Norwood annual report 1948-1950, Part 10

Author: Norwood (Mass.)
Publication date: 1948
Publisher: The Town
Number of Pages: 1054


USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Norwood > Norwood annual report 1948-1950 > Part 10


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3. Plotting 1948 land transfers on assessor's maps.


4. Printing and placing names on Honor Roll.


5. Plans and descriptions for tax sales.


6. Plans and staking out new burial sections at cemetery.


7. Plotting 1948 burials on individual lot plans.


8. Taking Neponset River samples for State Department of Health.


9. Checking and cleaning chlorinc feeding equipment at Westwood Pumping Station and Hawes Brook swimming pool.


10. Making particular sewers and water estimates to new houses and renewals to old houses.


11. Locations and grades for various contractors relative to water, sewer and drain connections.


12. Lines and grades during reconstruction of Elliot Park.


13. Washington Street traffic study.


14. Sign locations on State Highway.


15. Measuring trucks for snow removal.


16. Rifle range plans and additions to conform with Massachusetts State Guard regulations.


129


REPORT OF ENGINEERING AND PUBLIC WORKS


17. Pole location plans on Nichols Street, Dean Street, Glendale Road, Edgehill Road, Lancaster Lane and Union Street.


18. Shattuck School heating changes.


19. Specifications for pointing and water-proofing Senior High School, Winslow School, Municipal Building, Library and Westwood Pumping Station.


20. Preliminary plans and estimates on Hawes Brook and Civic swimming pools.


21. Plans for Zoning changes :


Pleasant Street at Dean Street. State Highway Route 1 at Everett Street.


Walpole Street at Winter Street. Lenox Street at Williams Street.


22. Preliminary Town Yard - plans and estimates for : Present location on Nahatan Street


Lenox Street opposite Holliston Mills. Rear of Norwood Lumber Company.


23. Specifications and contract documents for purchasing :


Aero-Mist Sprayer Two-31/2 ton Dump Trucks. One - 1/2 ton Pick-up Truck. One - Bull-dozer.


Norwood Airport


Plans and specifications for the construction of the Access Road were completed in 1948. The actual construction estimate is $24,000.00 with the Town of Norwood contributing $6,000.00, the State of Massachusetts $6,000.00 and the Federal Govern- ment $12,000.00. This project will be put out for bids sometime in February, 1949.


The plans and specifications had to conform with the State and Federal regula- tions and had to include complete plans for the future development of the Norwood Airport. These plans and specifications were very elaborate and the Engineering Department had to devote a considerable amount of time and effort in completing them. We are probably the only Town or City in the United States who have attempted to do this type of Airport planning with their own engineering force. It is usually done by outside engineering firms who have had considerable experience in Airport work. In making up these plans it was necessary to meet frequently with State and Federal Aeronautics Commissions.


If the Norwood Memorial Airport is to expand and take its place as one of the best Airports in this section of the country and all Airport authorities believe that the location has all the possibilities of becoming one, it will be necessary for the Town of Norwood to appropriate various amounts of money from time to time to secure matching funds from the State and Federal Government.


The demands for engineering services is increasing and to keep up with all these requests, it will be necessary to increase the engineering force the coming year.


PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT Highway Maintenance


The usual street cleaning and patching was done this year. Due to our limited help, the cutting of brush along the highways has been a problem, especially in the


130


TOWN OF NORWOOD


outlying districts where new housing developments have been increasing. New type mowers to cut the heavy brush along the highways are needed to prevent the brush from growing too close to the highway.


The following streets were oiled in 1948 with the following grades :


MC-3 with Sand Cover


Austin Street


North Avenue


Clark Street Extension


Oolah Avenue


Concord Avenue


Oliver Street


Fuller Street


K Street


High Street


Hartford Street


Irving Street


Lydon Street


Rock Street Extension


Winfield Street


St. James Avenue


Tremont Street


St. Joseph Avenue


Weld Avenue


Silver Street


Summit Avenue


Nichols Street -'Cottage Street to New Pond


Total MC-3. 13,047 gallons


RC-5 with 1/4 Inch Stone Cover


Clark Street


Cottage Street - Washington Street to Nichols Street


Day Street - Washington Street to Beech Street


Davis Avenue


George Street


Granite Street


K Street - Railroad Avenue to Williams Street


Williams Street


Total RC -- 5 18,379 gallons


Sewer Department


The various trunk lines were cleaned as well as many plugged house connec- tions.


Total number of new connections added this year 66


Total number of connections 2670


Total miles of new sewer mains added this year and in operation. .. 0.20


Total miles of sewer mains in operation 39.17


Total miles of sewer mains not in operation 3.84


Parks and Playgrounds


All parks and playgrounds were cleaned, mowed and shrubbery around the various buildings was kept trimmed throughout the growing season. The various baseball diamonds were graded, new 'loam added, rolled and mowed as needed. Elliot Park grading, fertilizing and seeding was completed in 1948. The reloca- tion of the Civic baseball diamond was started in the late fall and will be completed in the early spring of 1949. 'Anew chain link backstop at Fr. McAleer's was also constructed this year.


131


REPORT OF ENGINEERING AND PUBLIC WORKS


All skating rinks were cleaned and put into shape for skating and the hockey rink was set up on the old reservoir location at the end of Bellevue Avenue.


Endean swimming pool was cleaned, sand added and water from the Town water mains was used to fill the pool. The building at Endean still presents quite a problem because the damage done by vandals during the year makes it necessary to make extensive repairs every year.


The Civic tennis courts were regraded, stone dust and clay added during the early spring.


Forestry


The usual moth control and spraying of trees along the highway as well as spraying of private orchards and shrubs was done this year. All private work was billed to the owners. The Town purchased a new Aero-Mist sprayer this year and with the new DDT spray mixtures we have been able to do a much better job on moth and insect control. Some tree trimming was done by the Public Works Department, but on account of lack of sufficient help, most of this work was let out to private contractors.


Maintenance and Control of Traffic


All street signs, traffic lines, markers, slow signs, cross-walk lines, taxi and bus stops were painted during the year. Due to the many complaints, we have painted many more slow and stop signs at the various street intersections than we have ever done before.


Water Department


The sand filters at Ellis and Westwood were cleaned several times as well as the coke filters at Ellis Pumping Station during the year. The water used the past year has been over 17% greater than the previous year. Since we can expect our water usage to increase each year it will be necessary for us to add another gravel packed well in 1949. If we add this gravel packed well and repair about 27 wells that are not producing their usual capacity we will have an adequate supply for many years. In 1949 we should clean our existing wells to increase their water producing capacity. This work should be done by private contractors who have the necessary equipment for doing this type of work. We should abandon our practice of blowing these wells by compressed air, as it tends to destroy the usefulness of the wells.


We have had several large water main breaks the past year and the rust and tuberculation that we found in some of our mains will make it necessary for us to do some water main cleaning in the near future.


The increase in pressure, due to the new storage tank installed several years ago, is still causing many of the older house service connections to break. Many of these connections are the old lead pipe connections put in forty years ago.


As in previous years, the program of replacing old meters with new ones is being continued.


The following water analysis, made by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, was made from a sample of water taken in December, 1948:


132


TOWN OF NORWOOD


WATER STATISTICS Monthly Consumption In Gallons


Month


Total Gallons


Ellis


Buckmaster


January


42,711,000


31,991,000


10,720,000


February


41,528,000


31,223,000


10,305,000


March


44,591,000


33,851,000


10,740,000


April


44,847,000


19,917,000


24,930,000


May


34,924,000


19,929,000


14,995,000


June


46,958,000


30,663,000


16,295,000


July


48,103,000


21,618,000


26,485,000


August


53,645,000


25,445,000


28,200,000


September


49,713,000


37,323,000


12,390,000


October


48,971,000


34,371,000


14,600,000


November


45,417,000


32,767,000


12,650,000


December


47,582,000


37,817,000


9,765,000


Totals


548,990,000


356,915,000


192,075,000


Greatest Amount Pumped or Used


Day - August 27, 1948


2,140,000


Week - August 22-29, 1948


13,032,000


Miscellaneous Information


Gallons supplied to mains during the year


548,990,000


Gallons passed through service meters during the year


388,709,730


Use through factory meters


43.8%


Use through municipal meters


1.1%


Use through house meters


55.1%


Miles of mains at end of year


55.4


Total number of services at end of year


3347


Number of services in use at end of year


3247


Number of meters in use at end of year


3247


Meters replaced during 1948


289


Total area of land used for water supply purposes.


(acres)


141.9


Gallons of Water Pumped In Previous Years


1939


432,095,000


1944


468,481,000


1940


426,512,000


1945


469,699,000


1941


398,110,000


1946


512,542,000


1942


411,815,000


1947


480,553,000


1943


430,120,000


1948


548,990,000


Refuse Removal


Previous to October 1, 1948, refuse collections were made the first full week of each month and after this date a new schedule was put into operation. The Town was split up into districts and collections were made continuously for three weeks out of each month, and beginning the first full week of each month and continuing for the three weeks. This new schedule enabled us to use the new rubbish truck continuously instead of only one week each month. The total refuse for the year


133


REPORT OF ENGINEERING AND PUBLIC WORKS


amounted to 1000 loads. We still have difficulty with many people placing refuse in small cardboard containers and paper bags which break up very easily during rainy days. It then becomes necessary to shovel and sweep up refuse from these broken containers which in turn slows up the collection. I believe we should begin to consider the advisability of acquiring additional land for dumping purposes or the construction of an incinerator.


Snow Removal


The snow fall from January to March in 1948 was the heaviest for many years and the Public Works Department was kept very busy trying to keep up with its plowing and removal. Favorable letters of commendation were received from various town organizations and out of town firms doing business in the Town, complimenting the Public Works Department for the good and efficient job of plowing done by them during this period.


The Public Works Department have many areas from which we have to remove snow and they seem to be growing each year. We remove the snow from the busi- ness district uptown, the central district near Hoyle Street and the South Norwood district as well as the outlying small business districts around the Town. We also remove it in front of all the churches in the Town.


Town Yard Buildings


We are still in the process of trying to find a good location for a proposed new town yard that will satisfy everybody concerned. In the meantime, we are leaving valuable equipment outside in all kinds of weather and hoping that the present buildings hold together until we build a new one. It is hoped that a solution to the problem will be found in 1949.


Personnel


With the increasing demands made each year for work to be done by the Public Works Department, it will be necessary to increase the personnel of the department this coming year.


Respectfully submitted, ALBERT W. THOMPSON,


Director of Public Works and Engineering.


134


THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS - Department of Public Health - Norwood


WATER ANALYSIS (parts Per Million)


December 8, 1948


Appearance


Sedi- ment


Color


Total


Nitrogen as Nitrates


Chlo- rides


Hard- ness


Alka- linity


PH


Fe


Mn


of Sample


3


.. . .


10


.098


.084


.20


11.8


27


11


6.7


.30


Buckmaster Pond


1


8


.048


072


.20


11.8


25


11


6.7


.18


Filtered


0


nil


7


+


0


none


4


. ..


13.0


49


27


6.6


.06


.07


Effluent Coke Filter


0


none


4


.


13.3


49


28


6.7


.03


.00


Final Effluent


0


none


3


. .


ยท


13.2


49


25


6.9


.04


.00


Tap in Town


.


13.0


49


26


6.7


15


12


Tublar Wells


. .


TOWN OF NORWOOD


Location


Turbid- ity


Ammonia Albuminold Free


In Memoriam


F


Michael J. Seannell


48 Hill Street Norwood, Mass.


Born December 5, 1893


Died October 25, 1948


Publie Works Employee since Dee. 9, 1931


* * *


Henry C. Letts


15 Vernon Street Norwood, Mass. Born September 7, 1887 Died September 30, 1948


Publie Works Employee sinee Sept. 5, 1928


John C. Foley


450 Nahatan Street


Norwood, Mass.


Born June 2, 1874


Retired June 2, 1944


Died November 2, 1948 Publie Works Employee since 1924


These three men have served the Town of Norwood as employees in the Public Works Department, for many years. Their service had been long and faithful, and the Town hereby extends its gratitude for their service.


We here record this expression of our sorrow in their departure and our appre- ciation for the service they rendered to the Town of Norwood.


ALBERT W. THOMPSON, Director of Public Works and Engineering


135


REPORT OF MUNICIPAL LIGHT DEPARTMENT


REPORT OF MUNICIPAL LIGHT DEPARTMENT


Mr. Edward C. Monahan, General Manager.


Dear Sir :


I submit herewith a report of the activities and operations of the Municipal Light Department for the year ending December 31, 1948.


This coming year the Light Department has outlined a program for making a survey of the underground system and service in the business district in Norwood at present. Also, we are in progress of making a similar survey in South Norwood with the thought in mind that at some future date this information will be of value to this department.


In 1948, the personnel of the Light Department completed the laying out of the work necessary to install a new street lighting system as requested in the future street lighting program.


For the year of 1948, the distribution lines and the department as a whole did not suffer too severely from weather conditions, as our outages were held to a low minimum for a period of the year.


The department installed five fire alarm boxes that were on order in the 1947 budget for the Fire Department and were received in 1948; also three additional boxes that were of the 1948 allotment. This leaves two boxes yet to be installed for the 1948 program of the Fire Department. All boxes were added to the system as designated by the Chief of the Fire Department and the Town Officials. Some of the Fire Alarm circuits that were damaged in the storm of December 22, 1947, were replaced this past year with new conductor as the conductor was not available at an earlier date.


The Light Department put into service the new Mack Line Truck Chassis that was received in the Fall of 1947, pending a new Line Truck body that was not installed until the early part of this year.


We anticipate ordering a new Ladder Truck this coming year to replace the old unit.


In the early part of 1948 we continued the program to replace poles which did not meet the safety requirements due to old age. Of this, we replaced some fifty poles and expect to continue this program this coming year.


Meetings of the Municipal Light Association were attended during 1948.


The other activities of this department have been briefly and accurately written up by each division head and are submitted as part of this report.


Respectfully submitted,


JOSEPH W. PRICE,


Superintendent, Municipal Light Department.


TOWN OF NORWOOD


136


Cost per Kilowatt Hour.


.01 .005 .02 .0025


.0075


.0125


.015


.0175


1916 1918 1920 1922


1924 1926 1928


1930 1932


1934 1936


1938


1940 1942 1944 1946


1948


Average Annual Kilowatt. cost of Energy purchased from the Boston Edison Company.


137


REPORT OF MUNICIPAL LIGHT DEPARTMENT


19


18 17 16


Amount of Electric Energy purchased yearly from 1916 to 1948 inclusive.


15


14


12 11 13


Millions of K.W.H.


10


9


8 7


6


5


4


3


2


1


1916


1918


1920


1922


1924


1926


1928


1930


19 32


1934


1936


19 38


1940


1942


1944


1946


1948


138


TOWN OF NORWOOD


REPORT OF THE LINE FOREMAN


Joseph W. Price, Superintendent,


Municipal Light Department,


Norwood, Massachusetts,


I am pleased to submit a report of the activities of the Line Crew of the Light Department for the year ending December 31, 1948.


Most of our work was repair work such as changing arms and trimming out trees, also a small amount of new construction. We still have some chestnut poles to replace with new hard pine poles which we expect to do this coming year.


Our Street Light trouble such as breakage of shades and bulbs increased approximately 10% over last year. These bulbs were replaced as soon as possible.


The amount of damage to our lines due to storms were at a minimum this past year. Two transformers were destroyed by lightning. Four poles and two Police and Fire standards were damaged through automobile accidents. The parts for these standards are expected to arrive soon and we will have them in working order in the near future.


The Water Signal Wire on Ellis Avenue that was broken off in the December, 1947 storm was replaced with new wire. We also replaced a number of Fire Alarm conductors in various parts of the town.


Our new Line Truck was put in service early this year and has been a great help to us.


At this time, I wish to thank the Line Crew for their fine co-operation they have given me and also the rest of the Light Department personnel.


Respectfully submitted,


JOHN F. BLASENAK, Line Foreman.


Statistical Report


Wooden Poles Set


Wooden Poles Removed


Size


Number


Size


Number


30 ft.


5


35 ft.


26


35 ft.


21


40 ft.


21


40 ft.


21


45 ft. 4


45 ft.


4


51


51


Replacement on Public Streets


33


Extension on Public Streets


6


Replacement on Private Property


2


Extension on Private Property


10


51


Secondary Wire


Feet Installed


Feet Removed


Size


8


475


6


11,860


1,200


4


12,720


500


139


REPORT OF MUNICIPAL DEPARTMENT


1


2,600


1/0


600


2/0


200


Primary Wire


Feet


Size


Installed


Feet Removed 3,750


6


4,050


.


4


3,000


Street Light Wire


Feet


Feet


Size


Installed


Removed


8


200


6


800


Street Lighting Fixtures


Lumens


Size


Installed


1000


2


2500


5


22 Ornamental globes and bulbs were broken by stones or air guns.


This is approximately 10 percent more than last year. We also had one standard damaged by automobile on the lower end of Nichols Street which will be replaced as soon as the new one arrives.


Distribution Transformers


Number


Size


Total


Installed


KVA


KVA


6


5


30


1


71/2


71/2


4


10


40


16


15


240


4


25


100


3


75


225


6421/2


Number


Size


Total


Removed


KVA


KVA


5


5


25


3


71/2


221/2


4


10


40


9


15


135


3


30


90


1


50


50


3621/2


We had 1-71/2 K.V.A. and 1-15 K.V.A. burned out by lightning storms, They will be repaired and placed back in stock.


140


TOWN OF NORWOOD


Secondary Services Installed


Overhead 2 - 4 Wire 3-Phase 1 3 Wire 3-Phase 51 - 3 Wire Services 2 - 2 Wire Services


Underground 3 - 3 Wire Services


56 Services were changed from 2 Wire to 3 Wire.


INSPECTION AND METER DIVISION


Joseph W. Price, Supt.,


Municipal Light Department,


Meetings of the Massachusetts and Rhode Island Inspectors Association were attended monthly. At these meetings problems of inspectors are discussed and much valuable information is gathered.


Factory R. I. demand meters were read and charts changed on the first of every month and on the fifteenth of the month all meters were wound.


Daily inspections of our sub-station at Short Street have been made.


Statistics


1. Four hundred ninety-seven Wiring Permits applied for.


2. One hundred thirty-six new meters installed.


3. One hundred seventy-one meters replaced.


4. Twenty-nine meters discontinued.


5. One hundred forty-seven meters discarded.


6. Two hundred and five complaints investigated for the Billing Department.


Respectfully submitted,


JOSEPH J. O'BRIEN, Deputy Wire Inspector.


141


REPORT OF MUNICIPAL DEPARTMENT


REPORT OF CHIEF OPERATOR


Purchased Energy


I herewith submit my report for the year 1948:


Short Street Sub-Station 4,007,410 K.W.


Central Street Station 14,465,532 K.W.


Total 18,472,942 K.W.


Increase for the year 1948


1,781,531 K.W.


Average cost per KWH. for the year 1948 $.0136


Statistics


K.W. used for the year 1948 Station Power & Lighting 21,225 K.W. K.W. used for the year 1948 Fire Alarm Building 2,217 K.W.


Total 23,442 K.W.


Street lights were illuminated approximately 3,963 hours and 8 minutes, using 639,882 K.W.


Respectfully submitted,


JOHN M. CLAPP, Chief Operator.


142


TOWN OF NORWOOD


REPORT OF CEMETERY DEPARTMENT


Mr. Edward C. Monahan,


General Manager,


Town of Norwood, Massachusetts.


Dear Sir :


Herewith is submitted the annual report of the Cemetery Department for 1948.


The beginning of the year found us in the midst of a very strenuous winter. A considerable accumulation of snow was on the ground; this accumulation did not abate, but on the other hand continued to increase until by the latter part of January we had an accumulation which averaged three feet and which in places exceeded four feet in depth. Continued plowing had made the roadways so narrow that it was necessary finally to engage the heaviest equipment available to throw back the snow banks on the side of the road, which at the time were about seven or eight feet high.


In spite of the tremendous handicap under which the department was working, we are happy to report that all funerals were taken care of at the scheduled time. During the months of January and February, 25 funerals were scheduled, all of which were accommodated at the appointed time.


Memorial Day exercises scheduled for Monday, May 31, were postponed on account of rain and were held the following Sunday, June 6th.


During the summer, practically all the time between funerals was, of course, taken up in mowing grass and trimming in both Cemeteries. The area of grass in Highland Cemetery is being increased annually.


In the fall we built a five foot black top walk between Section 56 and the stone wall running along the main entrance. This walk is about 330 feet long. In connection with the same job we broke thru the same stone wall, building a walk- way, which connects the five foot walk with the main Avenue. This walk-way has provided a convenient entrance for those who walk to the Cemetery to visit lots in that vicinity.


Continuing work in Section 47 where we left off the previous winter, about 13,500 sq. ft. of this Section was brought to sub-grade. Of this area about 6,000 sq. ft. was brought to finish grade. At the end of the year, excavation of the remaining portion of this Section was in progress.


In addition to the above work the department took care of 216 funerals. This is an increase over last year. This bears out the fact that over a period of years, the number has been generally increasing annually.


Foundations also were built for 68 monuments.


At the request of the Selectmen thru the General Manager a study was made of the Cemetery property and estimates based on past records were made to deter- mine how long the present holdings would last. Suggestions also were made for possible expansion.


In connection with the same report and also upon request to find out the method of setting aside land for Cemetery purposes, a study was made of Town records in order to find out how the Cemetery was established, and the methods used from time to time when additional land was bought for expansion of the same.


Respectfully submitted, LOUIS J. D'ESPINOSA, Superintendent


In Memoriam


93.2


JOSEPT T. FLOOD


The townspeople were saddened on the night of November 24th, 1948, when they learned that Sergeant Joseph T. Flood, who for 20 years has been a member of the Norwood Police Department had passed away at his home on Railroad Avenue, after a short illness.


St. Catherine's Church was crowded to capacity on the morning of November 27th, when large delegations of police from all of the surrounding towns, neighbors and friends, and the members of the Norwood Police Department filed into the church in a body behind the flag-draped casket of Sergeant Joseph T. Flood, who had served his country in both World Wars I and II.


Quiet and unassuming, Sergeant Flood was a devoted husband and father and his exploits as a member of the Norwood Police Department where he was out- standing in his zeal for law and order, are recorded on the record books of the department. That "Sergt. Joe", as he was affectionately known, had made a legion of friends while performing his duties as a law enforcement officer, was made known by the hundreds who paused at his bier and by the floral bouquets that covered his last resting place in Highland Cemetery. Although only 48 years of age when called home, Sergeant Flood had lived a useful and abundant life and his passing left a void in the hearts of his friends and family which can never be filled.




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