USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Norwood > Norwood annual report 1885 > Part 4
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The small mill-pond on the line of this brook in the Hawes farm near the Neponset river, is inadequate for your requirements, and will not admit of satisfactory enlargement. The brook at this point is 66 feet above mean sea level, 105.7 feet below Buckmaster pond and 56.7 below Village Hall building. I do not consider Traphole brook suitable for your purposes.
15
Bubbling brook rises in the southeast corner of the town of Dover, and discharges into Tisdale's pond, where it is joined by the Foundry or Colburn's brook, which rises in the easterly part of the town of Dover. The Bubbling brook is of no value for your purpose until it reaches Tis- dale's pond, which is 110.8 feet above mean sea level, 60.9 feet below Buckmaster pond and 11.9 feet below Village Hall building. This pond is very shallow and the water stored in it becomes wholly unfit for use in warm weather. Its water level cannot be raised for increased storage without flooding a large tract of level swampy land, which would destroy the value of the source for safe domestic use. Tisdale's pond in its present condition, or with any improvements possible is not suitable for your requirements. The Foundry brook will be referred to again.
The Ellis mill-pond is 99.5 feet above mean sea level, 72.2 feet below Buckmaster pond, and 23.2 feet below Vil- lage Hall building. It is open to the serious objections of shallow flowage and constantly varying water level, either of which would prove injurious to the quality of the water stored, if indeed it did not render it totally unfit for use a greater part of the year. It may occur to you that some method of filtration could perhaps be adopted, and in the absence of a morc desirable supply such a way of making this source available might be well worth considering, but the control of the outlet and the sole ownership of the pond should in any case be acquired by the town, so that improvements could be made in the basin and the surplus water wasting through the outlet be applied so far as it would go, to the work of pumping the water required by the town.
As reliance could be placed upon this source of power for a portion of the year only, steam pumping machinery would be required for the rest of the time, thus making necessary a double pumping plant.
16
The cost of acquiring these rights and of providing suit- able pumping machinery, cleaning the pond basin and con- structing a filter bed or gallery, would greatly exceed the cost of the very simple plan described below, while the quality of the water furnished would by no means be as constant or desirable.
Buckmaster pond covers an area at present of 29.5 acres, and has a water shed, including this area, of about 250 acres.
If the pond were lowered six feet there would remain 22 acres of water surface. If lowered ten feet, 18 acres ; twelve feet, 12.5 acres ; twenty feet, 6 acres.
The deepest sounding in the pond was 29 feet at high water. The bottom below the 12 feet contour is a sandy gravel, covered with a layer of very fine silt or vegetable deposit ; above this level it is a coarse gravel, overlaid in the northerly portions of the pond with black mud and vegetable silt. The storage capacity of the pond basin is as follows :
Below the 20 feet level,
6
66 IO 66 66
6
66
I I,700,000 gals. 36,000,000 46,000,000 66
72,000,000 66
123,000,000 66 At high water,
If the pond were raised three feet, 156,000,000 66
Measurements of the water overflowing through the outlet have been made with the following results :
From January 1 to 14, 1885, 6 million gallons. 66
66 14 to 21, 5
66
21 to 30, 7 66 66
Total overflow, Jan. I to 30, 18 66
or at the rate of 600,000 gallons per twenty-four hours, and at the date, of the last gauging the daily overflow of the pond was at the rate of 410,000 gallons per day.
66 I2 66 66
17
January 21 the rate of flow throught the weir was 1,040,000 gallons per twenty-four hours. At the end of these gaugings the pond level stood . 125 of a foot higher than in the beginning, showing that 114 million gallons had been stored in addition to the 18 million gallons wasted.
The observations made during this time indicated that the water shed of the pond delivered an unusually large percentage of the rainfall. This source can be relied upon to yield not less than 300,000 gallons of water per day through the year.
A gauging of the water passing through the wasteway of the Foundry brook at the iron works January 13, 1885, showed the rate of flow to be 2.8 million gallons per twenty- four hours, or 2,000 gallons per minute. The water shed of this stream above this point is at least 400 acres, and the average daily yield if adequate storage can be pro- vided would be not less than 500,000 gallons per day for the year.
The three basins or ponds on the line of the Foundry brook are respectively 11 feet, 22.5 feet and 44 feet above Buckmaster pond. There will be no difficulty in the way of diverting the entire flow of this brook, or such portion as may be suitable, from the lower, or Baker's mill-pond, and receiving and storing it in Buckmaster pond. The length of canal or conduit required would be fifteen hundred (1,500) feet, and the deepest cut on the line would be only eight feet. These combined sources can be relied upon if properly managed, to yield not less than 800,000 gallons of water per day.
My instructions directed me to consider the feasibility of obtaining a supply of water from the works of the Ded- ham Water Company.
The high water level in the Dedham stand pipe at Oak- dale is 241.5 feet above mean sea level and 118.8 feet above Village Hall building.
18
It is practicable to extend the piping of the company to Norwood, by laying a twelve inch leading main through Washington street, and connecting it with the Dedham system in such a way as to allow a flow of water of the full capacity of this main.
To more effectively localize the pressure from Dedham, and to insure an efficient fire service for Norwood, it would be necessary to construct and permanently maintain a storage reservoir on the high ground on Washington street near the Weatherbee place, which locality is about 195 feet above mean sea level, and 73 feet above Village Hall building.
The distribution piping system in Norwood would be substantially the same as described further on in this re- port.
The source of the Dedham Water Company is a large filter well, from which a supply of pure and cold water is taken daily for the needs of that town. The quality of the water is all that can be desired, and the pumping sta- tion of the company is provided with duplicate pumping machinery, so that the constancy of a supply from that source, if adopted, would be guaranteed so far as the pumping capacity is concerned. It may be questioned whether the construction of another well would not be- come necessary to insure a sufficiency of water.
It is practicable to raise the high water level of the Dedham stand pipe, and increase the head or pressure thereby to the extent of perhaps fifteen feet, making the head at Village Hall building 133 feet.
So far as I can judge, the cost to the Dedham Water Company of supplying Norwood from this source, includ- ing distribution piping, hydrants and reservoir, would be very nearly $75,000. I have obtained no proposals from · that company, but an estimate of the probable cost to the Town of Norwood, based upon the regulations and pub- lished rates established in and for the Town of Dedham,
19
and upon the charges and terms of similar corporations under similar circumstances in other towns, can be sub- mitted, and is as follows :
For each and every fire hydrant established and main- tained in the Town of Norwood, fifty dollars ($50) per year ; the territory to be piped and controlled by the water company, and the domestic and other water rates to be collected, as in Dedham, by the company.
It is evident that a fair return, say five (5) per cent. at least, should be realized by the company on such an in- vestment, in addition to the cost of pumping and mainte- nance.
Not less than fifty-five (55) fire hydrants will be required to properly protect Norwood, which at $50 each would amount to $2,750 per annum.
The charter of the Dedham Water Co. does not confer authority to supply Norwood with water, so that special legislation would be necessary before contracts could be made on the part of either town or company. Such legis- lation could undoubtedly be obtained upon proper applica- tion and notice.
The service which could be furnished by the Dedham Company would be competent and satisfactory, and the financial standing and management of that corporation would guarantee any contract to which it might be a party. The question then becomes one of expediency, involving present and future economy to the town, and as such, is properly beyond the scope of my report as defined by my instructions.
As a final result of the study, I have decided to recom- mend to you as competent in every way for your purposes, and as superior in point of efficiency and economy to any other of the sources examined from which an independent supply of water can be introduced, the Buckmaster or Flax pond, with the Foundry or Colburn's brook as a sup-
·
20
1 plementary source to be added when it becomes necessary to increase the yield of the watershed of the pond.
The quality of the water, the opportunity to improve the supplementary supply by storage in the pond, the su- perior elevation of the latter above the village and the moderate lift for the pumping machinery resulting there- from, are all advantages which must be evident to any cit- izen who will take the pains to compare the several sources named above.
THE PLAN PROPOSED
will be as follows :
A pumping station is to be located on the easterly side of the pond, about 200 feet north-east of the outlet, and water is to be taken by direct suction through a timber crib provided with fine screens.
A ten (10) inch force main is to be laid from this pump- ing station through the fields in a straight line to Winter street at the town line, thence by Winter street to a point near M. Clay's house. From this point a twelve (12) inch rising main is to be laid up the hill in a south-westerly di- rection to the summit where it is proposed to construct an earthen reservoir, using the present gravel pit as a basin if it should prove on further examination to contain suita- ble material for the purpose. A twelve (12) inch leading main is to be laid from the junction of the ten inch force main through Winter and Walpole streets to the central point of distribution at Guild and Washington streets.
The high water level in the reservoir is to be 248. 1 feet above mean sea level, 76.4 feet above Buckmaster pond, and 125.4 feet above Village Hall building. The pressure will be sufficient to deliver 2700 gallons of water per min- ute at the central point of distribution. It is proposed to lay from this point :
2 I
A ten (10) inch main northerly through Washington street to Howard street, there reducing to eight (8) inch and continuing through Washington street to residence of J. C. Page.
An eight (8) inch main through Guild street to a point opposite the car shops of the N.Y. & N.E.R.R.
An eight (8) inch main through Washington street to residence of J. M. Robbins.
An eight (8) inch main through Walpole street to a point beyond F. O. Winslow's residence.
An eight (8) inch main is also to be laid through Rail- road Avenue from Washington street to Pleasant street.
Six (6) inch mains are proposed for all other streets on which fire hydrants are to be placed.
I submit with this report a map of the district covered by the plan, showing piping, hydrants, stop gates for shut- ting off sections of piping for repairs, &c.
This map contains the levels of all street intersections referred to both mean sea level and the high water plane of the proposed reservoir. An examination of these levels shows that the head from the reservoir will be 39 feet, or 17 lbs. pressure per square inch at the Fairbanks house on Prospect street ; 55 feet or 23.8 lbs. per sq. in. at new house of Geo. H. Morrill; 81 feet or 35 lbs. per sq. in. above underpinning of residence of F. O. Winslow ; 159 feet or 69 lbs. per sq. in. at residence of J. M. Rob- bins ; 142 ft. or 61.6 lbs. per sq. in. at the car shops of the N.Y. & N.E. R.R. ; 138 feet or 59.9 lbs. per sq. in. above underpinning of residence of J. E. Hartshorn, Pleasant street ; 104 feet or 45 lbs. per sq. in. on Washington street at J. C. Page's residence.
The table of levels appended to this report contains further information as to the pressure and service to be furnished by the plan proposed.
The pumping station is to be a plain brick building with slated roof, and draft chimney sixty (60) feet high.
22
The dimensions are to be large enough to accommodate a compound pumping engine and two boilers, with all neces- sary appliances and fixtures .. The engine is to have a capacity of 50,000 gallons per hour, and a guaranteed consumption of fuel not greater than three and one-half pounds of coal per horse-power per hour.
The distance from the pumping station to the reservoir will be eight thousand (8,000) feet, and the total lift includ- ing the friction when pumping will be ninety (90) feet, equivalent to a pressure of thirty-nine pounds per square inch.
To pump water against this pressure at the rate of 50,000 gallons per hour will require the application of twenty-four (24) horse-powers measured in the pumping engine.
The reservoir is to contain 1,300,000 gallons, is to be square in shape with paved inner slopes of 11/2 on I. It will occupy, with a suitable strip of land around it, about two acres. The water is to be stored at a depth of not less than twelve (12) feet.
The distribution piping to be laid may be cast iron or cement-protected wrought iron.
The hydrants are to have three outlets, two for direct hose lines and one for suction connection. Hydrants of this description can be seen in Dedham.
The direct pressure from the pumping station can be applied to the distribution piping at any time, by closing a gate on the twelve inch rising main below the reservoir.
Following this report you will find a schedule of piping made up from careful street measurements. The total amount of piping to be laid, including rising, leading and force mains will be eight miles.
The cost of carrying out this plan, using cast iron pipe, land and water damages excepted, will be, with the pres- ent prices of material and labor, $72,230.54. Using
23
cement-protected wrought-iron piping instead of cast iron, the cost will be $67,000.
Assuming the total cost at $75,000, then
a four per cent. annual interest will be $3,000.00 An annual payment to sinking fund 1,000.00
Operating expenses 2,500.00
Making a total of $6,500,00 as the annual cost (including the sum of $1,000 towards the payment of the bonded debt at maturity) of the pro- ject.
The operating expenses are made up of the cost of pumping all the water used, and the services of superin- tendent and clerical help.
For the former an allowance of $1,600 is sufficient, the plan admitting of intermittent pumping, say two days per week, until a population of 5,000 has gathered in the dis- trict supplied.
The three questions stated in the beginning of the re- port have not been forgotten. The first two have been answered as carefully and with as much accuracy as it is possible to attain with the facts and figures before us. The prices used in making up the estimate are from fa- miliar and reliable sources, and I have been offered pro- posals from responsible parties covering all the work spec- ified. Should you desire to receive such proposals they can be obtained.
The third question, as to the effect upon taxation, we can consider in the same way we have considered the other two, viz : by availing ourselves of the experience of the many towns and villages supplied with public water.
Let us first make an estimate of the income to be rea- sonably expected from the sale of water. At the end of
1
24
the second year after its introduction we can safely allow :
300 dwelling houses at $10, $3,000
100 hand hose at $5, 500
50 private stables at $5, . 250
Hotel, markets and stores, 100
Manufacturers, allow 250
N.Y. & N.E.R.R. Co., , 750
$4,850
Leaving sixteen hundred and fifty dollars as the amount to be ap- propriated by the town for wa- ter for its school houses, drink- ing troughs, and public hydrant service 1,650
$6,500
This appropriation of $1,650, if added to that made in 1883 would raise the rate of taxation seventy-nine (79) cents per $ 1000.
It is not unusual to meet with the belief that the intro- duction of water by a town means financial ruin and oner- ous taxation, but I have yet to find a single instance where the benefits and practical advantages resulting from such an improvement were not so marked and appreciable to the most modest tax payer as to extinguish all further op- position. Unless a large majority of your citizens are of the opinion that the town needs no improvements of this nature there are excellent reasons why they should be pro- vided at once.
Not the least of these reasons is the opportunity to ob- tain materials and labor at "bottom" prices, while the
25
town can obtain funds without difficulty, at four (4) per cent. interest.
Respectfully submitted, PERCY M. BLAKE, Civil Engineer. Hyde Park, Mass., Feb. 6, 1885.
1
27
TABLE OF LEVELS.
DESCRIPTION.
Above
mean sea
level in Bos-
ton Harbor.
|Below high
water in
proposed
reservoir.
Height of
hydrant
stream.
High water level in proposed reservoir,
Buckmaster pond, Jan. 14, 1885,
Winter street at town line,
167.6
80.5
45
66
66
at Cemetery summit,
218.5
29.6
18
66
66 at Prospect street .
210.6
37.5
22
Underpinning of Fairbanks' house, Prospect street
208.8
39.3
24
" G. H. Morrill's new house
193.0
55.I
33
Intersection Winter and Nichols streets
191.6
56.5
35
66
Beech 66
174.0
74.1
45
Underpinning Congregational church .
160.0
88. I
52
Intersection Walpole and Phillips streets
160.0
88.1
52
Summit of Walpole street, opposite Mckenzie's .
161.5
86.6
52
Underpinning residence of F. O. Winslow .
167.0
81.I
50
High water Ellis' mill pond, Jan. 20, 1885
99.5
148.6
85
Underpinning residence of J. M. Robbins
89.0
159.I
95
R.R. track at Winslow's .
92.8
155.3 92
Intersection Washington and Chapel streets
98.0
150.I
90
Underpinning old Cong. church .'
III.I
I37.0
80
Intersection Washington st., and Walnut avenue Underpinning residence J. E. Everett
121.5
II6.6
70
Intersection Washington st. and Everett ave.
115.0
I33.I
75
Underpinning Everett School house ..
I27.7
120.4
72
Intersection Washington and Guild streets Guild and Linden streets R.R. track at Guild street
118.4
129.7
75
IIO.2
I37.9
75
Underpinning north-west corner of "setting up
106.0
142.I
S2
Intersection Day and Washington streets
125.0
123.I
72
Underpinning Baptist church .
I 24.9
123.2
72
Intersection Vernon and Washington streets Cottage “
I 20.6
127.5
72
Threshold Village Hall building .
122.7
125.4
72
Intersection Nahatan and Washington streets
132.0
116.1
70 .
R.R. ave. " street
I33.0
115.I
70
Top of reservoir, near cemetery .
142.2
105.9
62
Intersection Howard and Washington streets .
144.0
104. I
62
Washington street, opp. residence of J. C. Page .
144.0
104. I
62
Intersection Nahatan and Maple streets
130.7
III.4
65
66 Nichols
148.4
99.7
60
" Fulton 60
171.0
71.I
45
| Nichols and Cottage
170.5
77.6
45
66
66 and Vernon 66
174.7
73.4
43
66
Beech and Day streets .
171.4
76.7
45
Vernon streets
168.7
79.4
47
66
Day Maple
168.7
79.4
47
66
Vernon “
161.6
86.5
51
Cottage and
148.I
100.0
60
248. I
O
O
171.7
76.4
42
bed of brook, .
164.0
84.1
48
Walpole
143.0
105.I
62
108.0
140.I
80
132.5
115.6
67
shop," N.Y. & N.E.R.R. Co.
121.6
126.5
72
66 Prospect 66
176.7
71.4
42
28
TABLE OF LEVELS.
Continued.
DESCRIPTION.
Above
level in Bos-
ton Harbor.
Below high
water in
proposed reservoir.
Height of
hydrant
stream.
Intersection Day and Bullard streets .
158.6
89.5
53
Market street and Railroad av.
134.6
113.5
65
R. R. track at Railroad avenue .
128.7
119.4
70
Intersection Railroad Av. and Hill street .
128.9
119.2
70
66
66 66
66 Foundry street .
136.0
112.I
67
6.
. 6
66 Clark
60
118.9
129.2
75
. .
66
66
66 Pleasant 66
107.0
141.1
82
Pleasant and Cross streets
90.2
157.9
90
Underpinning residence J. E. Hartshorn
109.9
138.2
So
Water surface Hawes pond .
66.0
182.1
Traphole brook at McGuire's, No. Sharon
171.7
76.4
Tisdale pond .
IIO.8
127.3
High water level Dedham stand pipe
241.5
6.6
Lower mill pond on Foundry brook .
182.7
65.4
Middle
66
194.2
53.9
Upper 66
66
215.7
32.4
-
109.2
138.9
So
Monroe
66
mean sea
:
29
SCHEDULE OF PIPING.
STREET.
FROM
TO
12 !!
IO !!
8"
6 !!
Totals.
Forcemain
Pumping Sta. Forcemain
Rising main
6950
6950
Rising main
Reservoir
1050
1050
Leading main Walpole
Winter
Chapel
3500
3500
Washington
Guild
Howard
2148
2148
Guild
J. M. Robbins
4026
4026
Guild
Washington
Car Shops
2000
2000
Beech
Winter
Vernon
812
812
Day
Washington
Beech
1038
1038
Vernon
66
Nichols
I395
I395
Cottage
66
66
I312
1312
Maple
Vernon
Nahatan
960
96c
Nichols
66
II36
II36
Nahatan
Washington
Prospect
2660
2660
Howard
Northerly
1128
II28
Market
Railroad ave.
1062
1062
Railroad ave.
. .
Pleasant
2427
2427
Hill
Railroad ave.
Northerly
Soo
Soo
Pleasant
66
Cross st.
1835
IS35
I 200
I200
4461 9098 13246
15338 42143
Guild st.
3411
34II
Howard
J. C. Page's
1293
1293
60 Fire Hydrant Branch Pipes
TOTAL - 42, 143 feet or 97 feet less than 8 miles.
30
ESTIMATE SHEET.
Distribution piping, including force, rising and leading mains :
FEET. LBS. LBS. FEET.
12// 4,461 × 85 =
379,185
4,461 @ 45 cts. = $2,007.45
9,098 × 65 = 591,370
9,098 @ 40 " = 3,639.20
S !! 13,246 × 48 = 635,808 13,246 @ 35 " = 4,636.10 6 !! 15,338 × 30 = 460, 140 15,338 @ 30 " = 4,601.40
41,143 = 8 miles. 2,066,503
$14,884.15
LBS. WASTE.
2,066,503: 2,240=922.6 tons,+7.5 tons,=930 tons, @ $30 = 27,900.00 20 tons special castings @ $60 . 1,200.00
60 fire hydrants, set in place @ $45, $2,700.00
Allow for gates and setting same
1,600.00 4,300.00
$48,284. 15
Allow for rock, excavation and contingencies, say 5 % $2,414.20
Cost of distribution piping, etc., complete
$50,698.35
Engine house and chimney $4,000.00 Engine and boilers .
6,000.00 Suction pipe and crib work
1,500.00 $II.500.00
Reservoir
10,000.00
$72,198.35
PERCY M. BLAKE, Civil Engineer.
Hyde Park, Mass., Feb. 6, 1885.
.
REPORT
OF
Committee ON Water Supply
OF THE
TOWN OF NORWOOD.
FEBRUARY, 1885.
REPORT
OF
Committee ON Water Supply
OF THE
TOWN OF NORWOOD.
FEBRUARY, 1885.
T. O. METCALF & CO., PRINTERS, 4S OLIVER STREET, BOSTON.
The NORWOOD WATER WORKS.
Proposed Reservain HW 125.4 feet above VILLAGE HALL.
=
SKETCH : showing distribution piping. and fire hydrants.
Figures at street intersections give head in feet from proposed reservoir
Hydrants are represented by red circles. Stop gates " . black cross lines
To accompany report dated Teley . . . 1885-
Civil Enpresen
F. O. WINSLOW
~40
8
High St.
Lyden St.
72
G. H . MORRILL
Fulton
14
8 8
X
inch
S
6 inch
inch
12
Mal
15
100
90 €
inch
2
your 9
ou
D.S.FOGG
. 9
9
Se 116
inch
J.E. EVERETT.
Street
EVERETT
SCHOOL
116
10%
10 inch
Street.
6
Cen
Linden St.
8 inch
10+
J.M. ROBBINS
St
1
114
WITHS
N. Y
N. E.R.R.
NORWOOD CENT 120
STATION
N.
120
&
N. E.
. Co
cree
Clark St.
Monroe
5+
Scale -
3 .. .. .. feet.
6 inch
J. E.HARTSHORN
P
TO PUMPING STATION-
M.CIK
prospect
Street your !!
FAIRBANKS
Magnetic North.
8 inch
Nichols
Chapel
inch
S
1€
Nahatan
st.
ST.
YOU!
46/12
Howard
6 inch
J.C.PAGE
aton
hin
YILLAG HALL
Everett
pling
SF
vc
ich
Ave
TICEMETERY
N. Y
.
Hill
OIL CLOTH WORKS.
Foundr
St.
6 inch
8 inch
Chapel St.
Y.
cross St.
140
inch
hin
N . E. R . R .
ouwway
500++03
6
12 inch
10
inch
as
Old Cond
Winter
your 8
HELIOTYPE PRINTING CO ROSTON
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