USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1868-1871 > Part 16
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The application to the City Council was referred to the Mystic Water Commissioners ; and after much delay - but as soon as it could well be done - the basis of a con- tract was agreed upon, and approved by competent counsel, by whose advice, also, the Committee - that there might be no lack of requisite authority in the matter on their part - requested the Selectmen to call a Town Meeting, "to determine what action the town will take in regard to the introduction of water into the town, under the provisions of the two hundred and second chapter of the Statutes of the year one thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, and making provision for the payment of the expenses thereof."
At the meeting, which was held Sept. 18th, 1868, after much discussion as to the expediency of expending so large a sum as would be necessary for the introduction of the Mystic Lake water, and the feasibility of the es- tablishment, by the town, of independent water works in connection with the waters of Spot Pond, in Stoneham, or Lake Quanapowitt, in Wakefield, it was voted,
" That the town will introduce water in pursuance of the authority granted to the town by an act entitled ' An Act for Supplying the town of Somerville with Water,' passed May 14, 1868; and that for the accom- plishment of this purpose, the Committee appointed by the town on the 13th day of April last. consisting of Aaron Sargent, C. E. Rymes, R. A. Vinal, R. E. Demmon and Cutler Downer, and called the Somerville Mystic Water Committee, be, and they are hereby authorized to enter into a contract with the City of Charlestown, upon such terms and conditions, and with such provisions and stipulations as they shall deem for the best interest of the town and its inhabitants for obtaining a supply of water from said City of Charlestown, and distributing the same for the use of the town and its inhabitants; and that for the money which the town, by vote of the 13th
162
of April last, authorized to be borrowed, the Treasurer is hereby authorized to issue bonds of the town, with inter- est coupons thereto annexed, of such denominations as he, with the approval of the Committee aforesaid, shall deem expedient." The following is a copy of the
CONTRACT WITH THE CITY OF CHARLESTOWN.
This agreement, made this twenty-first day of Septem- ber, eighteen hundred and sixty-eight, between the City of Charlestown, in the County of Middlesex, by the Mys- tic Water Board, duly authorized, of the first part, and the Town of Somerville in said County of Middlesex, by the Mystic Water Committee of Somerville, duly author- ized, of the second part, witnesseth : That the said party of the first part, in consideration of the water rents here- inafter to be paid, hereby agrees to and with the said party of the second part, that the said party of the first part will furnish the said party of the second part, all the water needed by the town of Somerville and its inhabi- tants during the continuance of this agreement as here- inafter provided, and that the supply of the same through_ out the town shall not be restricted, unless the source should prove inadequate to exceed the requirements of the cities of Charlestown and Chelsea.
And the said party of the first part further agrees to collect all the water rents which may accrue for the use of the water under this agreement in said town of Som- erville, free from any expense to the party of the second part, and to provide for the necessary superintendance and ordinary care of the pipes laid for distribution and service in said town, and of the hydrants, stop-gates and metres therein ; provided that the sum to be expended by said party of the first part for repairs upon said pipes, hydrants, stop-gates and mètres, shall not exceed the sum of one hundred dollars in any one year, and that all
163
repairs thereof in excess of said amount shall be paid by the party of the second part. And it is hereby agreed by the party of the second part that for a period of three years from the letting on the water, the distribution and the service pipes and the connections therewith, shall be guaranteed free from any expense for repairs.
And the said party of the first part further agrees to pay to the said party of the second part, the following per centage of water rates collected in the town of Som- erville, in such portions thereof as the pipes and struc- tures are or may be laid by said town in conformity with this agreement, or that may hereafter be assumed, viz : on the annual receipts for water rates up to the amount of $20,000, fifteen per cent .; on the annual amount in excess of $20,000, and up to $30,000, twenty per cent .; from $30,000 to $40,000 twenty-five per cent .; from $40,000 to $50,000 thirty per cent .; and on the amount in excess of $50,000, forty per cent., payable quarterly in the months of February, May, August and November of each year.
And the said party of the second part further agrees to lay and maintain all the pipes, stop-gates, metres, hy- drants, (except those now required by law to be furnished by the City of Charlestown) additional to those already laid, and everything connected with the distribution and use of the water within the limits of the town of Somer- ville, free from any expense to the City of Charlestown.
And the said party of the second part further agrees to and with the said party of the first part, that for all the Mystic Lake Water furnished and used by the people of the said town of Somerville. or by any person in said town, there shall be paid to said party of the first part, wa- ter rents at the same rates and prices as are now or may be charged during the time of this agreement by the said party of the first part to the inhabitants of the City of Charlestown, under the same rules and regulations that
161
are or may be established for like use of water in that city, but the party of the second part is not to be respon- ble in any case for the payment of said water rates, ex- cept for water furnished for public use to the town.
And the said party of the second part further agrees to pass and enact the like rules and regulations as to the mode of using water as are now, or may hereafter be in force in the City of Charlestown, with like penalties for their violation, provided such rules and regulations do not conflict with the laws of the commonwealth.
And it is further agreed that the party of the second part may hereafter raise the water rates in the town of Somerville above those charged by the said city of Charlestown, if it shall be lawful for said party of the second part so to do ; and in case the water rates in said town of Somerville shall be so raised, the party of the first part shall for the collection of the said rates, be en- titled to five per cent. of the excess thereof over the rates established in said City of Charlestown.
And it is further agreed that the town of Somerville shall be privileged to locate as many fire hydrants throughout the town as it may elect, to be used for fire purposes only, upon the annual payment to the City of Charlestown of the sum of twenty-eight dollars for each three hundred and fifty inhabitants; the payments for 1869 and 1870 to be based upon the population of 1865, and on and after 1871 each year, for every five years, upon the preceding semi-decennial census. In computing the amount, the fraction shall not be taken into account, unless it exceeds one-half, when the full price will be charged; and it is further understood and agreed that the water supplied for public fountains shall be charged at cost.
It is also understood and agreed, that when the City of Charlestown shall have erected and completed, at its own cost, the full number of fire hydrants required by the
165
legislative enactment, whether the same shall be on the line of the aqueduct or not, its obligation shall be deemed to have been fulfilled as completely as if placed upon said line.
It is also agreed that if at any time within two years from the date of this contract, the town of Somerville shall desire to purchase the distribution pipes and struc- tures now laid in Somerville at the expense of the City of Charlestown, for the supply of that town, the City of Charlestown will sell them for the sum of thirteen thou- sand dollars, and the town of Somerville will then be en- titled to the per centage of water rates, and the terms and conditions herein agreed, will be applicable to the pipes and structures thus purchased.
And it is further understood and agreed, that if any arrangement shall hereafter be made for a supply of water to any other town or city upon terms deemed more favorable to them, the town of Somerville shall be en- titled to be placed upon an equal footing.
And the said party of the second part further agrees to furnish and deliver to the party of the first part, a copy of a map of the town of Somerville, showing the streets on which the pipes are laid, and the location of all the pipes, hydrants and stop-gates, and from time to time make additions thereto as new pipes are laid.
And it is further agreed by and between the parties to these presents, that this agreement shall continue in force until the debt of Charlestown, which has accrued or may accrue for the construction of the water works shall be extinguished, and until other and different rates are established, as hereinafter provided. And it is further agreed that if at the expiration of this contract the par- ties shall be unable to agree upon terms for a continu- ance of a supply of water, the matter shall be referred to a Commission of three disinterested persons to be mutu-
1600
ally agreed upon, and if unable so to agree, then by ap- pointment of the Supreme Judicial Court.
And it is further agreed, that if either of said parties shall omit or refuse to perform this contract in all things on their part, then the matter shall be referred to a Commission as before named, by whom an adjustment shall be made, and a compensation determined for such violation of this agreement.
In witness whereof the parties to these presents have hereunto set their hands and seals on the day and year first above written.
EDWARD LAWRENCE, [L. s.]
In presence of
Mystic
Water Board.
JAMES DANA, [L. S.]
EVERETT TORREY, [L. S.]
William W. Peirce,
ABEL E. BRIDGE, [L. s.]
THOM. R. B. EDMANDS, [L. S.]
AARON SARGENT, [L. S.]
C. E. RYMES,
[L. S.]
Henry E. Warner,
Somerville
R. A. VINAL, [L. s.]
R. E. DEMMON, [L. S.]
CUTLER DOWNER, [L. 's.]
Mystic Water Committee.
TRENCHING.
A favorable contract for trenching was made with Mr. Alexander Campbell of Charlestown, and the work was performed under his direction.
DISTRIBUTION PIPES.
After careful consideration, the Committee decided upon adopting what is known as the wrought iron and cement pipe, manufactured by the patent Water and Gas Pipe Company of Jersey City, N. J. The work of laying the pipe was commenced on the sixth of October last, by. Mr. Benjamin Almy, as the Agent for the Company, under the direction of Roberdeau Buchanan, Esq., of Charlestown, as Chief Engineer, and the supervision of the Committee: and the Committee avail themselves of this opportunity to express their entire satisfaction with
167
the manner in which the above named gentlemen per- formed their work.
This wrought iron and cement pipe, is the same kind that has been laid in Charlestown, Chelsea, Plymouth, Lowell, Salem, and many other places, and had already been extensively used in those parts of our town known as East Somerville and Winter Hill. It costs less than cast iron pipe, is warranted by the manufacturers for five years, and on the authority of C. L. Stevenson, Esq., Civil Engineer, "it increases rather than diminishes in strength with age."
A continuous line of pipe has been laid, with branches at street connections for future extension, and also at in- tervals of about five hundred feet for hydrants, com- mencing at the Medford town line, on the north-westerly slope of Winter Hill, and running through Medford Street to and through Central Street (passing by 28.6 feet of cast iron pipe over the Lowell Railroad,) to Milk Street, and through Milk (from Central,) to and through Washington Street, (passing under the Lowell Railroad,) to Asylum Avenue; there connecting with an eight inch pipe, the property of the City of Charlestown, and run- ning through Washington, Myrtle, Pearl and Franklin Streets to Broadway.
STATEMENT OF DISTRIBUTION PIPES LAID IN 1868.
STREET.
From
To
Feet 12-in. Feet 8 in. | Ft. 6 in ; Ft. 4 in.
MEDFORD,
Broadway,
Central St.
2,182.0
CENTRAL,
Medford St.
Milk St.
3,704.6
MILK,
Central St.
Wash'et'n St.
3,062.5
WASHINGTON,
Milk St.
Asylum Ave
2,842.0
SUMMER,
Central St.
Spring St.
890.5
5,886.6 5,904.5
890.5
For hydrants, and connections with two-reservoirs,
1539.5
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Before this report shall have been distributed, the water will have been let on to the pipes; and for the following two or three months, it will be chiefly service- able for the supply of the hydrants : as in consequence
C of the lateness of the season at the completion of the work, but little will be done in laying service pipes until spring.
STOP-GATES.
The stop-gates selected, were manufactured by the Bos- ton Machine Company.
HYDRANTS.
The hydrants adopted, are the kind known as the "Bigelow Post Hydrant;" furnished with two leading hose nozzles, each; those located on the more elevated parts of the work having a four inch additional nozzle each, for steamer suction.
STATEMENT OF STOP-GATES AND HYDRANTS SET IN 1868.
STOP-GATES.
HYDRANTS.
12-it.ch.
8-inch .
6 inch.
4-inch.
Street.
Number.
4
7
3
6
Medford
3
Central
5
Milk
4
Washington
5
Summer
2
6
CONSTRUCTION ACCOUNT.
The Committee regret their inability to give in this report, an account of the cost of the works, but will pre- sent it at the town meeting in March or in April : it may be said, however, that after all bills have been settled, there will remain in the hands of the Committee, a bal- ance to the credit of the account.
169
LOAN.
The loan of thirty thousand dollars authorized by the own, has been effected by the issue and disposal of three Coupon Bonds for ten thousand dollars each, denomina- ted " Somerville Water Loan," and numbered 1, 2, and 3 respectively, dated Jan. 1, 1869, payable Jan. 1, 1879, vith interest at the rate of six and one half per cent per unnum, payable semi-annually. e
PIPES LAID, AND NOT THE PROPERTY OF THE TOWN.
Soon after the laying of the " supply main," for the City of Charlestown, the Water Commissioners commenced aying pipes in East Somerville and at Winter Hill. At first the entire expense was borne by the city : subse- quently the cost of the pipe and the laying of the same vas borne by the city and the expense for trenching was paid by the parties for whose convenience the pipes were aid : and later still, the whole cost of the pipe, the lay- ing and the trenching, has been required from the par- ties supplied with the water.
By referring to the contract with the City of Charles- town, it will be seen that the town, within a given time, has the right to assume, at a stipulated price, such pipes as are the property of the city ; it will also be seen that no percentage of return will be payable to the town, on water rates accruing from these pipes, unless they shall become the property of the town. As a matter of econ- omy, therefore, - prospective, if not immediate, - the committee would recommend the purchase of these pipes : and would also recommend the purchase of the pipes owned and laid, either in whole or in part, by individuals, purely as a matter of equity. There certainly can be no justice in subjecting these persons to be taxed on pipes for other parts of the town, while the piping of their par-
e
170
ticular localities, equally populous, at least, remains to them an individual expense. The town has voted to in-" troduce and distribute water, as a town measure, and the rights of any one village in the matter, are the rights of every other village.
MYSTIC LAKE, RESERVOIR, &c.
Mystic Lake is in the towns of Medford, Arlington and Winchester, about three miles from the point of com- mencement of our twelve inch distribution pipe : the locations of the Pumping Engines, near Mystic River, is about two miles, and the Reservoir on Walnut Hill - of over 26,000,000 gallons capacity -is about one and a quarter miles from the same point. From the twenty. four inch supply main leading from the Reservoir to Charlestown, a twelve inch pipe - laid by and the prop. erty of, the City of Charlestown, - leads to and connects with the twelve inch distribution pipe at the point above mentioned.
The following table, taken from the Report of the Mystic Water Commissioners, gives the comparative purity of the waters designated : -
Mystic Lake, in 1862, solid residue per gallon, in grains,
3.23
Lake Cochituate, 66-
66
3.37
Mystic Lake, in 1859,
6:
66
66
66
4.08
Schuylkill, (by Boye) "
66
66
4.45
Lake Cochituate, in 1845, 66
66
6.
5.00
Schuylkill (by Booth & Garrett),
66
66
66
6.10
Spot Pond, in 1845,
66
66
6.19
Fresh Pond,
66
66
66
6.35
Croton River, N. Y.,
66
٠،
66 10.93
SPOT POND AND LAKE QUANAPOWITT. The proposition to introduce water from Spot Pond, 01
171
rom Lake Quanapowitt, advocated at the town-meeting f the 18th of September, induces a few words in refer- nce to those schemes.
Spot Pond is three and a half, and Lake Quanapowitt s seven and a half miles in an air line, from the point of commencement of our twelve-inch distribution-pipe, and n laying a supply main the distances would be increased o at least four and eight miles respectively.
The expense of laying a twenty-inch pipe - which would not be less than $25,000 per mile, together with he outlay at the pond or the lake for dam, gates, em- bankment, &c., and for pumping apparatus and reservoir, for neither of these waters are of sufficient altitude, ifter allowing for loss of head, to supply the higher ocalities of our town), would involve the town, -if the nvestigations and experience of Charlestown are any criterion, in a debt of over $400,000 in adopting Spot Pond, and over $500,000 in adopting Lake Quanapowitt, exclusive of the cost of the distribution pipes within the town.
The franchise of Spot Pond having passed, in 1867, by Act of the Legislature, into the hands of parties who have authority to appropriate the waters therein for the benefit of the towns of Malden, Melrose, and Medford only, nothing further need be said respecting it; and it will at once be seen that the interest on a debt conse- quent upon the introduction of water from Lake Quana- powitt, together with, the expense of maintaining the same - over $50,000 per annum, exclusive of the interest on the cost of the distribution pipes - renders this scheme entirely impracticable.
That there has been no misconception on the part of the Committee as to the futility of relying upon gravity works for a supply of water from the places before- named, may be seen by the following
172
TABLE OF LEVELS, COMPILED FROM RELIABLE AUTHORITIES.
t
Walnut Hill Reservoir, (water level), 147 ft. ab. h. water mark.
Spot Pond 66
66
143 "
66
Winter Hill 66
66
137 « 66
Spring Hill 6.
135 “ 6.
66
Prospect Hill
66
126 “ 66 66
Brookline 66 66
124 " 66 66
Beacon Hill 66 66 116 " 66
Central Hill, (lo'r fl'r of High Sch. h. 107 "
66
Bunker Hill Reservoir, (water level), 100 "
66
East Boston 66 66
94 “ 66
66
Lake Quanapowitt,
66 ab't 85 " 66
66
Bunker Hill Monument Sq., (High St.) 55 "
66 66
Mystic Lake, (top of dam) 11 " 66
66
MAINTENANCE.
As the pipes are warranted for five years ; as the kind of pipe used "increases rather than diminishes in strength with age ;" and as the City of Charlestown, by a stipula- tion in the contract, is liable for repairs to the extent of one hundred dollars per annum ; it would seem that little or no expense for repairs will devolve upon the town. Annual appropriations, however, will be required for the supply of the hydrants, and for the interest on the Water Loan. That the appropriation for hydrants should be charged to " Fire Department" account will not be ques- tioned : and it is recommended that the interest on the Water Loan, when paid, be charged to " Water Distribu- tion " account, and that all percentage of return received by virtue of the contract, or from other sources, if any, sa - be credited to the same account. The appropriations t required for interest will then depend, in part, upon the expenditure for distribution pipes, &c., and in part upon the receipts from the water-takers.
Thirty-six thousand dollars, gross receipts, per annum,
173 .
for water rates, would yield a percentage of return to the town, equal to the interest on an outlay to the extent au- thorized by the act of the Legislature.
If it be considered absolutely certain that the receipts for water rates will fall far below this amount, and that a large appropriation will be required annually for interest, it only proves that with independent water works, al- though the gross receipts would then be credited to the account, - a much larger appropriation to cover the de- ficiency, would be inevitable ; and justifies the conclusion, that the most economical plan for supplying the town with water, was the plan adopted.
Should the requirements of the town demand the ex- penditure of the full amount authorized, and the income from the receipts for water rates equal one half, only, of the interest on the outlay, the annual tax for mainte- nance predicated upon the valuation of 1868 would be less than thirty-five cents on a thousand dollars valuation.
The question has often been asked if, at one time, the City of Charlestown was not ready to pipe this town at the city's expense, and supply the inhabitants with water at the Charlestown rates. It is now quite too late to ask the Water Commissioners this question; and opinions vary. The Committee have but little doubt that it might have been done; and this seems to have been the opin- ion of the Selectmen in 1863; for in their Report, dated March 1, 1864, they say : -
" The Commissioners are desirous to know in what way the town prefer to be supplied with water. They say the town can have the water from the main, and dis- tribute it as they may think best, or if preferred, as soon as a sufficient number of consumers apply for it, to war- rant the laying of the pipes, they will do it, and sell the water on the same terms as to the people of Charles- town."
174
It is recommended that with the opening of Spring, the laying of the pipes be resumed, and continued un- til the more thickly settled portions of the town have been piped.
The Committee are of the opinion that the incurring of a debt for a purpose like this, should not be looked upon as an ordinary expenditure for current purposes, to be repeated annually ; but as an outlay for something permanent :- for a positive acquisition.
The debt itself will not be paid for many years : - perhaps never : - only renewed : and when it is remem- bered that our town is built almost wholly of wood, it must be ackno ledged that for the extinguishment of fires alone, the work will be worth all that we shall be called upon to appropriate for its support.
The Committee would not close this Report without acknowledging the many favors they, and this town, are under, to the Water Commissioners of Charlestown, and to the Clerk of the Board, for their good will and assist- ance ; though we may well aver that the best interests of their city will never suffer at their hands.
In this connection it may not be improper to state, that there are and have been for three or four years, sev- eral hydrants in the town - beside those located by the City of Charlestown in conformity to law, paid for, one half by the town, and one half by private subscription, for the supply of which, the Water Commissioners have generously omitted to make any charge.
In conclusion, we can only say that in discharging the duties devolving upon us, we have endeavored to do all for the best interests of the town.
AARON SARGENT, C. E. RYMES, R. A. VINAL, R. E. DEMMON, CUTLER DOWNER.
Committee.
Somerville, Jan. 1, 1869.
1
1 1 1 1
1
18
18
1 1 1
1
18
18
1
1
1 1
1 1
STATISTICS OF SOMERVILLE.
Date.
Population.
Valuation.
Rates of Taxes per $ 1000
Taxes Assessed. State & Co Tax.
School Property.
Total Town Prop'y
Town Debt.
1842
*1013
988,513 4.29
5,007.08 none paid
1843
5.42
6,025.00
66
4,455.00
6,655 00
1844
4.15
5,594.00*
650.68
4,455.00
6,655.00
1845
3 60
6,379.72
650.68
not apprized
uut . apprized
1846
3.12
6,558.00
$599.95
..
9,636.25
1847
4.32
9,904.17
§599.95
8,636.25
1848
4.68
12,350.70
$808.63
66
15,461.25
1849
4.48
12,499.00
$889.50
66
16,400.00
1850
+3540 2,102.631
5.65
16,956.22
$978.50
22,725.00
32.063.00
14,361.25
1851
6.10
17,781.87 none paid
33,649 42
43,918 76
21,232.49
1852
5.73
18,274 55 $2.102 62
33,649.42
43,918.76
20,320.49
1853
5.56
19,452.00
3,134.62
33,649.42
44,004.76
18,757.49
1854
5.00
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