USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Quincy > Inaugural address of the mayor, with the annual report of the officers of the city of Quincy for the year 1911 > Part 16
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Park Commissioners,
Dec. 30, 1911.
-
387
Water Front Commissioner
To His Honor, the Mayor of the City of Quincy:
Dear Sir :
As Commissioner of Water Fronts, Waterways and Navigation of the City of Quincy under your appointment, I have the honor to submit the following report, as regards the transportation by water as it affects the business of the city.
There was received and shipped by water in the year Nov. 1, 1910 to Nov. 1, 1911 :
166,887 tons of 2,240 1bs., an increase of 20,000 tons from last year.
There was received at the Quincy wharves about six million feet of lumber.
312 vessels arrived and departed from this port, includ- ing tugs, steamers and barges.
The shipments of granite by water amounted to 63,120 tons.
The balance of freight handled at Quincy's wharves con- sisted of coal, sand, clay, steel, machinery and manufactured articles.
QUINCY POINT BRIDGE.
The draw was opened 1,484 times last year; 96 times more than in 1910. In my last report I recommended the re-
388
pairs of the piers and the widening of the draw. This rec- ommendation was approved by Your Honor and a petition to the Harbor and Land Commission and a bill put through the State Legislature resulted in the repairs being made. The center piers are practically finished and are a first-class job, reflecting great credit on the County and Bridge Commis- sioners and the two engineers in charge, Mr. H. T. Whitman and his assistant engineer, Mr. Frederick L. Tupper.
The widening of the draw and the changing of the oper- ating power from hand to electricity will decrease the time of opening and closing about 65 per cent and will be of great benefit to the travelling public.
This Office recommends the lighting of the whole bridge in a first-class manner by electricity. The immense amount of travel, especially in the summer season, absolutely de- mands better lighting, and Quincy should insist that this is done.
WEYMOUTH FORE RIVER.
The prompt and efficient help given your Commissioner at Washington by Senators Henry Cabot Lodge, W. Murray Crane and Representative Joseph F. O'Connell resulted in the United States Government making an appropriation of $140,000.00 for Weymouth Fore River for the removal of Channel Rock and the straightening of the channel to Quincy Point Bridge.
This work is progressing slowly, but the dredgers are working every day and satisfactory results will be obtained.
QUINCY RIVER.
When the Public Dock is established on Quincy River, I recommend a strong and earnest effort by the City for an appropriation for dredging the channel. This must be secured from the State of Massachusetts.
389
A BELT LINE ELECTRIC FREIGHT RAIROAD ALONG OUR WATER FRONT FROM FORE RIVE TO NEPONSET RIVER.
I recommend the cooperation of the City Government with the Bay State Street Railway Company in the establish- ment of a belt line electric freight railroad which shall con- nect the Fore River Ship Yard railroad with the wharves of Messrs. Patch and Sheppard, the Bay State St. Ry. wharf, the land of Messrs. Thomas and Whiton, the Baker Yacht Basin, the Gavin land, the Faxon and Lelois land, the John- son Lumber Wharf, the Quincy Electric Light and Power station and the New York, New Haven and Hartford Rail- road at Atlantic. It is my belief that the City should have a bill put through the Legislature giving them the right to take land for such purpose, by right of eminent domain.
PUBLIC LANDINGS.
The recommendation of this office as regards public landings has borne some fruit, as the City has purchased a location at the foot of Bay View Avenue, Houghs Neck, and has appropriated $2,000.00 to build run, floats and retaining wall. I would recommend a future purchase of a location at Squantum and also at the Causeway near the Old Willow House lot below Quincy Woods. These localities are becom- ing congested and the future needs for a public landing will be very great. A public landing float should be placed at the park near the bath house at Quincy Point, and be in charge of the attendant.
PUBLIC DOCK.
That the public dock matter is conceded to be of vital interest to the granite industry is well known. Hon. Edward H. Sandberg's bill which passed the Legislature, authorizing the City to issue bonds to the amount of $100,000.00 to build
390
such a dock, is proof that the Massachusetts State officials agree as to that fact.
This office is preparing a series of plans and locations which will be submitted to Your Honor in a few weeks and the needs of our great granite industry will be a matter of the first consideration by me.
FUTURE DEVELOPMENT ON THE WATERFRONT.
I wish to call the attention of Your Honor and the City Government to a matter of vital importance to this section of Boston Harbor and to the business interest, not only of the City of Quincy but of all the surrounding towns. It is a well- known fact that the Port of Boston needs a good dry dock, and that such a dock only reaches its highest percentage of usefulness when it is near a large ship yard with all modern appliances.
Quincy has the ship yard and the finest skilled ship- wrights in the world, and this City should make every effort to have this dock located near our great Fore River Ship Building Co.'s works, which employs over three thousand men, with a large mechanical equipment and capable of building first-class vessels of all types. This yard at present does very little repair work, chiefly because it has no dry dock. It is frequently obliged to send work, which it would otherwise do, to New York and is unable to bid upon work which would naturally come to Boston, and which now goes either to New York or Newport News. It is estimated that repair work amounting from $150,000 to $200,000 per annum goes to the docks south of us. The Underwriters complain of the excessive cost of repairs to vessels in Boston, so that if a dry dock is to be located in Boston Harbor it should be under such conditions that the work done therein shall be performed at least cost. This can only be secured in the immediate vicinity of a works employing an adequate num- ber of men of all trades required for ship repair work, and
391
with adequate machinery for handling and manufacturing, forgings, engines, boilers and hull work.
The facilities of our own Fore River Ship Building Company are vastly superior in these respects to anything in New York. I therefore believe that a Public Dry Dock would be most useful if located in the vicinity of these works and where accessible for railroad communication. Quincy, Braintree, Weymouth and Hingham should combine in a strong and definite effort to have the location of the Public Dry Dock near the Fore River Ship Building Company works.
This is a matter of great importance and I ask the sup- port of the Executive and the City Government, believing that as a City, Quincy will be more than justified to use every effort to locate the public dry dock here; the same to be built by the State of Massachusetts, which would reduce the cost of maintenance to a minimum, because of its freedom from taxation and the low rate of interest at which the State can obtain the necessary funds. The size of the dock advised would be 1,200 feet long and 110 feet wide, and would cost approximately one million and a half dollars.
PERSONAL WORK BY THE COMMISSIONER.
Appeared before the United States Naval Board of Engineers at Washington, D. C., and recommended the appropriation of $140,000.00 for the removal of channel rock and the widening of Weymouth Fore River.
Examined the Dock System of Montreal, by order of the Mayor.
Attended Conventions at Providence, R. I., and Rich- mond, Va.
Attended all Hearings at the State house before the Harbor and Land Commission and the Committee on Har- bors and Public Lands, that related to any matters on Quincy's Water Front.
392
RESULTS.
Appropriation by the United States Government for Weymouth Fore River. $140,000.00.
Appropriation by the Harbor and Land Commission for a Basin at Houghs Neck. $5,000.00.
Appropriation by the City Council for a Public Landing. $2,000.00.
There was no cost for the above to the City of Quincy.
FRANK FESSENDEN CRANE,
Comsr. Waterfronts, Waterways and Navigation. . .
393
Report of City Solicitor
Quincy, Feb. 1, 1912.
Hon. Eugene R. Stone, Mayor.
Dear Sir : I submit herewith my report for the year 1911 :
LEGISLATIVE MATTERS.
At the request of Mayor Shea, I prepared the following A cts of 1911 and attended hearings before the several Legisla- tive Committees having the same in charge.
Chapter 57-An Act authorizing the City to borrow $200,000 outside its debt limit for the purpose of extending its Sewerage System.
Chapter 93-An Act permitting the Trustees of the Thomas Crane Public Library of Quincy to hold property to the extent of $200,000.
Chapter 448-An Act authorizing the City to borrow $200,- 000 outside its debt limit for the purpose of extending water mains, etc.
Chapter 713 -- An Act authorizing the City to expend not exceeding $100,000 for the improvement and development of its water front.
Chapter 301-An Act authorizing the Board of Health of Quincy to clean out vaults, cesspools, etc., and giving it addi- tional authority with reference to regulating the cleaning out of same.
394
The Trustees of the Weymouth Fore River Bridge and the Trustees of the Weymouth Back River Bridge, respectively, instructed Albert P. Worthen, Esq. and myself to prepare and introduce Bills for widening the draws and rebuilding the. bridges over said rivers. Accordingly, we prepared such Bills and attended the hearings on the same, given by the Committees of the Legislature these Bills are embodied in Chapter 230, 1911, authorizing the County Commissioners of Norfolk County and the Trustees of the Weymouth Fore River Bridge to widen the draw of said bridge one hundred and twenty-five feet, and to repair the bridge ; and Chapter 739-Authorizing the Trus- tees of the Weymouth Back River Bridge to remove said bridge and build a new one over said river, at a cost not ex- ceeding $80,000.
In addition to my work in connection with the above mat- ters, I attended hearings before different Legislative Com- mittees on matters indirectly affecting the city, such as Bills authorizing an increased expenditure of money in connection with the Metropolitan Park Districts and Bills involving other Metropolitan and State expenditures, towards which the city of Quincy would be required to contribute, if they were enacted by the Legislature.
SUITS AND CLAIMS.
Quincy has been fortunate during the past year in having but few suits brought against it. Several claims against the city on account of damages sustained by reason of defects in the highways of the city were referred to this Department, and where it appeared that there was liability on the city's part and the parties could be settled with for a small amount, the claims were adjusted.
COUNCIL AND COMMITTEE MEETINGS.
I have attended practically every session of the City
395
Council during the year, and in accordance with my usual pol- icy, whenever requested by the Council or any member thereof for an opinion as to any matter pending before it, have given my opinion at the time, believing it better for the Council to have an oral opinion while the matter was pending before it, rather than avail myself of the provisions of the Charter per- mitting to take several days' time to consider the matter and then give an opinion in writing.
I have also attended sessions of the several Committees of the Council when requested to do so, and have rendered them such assistance as they desired.
ADMINISTRATIVE DEPARTMENTS.
During the year I have advised the heads of the several Administrative Departments from time to time concerning mat- ters pending in their Departments, and have always held myself in readiness to render them every assistance possible.
OFFICE ROOM.
Under the present arrangements the Mayor and the City Solicitor are required to use the same office. The room is a very small one and the business of both offices cannot be carried on therein at the same time with any degree of satisfaction.
The work of this Department is steadily increasing, re- quiring the presence of the City Solicitor at the City Hall for several hours nearly every day and it is necessary, in order to enable the City Solicitor to discharge the business of his office promptly and with convenience to the different City Officials who have occasion to confer with him, that he should have a separate office.
Yours truly, JOHN W. MCANARNEY, City Solicitor.
397
Report of the Commissioner of Public Works
To His Honor the Mayor of the City of Quincy :
Sir :- Complying with your request, I beg to submit the following report for the Department of Public Works for the year nineteen hundred and eleven.
This has been by far the busiest year in the history of this department. The total amount available for work during the year was $566,736.80, which was apportioned as shown in the following tables :
Budget
$101,462 00
Street construction
103,728 36
Surface drainage 10,570 00
Public buildings, construction and repairs 11,085 00
Permanent sidewalks 19,870 00
Purchase of steam roller
2,500 00
Purchase of gypsy moth sprayer
1,375 00
Purchase of city scales
400 00
Neponset Bridge replanking
2,500 00
Public landing, Hough's Neck
2,000 00
Water extensions
55,710 29
Water meters
35,000 00
Water leakage 1,500 00
Sewer construction and house connection receipts 39,592 77
$387,283 42
Plus balances from 1910 appropriations 179,453 38
$566,736 80
For the specific items of these accounts, reference may be made to the City Auditor's report.
398
ANNUAL BUDGET.
Appropriation Expended
Balance
Bridges, culverts
and
drains
$2,500 00
$2,483 89
$16 11
Clerical
780 00
780 00
Gypsy moths
4,000 00
Balance, 1910
1,871 89
Receipts
1,329 11
6,899 90
301 10
Miscellaneous
250 00
243 81
6 19
Miscellaneous, highways
25,000 00
Balance, 1910
1,489 03
Receipts
2,468 93
27,482 67
1,475 29
Removal of snow
4,000 00
Balance, 1910
94 13
2,674 48
1,419 65
Repair public buildings
and care City Hall
8,000 00
Balance, 1910
749 35
Transfer
285 00
8,879 22
155 13
Street lighting
33,700 00
33,618 60
81 40
Street watering
8,500 00
8,356 35
143 65
SPECIAL APPROPRIATIONS.
Bath house, Ward 2
$2,500 00
$2,497 14
$2 86
Buckley street
2,000 00
2,000 00
Channing street
2,300 00
2,253 72
46 28
City Scales-Purchase
400 00
400 00
Copeland street park
500 00
500 00
Cross walks, Adams square
250 00
250 00
Dimmock street
1,200 00
1,200 00
Euclid avenue
1,400 00
1,400 00
East' Squantum street
6,000 00
Balance, 1910
1,941 01
7,467 96
473 05
Excise tax
9,797 32
9,797 32
399
Appropriation Expended
Balance
Garfield street widening $250 00
$1 20
$248 80
Glendale road 800 00
800 00
Gypsy moth sprayer 1,375 00
1,358 29
16 71
Hancock street widening 14,733 00
14,696 23
36 77
(From Dimmock st. to Saville st.)
Hancock street widening 38.000 00
38,000 00
(From Granite st. to School st.)
High School wiring
350 00
350 00
Intervale street paving
1,900 00
1,900 00
Kemper street
1,800 00
1,800 00
Kent street .
2,000 00
2,000 00
Marlboro street
650 00
639 19
10 81
Neponset bridge replanking 2,500 00
2,500 00
Passageway, Glendale road
650 00
650 00
Permanent sidewalks
19,870 00
19,457 81
412 19
Phillips street
3.000 00
2,910 88
89 12
Public landing,
Hough's Neck
2,000 00
2.000 00
Ring avenue
1,100 00
1,100 00
Robertson street
700 00
608 62
91 38
School street widening
700 00
700 00
Steam roller, purchase
2,500 00
2.500 00
Surface drainage
10,570 00
10,367 83
202 17
Tyler street
3,100 00
3,027 38
72 62
West Squantum street
7,100 00
6,470 74
629 26
Wollaston school furnishings
6,450 00
203 25
6,246 75
Wollaston school grading
1,500 00
1,349 47
150.53
400
1910 APPROPRIATIONS.
Appropriation Expended
Balance:
Arlington street-
Balance, 1910
$49 92
$38 81
$11 11
Bedford street-
Balance, 1910
2,005 15
2,005 15
Ballou street-
Balance, 1910
722 30
541 13
181 17
Belmont street-
Balance, 1910
3,295 90
3,295 90
Birch street-
Balance, 1910
1,571 10
1,359 26
211 84
Brock street --·
Balance, 1910
1,500 00
1,500 00
City Hall vaults-Public Records
Balance, 1910
2,757 35
1,903 82
853 53
Claremont avenue-
Balance, 1910
1,800 00
1,799 92
08
Crescent street rebuilding- Balance 1910
2,000 00
1,998 78
1 22
Cross walks-
Balance. 1910
334 50
334 50
Drinking fountains in schools- Balance, 1910
239 36
236 94
2 42
East Howard street sidewalk- Balance, 1910
330 00
330 00
Fayette street-
Balance, 1910
1,321 85
1,257 24
64 61
Furnace avenue rebuilding-
Balance, 1910
1,000 00
998 42
1 58
Germain avenue- Balance, 1910
3,343 65
3,330 06
13 59
Hancock street paving- Balance, 1910
2,561 03
626 96
1,934 07
Hill street -.
Balance, 1910
747 25
409 79
337 46
400
Appropriation Expended
·Balance
Hough's Neck school house-
Balance, 1910 5,102 95
5,102 95
John Hancock school heating- Balance, 1910
$40 43
$30 00
$10 43
Marsh street rebuilding- Balance, 1910
400 00
399 85
15
Merrymount road-
Balance, 1910
1,700 00
1,655 72
44 28
Montclair school house-
Balance, 1910
45,000 00
30,201 28
14,798 72
Oakland avenue- .
Balance, 1910
825 00
825 00
Permanent sidewalks, concrete- Balance, 1910
2,606 12
1,898 05
708 07
Phipps street sidewalk- Balance, 1910
70 62
70 62
Plymouth street-
Balance, 1910
1,596 95
1,596 81
14
Pleasant street-
Balance, 1910
900 00
899 58
42
Police station plumbing- Balance, 1910
400 00
400 00
Richie road-
Balance, 1910
3,172 30
3,172 30
Royal street-
Balance, 1910
1,944 45
1,944 45
School chairs, purchase- Balance, 1910
34 12
25 80
8 32
Surface drainage- Balance, 1910
755 66
755 66
Trafford street rebuilding- Balance, 1910
3,000 00
3,000 00
West street-
Balance, 1910
3,500 00
3,500 00
402
Appropriation Expended
Balance
Willard street retaining wall-
Balance, 1910
600 00
567 83
32 17
Wollaston school house-
Balance, 1910
75,000 00
61,855 92 13,144 08
BUDGET APPROPRIATIONS.
BRIDGES, CULVERTS AND DRAINS.
Budget appropriation
$2,500 00
Special appropriation 2,500 00
$5,000 00
EXPENDITURES.
Bates avenue bridge, replanking $121 84
Beale street bridge, replanking and repairing 56 67
Fore River bridge, assessments 660 00
Hingham bridge, assessments 175 00
Merrymount road (new bridge) 116 53
Neponset bridge, replanking and repairing 2,858 58 Warren avenue bridge, repairing and replanking 310 57
Repairing minor bridges and culverts and cleaning drains 550 30
Hancock street railroad bridge, re- pairing 134 40
Balance 16 11
$5,000 00
FORE RIVER BRIDGE.
A special act of the Legislature has made possible the much needed repairs to this bridge and the widening of the
403
draw to 125 feet. The work was done by the Norfolk County Commissioners and Trustees of the Fore River Bridge acting jointly, and is a good job. As the bridge had to be main- tained just the same, we were obliged to pay the assessments as usual.
Warren avenue bridge was found to be in very bad con- dition over the railroad tracks, and certain members of the bridge were renewed. The whole planking was removed, iron work for entire length thoroughly cleaned with hammers and red leaded and painted.
The old wooden bridge on Merrymount road was re- placed with a concrete one the full width of the roadway. Sidewalks were built on each side with curb and fencing. It is a good, strong job and looks fairly well. The cost was apportioned between this account and the appropriation for rebuilding the street.
For years the under plank or deck plank and stringers of Neponset bridge have been neglected. Early in the year a portion of this was renewed near the draw and the balance of the bridge looked as though it might pull through the year, as the top planking was good, but the heavy summer travel soon made the bridge dangerous. The Council were asked for money to do this work, but failed to provide it, but as the bridge had to be repaired, the work was done, and after con- siderable talk the money was appropriated afterwards. £ A good, temporary job was done by three-inch hard pine diag- onal planking laid on top of the two layers of old plank.
GYPSY AND BROWN TAIL MOTHS.
These two pests have been well handled by Mr Andrew Stewart and his men. Most of the city looks very goud. with a few bad places in outlying districts. Early in the year the whole city was covered by hand work, and later both sprayers covered the city once, and a few spots twice. The new sprayer was a great help, as the spraying season is short.
404
This machine was used on the hills, as it is much lighter than the old one, and the latter was used on more level ground.
Spraying was done for the Elm Leaf beetle at the same time, and it has done a great deal of good.
A great deal of trimming has been done to fight all of these pests and also for the Leopard Moth, which is getting into some of the elms.
Every pile of brush or litter is a hiding place for nests, and I wish the public could be made to realize this more than they do.
REMOVAL OF SNOW.
We have about three hundred miles of ploughing to be done which is handled by 38 ploughs. We are dependent on contractors for many of these ploughs, and some dissatisfac- tion results, but it is out of the question for the city to do it all with their own teams.
About fifty miles of sidewalks on hills and main thor- oughfares are sanded, but this work is increasing every year and costs more than the ploughing.
STREET WATERING.
Bills and pay rolls approved on this account amounted to $8,500 00, charged as follows :
Standard Oil Co. of 'N. Y., emulsion oil 21,031 gals. $928 83 Standard Oil Co. of N. Y., freight 144 43
The Alden Speare's Sons Co., tasscoil, 19,809 gals. 1,089 50 The Dustoline for Roads Co., dustoline, 66,553 gals. 4,325 96 Headley Good Roads Co .. road oil, 440 gals. 37 40
N. Y., N. H. & H. R. R., freight and demurrage
399 25
Fore River Shipbuilding Co., oil tank Labor and transfer
150 00
1,105 43
Misc. and repairs
175 55
Balance 143 65
$8,500 CO
405
Length. of streets treated, 24.94 miles.
Number of sq. yds. treated, 444,400.
Cost per square yard, $0.019.
Assessment was made on abutters-223,042 feet at $0.02 per lineal ft., amounting to $4,460.84.
The wet spring prevented the oiling being done quite of time, as oil cannot be put on a wet road with success.
After the work was started, the results were fair, but the last treatment could not be applied at all owing to the rains.
Oil treatment is better than water sprinkling, but the roads have to be in much better shape to take the oil, or it is wasted. Paved, macadam and gravel roads were treated with thin oil called Dustoline with good results, but we could not use as much oil as was really needed. This is a light, clean oil which does not dry out, and if the roads are in proper shape to receive it gives good results.
On a good clean macadam road an asphalt oil gives a smooth, clean surface, but the heavy grades of this oil cannot be put on to good advantage early in the spring, and as it is the heavy oil which contains the largest percentage of asphalt this kind of work must be done in the early summer. This oil is dirty, but if put on fairly heavy and sanded it gives the best results.
Tarvia B has given the best results, but costs twice as much per square yard as our appropriation allows. For or . dinary travel this gives a smooth, clean surface; add a small thickness to the roadway and reduces maintenance cost.
Crude oil sprayed directly on the street under high pre ;- sure was tried too late in the season to determine accurate results.
This is the cleanest method of applying oil, and if suc- cessful is a step ahead in suppressing dust.
406
STREET LIGHTING.
Appropriation
$33,700 00
Expended.
Quincy Electric Light & Power Co. $31,391 77
Citizens' Gas Light Co.
2,226 83 33,618 60
Balance
$81 40
STREET LIGHTS JANUARY 1, 1912.
In use Added
Dec. 31, '10
1911
In use Dec. 31, '11
Cost per year
Hrs. per Night
Hrs. per Month
Citizens Gas Lt Co.
Scattered
37
3
40
$23.00
10.5
30.4
Houghs Neck
72
3
75
19.00
10.5
29.0
Quincy Electric
Light Co.
Arc
170
170
87.50
10.5
29.0
Series
872
53
925
18.75
10.5
29.0
Over Fount'n
1
1
40.00
10.5
30.4
During the year the new four light Mazda cluster has been substituted on trial in the Square for the enclosed Arc. About two of these have been put in for each Arc with very much better results. The price per light has not been fixed, but will have to be before they are installed in other parts of the City.
407
REPAIR PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
The amounts expended on the various buildings are as follows :
SCHOOL BUILDINGS.
Adams
$234 91
Atherton Hough
303 47
Coddington
308 57
Cranch
388 65
Gridley Bryant
360 02
High
519 08
John Hancock
386 26
Lincoln
276 27
Massachusetts Fields
418 82
Quincy
187 82
Washington
148 36
Willard
522 50
Wollaston
121 09
$4,175 82
FIRE STATIONS.
Central Fire Station
$86 10
Hose House, Ward 2
58 93
.
Hose House, Ward 4
106 16
Hose House, Ward 5
647 95
Hose House, Ward 6
17 60
Hose House, Hough's Neck
237 59
$1,154 33
408
i
CITY HALL.
Lighting
$602 26
Fuel
413 93
Janitor services
1,411 00
Miscellaneous
636 82
$3,064 01
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