAY DIVISION.
It would seem that nothing more could be said in regard to the poor condition or untidy appearance of the highways; their condition has been criticised since Melrose was set
207
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
apart from Malden and probably will be when we become a part of Greater Boston. The topic has become as conven- tional as that of the weather and many of the remarks con- cerning them are equally ridiculous and untrue. It has be- come a habit to run down their condition ; apparently peo- ple do not consider the amount of money appropriated, nor the amount required to construct a street similar to those seen in some of the neighboring cities. Evidently their at- tention has not been called to the fact that our entire ap- propriation of $20,000.00 would not construct a mile of such streets as may be seen in some parts of Malden, Somerville, Cambridge, Brookline or Newton, the approximate cost per foot of which is as follows:
Macadamizing, I ton of stone, placed and rolled,
$1 00
Curbing, 2 lin. ft. set, . @ $ 60
I 20
Gutters paved with granite blocks, 23 sq.
yds. . @ 3 00 2 00 .
Sidewalks paved with ordinary bricks,
I 1/3 sq. yds., @ 85 I I3
Total,
$5 33
If surface drainage is taken into consideration, $1.25 per running foot should be added, making $6.58 per running foot or about $35,000.00 per mile. To construct all of the public streets in Melrose, 42.24 miles, in this manner, not in- cluding crossings, retaining walls, railings, etc., would cost $1,478,400.00.
As an offset against this expense Melrose now has ap- proximately 3.6 miles of macadamized roadways, 0.4 miles of brick sidewalks, 33.4 miles of concrete sidewalks, 510.0 feet of granolithic walks, 2.5 miles of straight curbing, 780.0 feet of curved curbing, 2.7 miles of paved gutters, 3 brick crossings total length 97.1 feet, 106 concrete crossings total length 0.57 miles, 64 granite crossings total length 0.42 miles, the total value of which is about $100,000.00.
208
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
GRAVEL BANKS.
The city owns no gravel banks, and pays a considerable sum annually for gravel; last year it amounted to $305.95.
The streets can be repaired or built much cheaper with gravel than with crushed rock, and until the appropriation is increased, or the gravel roads put in better condition, I do not feel justified in using any great quantity of crushed rock; therefore, the coming season it is expected to use a great deal more gravel than in previous years. If the city could afford to buy pits, gravel could be obtained cheaper, and the city would still own the land after the gravel was re- moved, and could probably dispose of it for nearly the original cost.
Last year in a number of instances gravel was obtained from the highways by cutting off knolls or hills and the material used on other portions of the street; this was done on Mor- gan, North and Highland avenues, the Ravine road and Washington street Two kinds of gravel are needed, viz: " blue gravel" and " free gravel." The blue gravel can be used to best advantage in sandy sections and the free gravel in wet or marly districts; the latter makes the best road, but it takes longer to pack down and become smooth. Nothing makes a better summer road than blue gravel, but in the spring when the frost comes out of the ground, they are very soft and muddy. The best result is obtained from a mixture of the two, using the free or sandy gravel on the bottom of the roadway and covering it with a thin layer of screened blue gravel, then thoroughly wetting the whole, and rolling it to a hard, even surface.
CITY STABLES AND YARD.
Melrose needs a city stable and a yard from which to do all of the business of the public works department. The work could be more economically and satisfactorily done from a common yard than under present conditions, as we practically have no headquarters.
Early in the year this matter, with estimates and recom-
209
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
mendations, was called to the attention of the mayor, Mr. Gould, who in turn referred it to the board of aldermen, where the `matter now rests awaiting their action. I can only repeat my recommendations made at that time. The question seems to be on a suitable location. I feel that the yard should be on the line of the railroad, it does not mat- ter so much about the stable. If any great quantity of work is done, such as curbing, brick sidewalks or drainage, a large quantity of material will come by rail and it would be impractical to dispense with a storage depot on the line of the railroad, as otherwise much of the material would have to be handled and hauled twice.
CONSTRUCTION AND REPAIRS, 1900.
Bellevue avenue. Early in the season portions of Main, Essex and Green streets were repaired. As they had pre- viously been macadamized and therefore had a good founda- tion, only the smaller size of crushed rock or pea stone was used; this left a large quantity of the coarser stones at the crusher which were in the way and a place to put them was sought. Stakes were set and a grade fixed on Upham street but before doing the work, upon examination of the records of breaks in water pipes, it was found that the water main was in a poor condition and needed renewing. Franklin street, between Main street and the railroad tracks, was con- sidered and the same objection found; Grove street was also considered but required drainage, which for lack of funds could not be done. Thus many streets were found which needed to be rapaired or rebuilt but which also needed some other work, necessitating digging them up, and, realizing the importance of not thoroughly rebuilding any street until all such improvements had been made, Bellevue avenue was decided upon. At the place rebuilt, no drainage of any consequence was needed, it also had a fairly good water pipe, all estates were connected with the sewer, therefore, there appeared to be small chance that its surface would be disturbed for many years. These facts to- gether with its poor condition, were the only reasons why
210
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
this street was selected. One catch-basin was built on the northeast corner with a temporary out-let into the north gutter on Emerson street, which is so arranged that it can readily be connected with a drain in Emerson street pro- vided it is ever built. The street was excavated to a sub- grade 8 inches below the finished grade, thoroughly rolled to a hard surface, then covered with an 8 inch layer of coarse stone, and pea stone and dust being added as needed, and the whole thoroughly watered and rolled. This does not make such a satisfactory road the first season as when clay is used, but continues to grow better with wear, where- as one constructed by the other method soon becomes muddy.
This was the only attempt made at macadamizing the past season, the rest of the streets have either been patched or constructed of gravel.
Emerson street, at the junction of Orient avenue was cut down two feet to conform with a grade fixed for Mr. Ed- ward Babb by the board of selectmen. The street was partly graveled or covered with crushed stone but was left in an unfinished condition to attend to more urgent repairs and will have to be completed the coming season. The same may be said of Orient avenue where it joins Emerson street.
Franklin street, from Main street to Sargent street was re-surfaced temporarily with gravel and the entire length gone over; gutters cleaned and cradle holes filled.
Ferdinand street. A continuous concrete walk was built. on the east side which made it necessary to build two retain- ing walls with iron guard railings, and a small amount of other work; the gutters along this curbing should be paved and the street graveled over.
Green street, on the west side of the car tracks from Por- ter street to Avon street was resurfaced with pea stone; nothing more substantial was done as it was realized that the water main was in a poor condition and needed to be relaid .*
Grove street, on which is a great deal of travel, is in a very
*NOTE .- Seven breaks have already occurred since the work was done and as a consequence the street is now in poor condition.
21I
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
bad condition and must remain so until some steps are taken towards drainage, as its condition is entirely due to the ac- tion of the surface water. It takes the wash from a large territory and each storm washes it so badly that it is made dangerous to travel. This report shows no large sum ex- pended as most of the repairs have been charged either to general maintenance or to catch-basins and drains. For fur- ther remarks, reference is made to a special report to the board of aldermen on order No. 358, made July 30th, 1900.
Highland avenue, from Sargent street to Ashland, was re- graded; the hill at Cliff street cut off and the material used here and on Morgan avenue as before stated. Mr. T. W. Ripley requested to have the line changed by connecting two straight lines, which came together making an unsightly angle, by a tangent curve, offering to donate the land pro- vided the change was made. The matter was referred to the board of aldermen who now have it under advisement. The improvements were made to correspond to the change as asked for.
Main street, from Sylvan street to the Wakefield line, was patched and the worst places repaired. In many instances, between Franklin street and the Wakefield line, the car tracks were lower than the gutters; bunches of ledge and large boulders were within a few inches of the surface, and in some cases were in sight and came in contact with the wheels of vehicles and was only prevented at others by being filled over. It was decided to let this piece of work by contract. Advertisements were placed in the local pa- pers and on June 20th, 1900, bids were opened as follows:
Norris & Co.,
$2,309 25
Robert Philpot,
$1,930 00
C. L. Hoffman,
$1,496 50
F. W. Hoffman,
$1,437 00*
The bid of Frank W. Hoffman was accepted and the work completed at an expense of $1,490.30 made up as follows:
212
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
For picking up and regrading, . $896 50
" relaying 718.8 sq. yds. paving, @.29 208 45
" furnishing, hauling, spreading, wa- tering, rolling and all other in- cidental work 770.7 cu. yds. gravel, @ .50, 385 35
$1,490 30* Total, .
From the foregoing it will be seen that the principal items of expense was the regrading. The lack of funds made it necessary to construct this road of gravel, but it is useless to try to make a gravel roadway stand the travel on any street through which there is a car track, for the wear is not distributed evenly over the surface but comes in one place. If crushed stone is used it will last for a time but, although the first cost is greater, the most economical road to build on such streets is a paved one.
Morgan avenue, the top of the hill was cut off 18 inches and the material used on other parts of the street. The old "sleeper" culvert at the west end near Spring street was taken up and replaced with one of 15 inch vitrified pipe; the roadway widened to its full width with the ledge and bould- ers taken from Main street and Highland avenue, and now, although far from being a boulevard, is greatly improved.
North avenue and Walton park were both dressed over; the holes filled and the center of the street crowned. Wal- ton park is particularly unsightly, owing to the very ragged condition of old concrete gutters which were originally only a veneering of tar and sand over the top of ledges which should have been blasted out and can be remedied only by paving "dished" gutters or by edgestones and paved gutters.
Upham street, from East street to the Saugus line, was graveled and put in fair condition; the ditches along the sides were dug out and the center of the street crowned to shed the water.
*NOTE .- The apparent discrepancy between the amount of bid of F. W. Hoffman and the amount paid on contract is due to the difference between the estimated quantities of work to be done and that actually performed by and under the contract.
213
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
Washington street, from Lynde avenue to Stoneham line, was unsafe, and as it was one of the entrances into the park, it was rebuilt of gravel; the hill at the park entrance was cut down and the material used to re-surface the roadway, which was not quite sufficient and two small portions near the Stoneham line and another near Lynde avenue were sur- faced with gravel from "Baldwin's pit." This gravel con- tains too much clay and the road at these places is not so good and will have to be covered with pea stone.
Wyoming avenue, from Cleaveland street to the Stone- ham line, was regraded and graveled over and is now in a very good condition. The gravel was obtained from the knoll just west of the Ravine road, and from one on the Ra- vine road.
The Ravine road was regraded and graveled over from Wyoming avenue to the Stoneham line, the knoll cut off and the material used on this road and on Wyoming avenue, and is now in as good a condition as any gravel road can be.
Other streets on which smaller repairs were made are as follows: Ashland street covered with pea stone, gravel, and rolled; Everett street was gravelled; Howard street crushed stone was placed in bad places; Porter street graveled in places ; Sargent, School and Spear streets graveled, side- walks were built and street surfaced.
Other minor repairs were made as will be seen from the detail of expenditures at the close of this report, which also shows the cost of all work mentioned.
DATA CONCERNING MELROSE.
42.24 miles of accepted streets.
10.85 roads open to public use, not accepted.
11.94 county comissioners roads (which are also in-
cluded in the 42.24 miles of accepted streets.)
I.486 miles electric car lines (double track.)
5.814
" " (single track.)
0.102 turnouts.
2.201 66 steam railroad (double track.)
5.0 grade crossings.
214
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
REMOVAL OF SNOW.
The removal of snow, and the question of how much of its expense should be borne by the street railroad company, is a subject of much discussion, not only in Melrose but throughout the state. It is claimed by the railroad com- panies that by Chapter 578 of the Acts of 1898, providing for the payment by them of an excise tax, also relieves them of the burden of caring for any part of highways through which they run. The truth or soundness of this claim has not as yet, to my knowledge, been determined by the courts.
The past year the city paid for one half and the railroad company the other. Although it was snowing on the morn- ing the city government organzied, Jan. Ist, 1900, and not receiving my temporary appointment until about 10.30 o'clock, this arrangement was made in season to care for the snow which fell that day and was continued throughout the year.
The basis for this arrangement is the assumption and claim, which is partially true, that the removal of snow is made necessary both by the clearing off of the sidewalks and the tracks, one of which is the act of the city, the other of the railroad company.
The snow is removed from the sidewalks by snow-plows and the length plowed is 76.93 miles, which is divided into II routes, one plow and horse to the route as follows:
Lebanon and Grove streets, and east of Lebanon street, and south of Grove street, 7.17 miles. J. R. Gibbons.
West of Lebanon street, to B. & M. R. R. and south from center of Grove street, 6.91 miles. F. A. Pratt.
North from Porter street, and east of B. & M. R. R., inclu- sive of Porter street, 16.00 miles. A. W. Lynde.
South of north line of Wyoming avenue and west of B. & M. R. R., 8.37 miles. J. Gibbons, Jr.
West of B. & M. R. R., between Wyoming avenue and Perkins street, 10.70 miles. F. Howes.
North from south line of Perkins street, and west of B. & M. R. R., 8.62 miles. C. Hoffman.
215
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
East of B. & M. R. R., between Grove and Porter streets 19.06 miles. Highway division.
CATCH-BASINS AND DRAINS.
Six new catch-basins have been constructed, located as fol- lows: two on Lebanon street, just south of Upham street; two on Main street, just north of West Linden street; one on Bellevue avenue, at northeast corner of Emerson street; one on Laurel street, at southeast corner of Sixth street.
These catch-basins are of an approved design and are similar to those built by the city of Boston, constructed of brick with granite covers and cast iron traps. We have on hand 12 sets of covers and traps.
The only drain laid permanently is the short piece of 15 inch pipe laid on Main street, from the culvert at the foot of Reading Hill south about ninety (90) feet, which is laid in concrete with joints cemented, and is a part of the de- signed system.
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