USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1881 > Part 8
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13
Garden Court, near Fitchburg Railroad.
Poplar Street, near Joy Street.
Somerville Avenue, opposite Henderson's carriage factory.
Somerville Avenue, near Beach Street.
Summit Avenue, near Walnut Street.
Oxford Street, near School Street.
One flush hydrant has been removed from Webster Street. The hydrant on Prospect Street, near the Fitchburg Railroad, has been removed on account of change in the line of the street ; and a new Holyoke hydrant placed on the opposite side of the street, near Newton Street. The post hydrant on Joy Street, complained of as an obstruction, has been removed, and replaced by a flush hydrant.
Seventeen hydrants have been taken out and replaced by new and repaired ones ; twelve have had new valves and gaskets ; thir- teen have had the clay soil removed from around the jackets and gravel filling substituted ; and eight, found frozen, were thawed out.
Change in the grade of sidewalks will necessitate the raising of a number of hydrants during the coming season.
The whole number of hydrants in the city is two hundred and eighty-three.
STOCK ACCOUNT.
Pipe lined .
$398 52
Pipe not lined
.
.
.
.
·
.
394 44
Sleeves on hand .
.
.
4 50
Gates on hand
143 45
Branches on hand
437 70
Sheet iron on hand
1,411 15
Hydrants on hand
207 00
Water service materials
961 78
Total amount of available stock
.
. $3,958 54
.
153
Amount brought forward . $3,958 54
Sundry tools, horses, wagons, etc., as per inventory, . 4,210 83
Total amount stock, tools, etc., on hand Jan. 1, 1882,
. $8,169 37
Respectfully submitted,
NATHANIEL DENNETT,
Superintendent.
EIGHTH ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
CITY ENGINEER OF SOMERVILLE. 1881.
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
IN BOARD OF ALDERMEN, Feb. 8, 1882.
Received and ordered to be printed in the Annual Reports of 1881; sent down for concurrence.
CHARLES E. GILMAN, Clerk.
Concurred in.
IN COMMON COUNCIL, Feb. 8, 1882. DOUGLAS FRAZAR, Clerk.
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
CITY ENGINEER'S OFFICE, Jan. 24, 1882.
To his Honor the Mayor and the City Council :
GENTLEMEN, - The City Engineer presents the following report for the year 1881.
SEWERS.
Eight thousand nine hundred and fifty-seven and one half feet of sewers have been built during the year, as follows : Brick, 749 feet ; pipe, 8,208.5 feet. In these were built thirty-nine man- holes and six hundred and twenty-five inlets.
The following table will show the location, cost, assessment, length, size, etc., of each sewer : -
TABULAR STATEMENT OF SEWERS BUILT IN 1881.
LOCATION.
CONSTRUCTION.
COST.
Name of Street.
From
To
Built by
Materials.
Size in
Inches.
Manholes.
Inlets.
Length
in feet.
Average
Average cost
per foot.
Total cost.
Assess- ment.
Cost to city.
1 Belmont
Somerville Ave ....
n. Summer St .... End of street .... High St.
Maurice Terry .... Richard Falvey .... Dennis O'Connell ..
Akron pipe. . Brick.
12 24 X17
6
87
1,257.5
7.7
$1.93
$2,427.63 1,276.95
$1,745.28 816.48
$682.35 460.47
Boston.
Washington St .....
Akron pipe ..
12
1
20
402.3 }
10.8
1.30
1,451.55
1,102.30
1,349.25
High. ..
Boston . .
n. Clarendon Ave .. Private lands .....
Chas. A. Mongan .. Dennis O'Connell ..
66
12
3
20
382.0
7.4
2 03
776.93
349.55
427.38
4Private lands. ... Maple .
Poplar St. ..
Patrick Terry .. Dennis O'Connell .. -
Brick .... Akron pipe .. Portl'd pipe .
12
1
15
250.5
5.9
0.84
211.66
176.45
35.21
Orchard ..
Day St ....
"
Akron pipe ..
2
32
355.5
8.5
1.92
1,008.50
654.78
353.72
6Wigglesworth.
Otis St ..
Southerly .. ..
Chas. A. Mongan. . Portl'd pipe ..
15
1
12
203.7
9.5
1.16
579.15
260.40
318.75
Russell.
Cottage Ave ..
"
Akron pipe ..
12
1
23
366.0
4.8
0.84
308.79
235.08
73.71
Villa Ave ..
Winslow Ave ..
Elm Court ... .
12
1
17
291.0 }
5.7
0.98
452.41
348.62
103.79
Winslow Ave .....
Grove St .. .
Villa Ave ....
12
1
9
172.0
1
18
329.5
8.4
1.48
488.44
330.84
157 60
Wheatland.
Jaques St ...
Near Broadway ..
12
2
42
492.5
7.7
1.24
613.08
469.06
144.02
39
625
8,9 7.5
$13,237.39
$9,216.75
$4,020.64
REBUILT.
Poplar . .. .....
Somerville Ave. . . . | Maple St .......
.. | Patrick Terry .....
Brick ..
|33 ×22|
13
191.0
10.0
$2.83
$540.45
.
-
1 261.2 cubic yards of rock. 5 88.9 cubic yards of rock.
2 65.0 cubic yards of rock. 6 14.1 cubic yards of rock.
3 33.8 cubic yards of rock.
7 40.0 cubic yards of rock.
Total length of sewers built previous to Jan. 1, 1881 Total length of sewers built during the year 1881.
.158,549.8 feet. .8,957.5 "
Total.
.167,507.3 feet, or 31.7 miles.
158
1
11
168.5
Russell.
Elm St.
Cottage Ave.
12
1
20
295.3
8.75
Village ..
Dane St ...
Northwesterly .. Northwesterly .. Near Central St .. Wigglesw'th St ..
Chas. A. Mongan ..
12
0
9
174.5
5.5
0.77
133.96
118.66
23.30
Oxford ..
School St. . ...
12
7
101
1,325.0
10 2
1.47
1,951.57
1,574.08
377.49
BOtis ...
Near Dana St.
Richard Falvey ....
12
0
10
166.0
10.2
1.40
324 98
200.80
124.18
Willow Ave ..
Morrison St ...
.
Orchard ..
Chester St ...
Westerly. Lincoln School .. · Near Broadway . Clarendon Ave .. Near Medford St Willow Ave .. Northerly .. ...
"
12
12
2
48
611.0
7.1
1.06
649.96
497.66
152.30
Morrison ...
End of old sewer ..
24 ×17
1
6
66.0
12.1
249.0
9.9
2.34
581.83
344.71
237.12
12
1
12 .
2
48
716.75
9.7
1.87
Berkeley.
School St ..
4
65
683.0
2 Broadway .. $Clarendon Ave ..
Newbury St.
..
7Walnut
Pearl St ...
Veazie St ....
Richard Falvey ... . Akron pipe ..
12
12
Orchard St .. Near Hanson St ..
S. & M. Buttimer. . | Portl'd pipe ..
12
$540.45
-
4 21.8 cubic yards of rock.
cut.
12
159
SEWER OUTLETS.
The deposit of sewage near the outlet of the main sewer under Craigie Bridge, in East Cambridge, was removed by dredging ; that portion under the bridge and adjoining wharves was flushed out by a stream from a steam fire engine. The deposit was placed in scows, and towed down the harbor to near Hangman's Island; the whole cost of the work was $1,659.69, of which Somerville paid $922.05, being five ninths of the whole cost. Amount of deposit removed, 2,012 cubic yards.
A nuisance was created by the deposit of sewage on the flats near the outlet of the Waverly Street sewer, which was partially abated by the Boards of Health of Boston and Somerville. The three sewer outlets on the northerly side of Mystic Avenue continue to discharge into open ditches, and are the subject of complaint from the owners of the lands.
PRIVATE DRAINS.
Two hundred and thirty-four permits were issued for laying private drains ; two hundred and twenty-one for new connections ; and thirteen for repairs.
Two persons were licensed by the Board of Aldermen, and one license revoked ; one drain layer has deceased, making the present number of licensed drain layers, twenty-three.
CATCH-BASINS.
Thirteen catch-basins were constructed during the year, at an average cost of $70.49. Nineteen old and decayed wooden covers were removed, and replaced by cast-iron covers. Fourteen hundred and fifty-seven loads of deposit were removed from the catch-basins, at a cost of sixty-one and six tenths cents per load.
MANHOLES.
One manhole was constructed on the Mt. Pleasant Street sewer. I would renew my recommendation of last year, that manholes
160
be built on the old sewers, to give an opportunity for frequent inspection.
METROPOLITAN SEWERAGE SYSTEM.
The commission appointed by the governor and council, in pur- suance of a resolve of the Legislature of 1881, to report a plan for the drainage of the valleys of the Charles and Mystic Rivers, have recently submitted a report to the Legislature.
The report recommends a metropolitan sewerage system to intercept the sewage now discharging into the Charles and Mystic Rivers, and also provides for the removal of the sewage from the towns located in the valleys of the Charles and Mystic Rivers and a portion of the valley of the Neponset River.
The total estimated expense is $13,000,000, and several methods for the apportionment of the cost among the different cities and towns are suggested. If the expense is apportioned according to population, Somerville's share would be $564,673 ; by area, $256,732 ; by population and area combined, $79,095 ; by value of real estate, $432,970 ; by total of real estate and personal property, $360,940.
The recommendations contained in the report refer only to a general system. The details are not given. The routes of the intercepting sewer and branches are not determined, therefore it is impossible to estimate the cost to our city of adapting our present system of sewers to the proposed metropolitan system.
In my opinion this subject, which contemplates the expenditure of $13,000,000, should receive further and exhaustive investigation by men of skill and experience in the matter of sewerage; that careful and complete surveys should be made ; that the several loca_ tions proposed for an outfall be examined ; that the most practicable routes for the intercepting sewer and branches be determined ; that the details of the whole system be carefully worked out; that an estimate be made of the cost of the entire system, - all of which should be reported to the Legislature.
The cities and towns interested would then have an opportunity to know exactly how the system would affect each, and the data from which to estimate the cost of making connections and adapt- ing each of the present systems to the metropolitan system.
161
The plan should then be adopted by the Legislature ; after which the several cities and towns that are each year extending sewers could plan and construct their sewers so that in the future they would be in conformity with and a part of the general system.
EXPENDITURES FOR SEWERS.
The following table will show the expenditures for sewers during the past five years, the cost of maintenance per mile, average cost of catch-basins, lengths of brick and pipe sewers, and other infor- mation : -
11
CITY OF SOMERVILLE - SEWER DEPARTMENT.
RECEIPTS.
1877.
1878.
1879.
1880.
1881.
1882.
Appropriation
$16,000 00
$7,000 00
$7,500 00 5,600 00
$7,500 00
$8,000 00
Received by transfer ..
from entrance fees, etc ..
107 00
Materials on hand, Jan. 1
43 02
Assessments
11,083 62
20 00 159 52 4,821 00
212 74 13,449 13
219 17 10,009 50
176 89 236 93 9,216 75
$27,233 64
฿12,000 52
$26,761 87
$17,728 67
$17,630 57
EXPENDITURES, CONSTRUCTION.
Abatements.
Catch-basins, building, total cost.
$2,317 25
Craigie Bridge outlet, extending.
2,661 52
Drains, to vacant lands.
128 48
Edge stones, setting and paving.
50 70
Manholes, building, on old sewers.
302 76
41 60
16,766 83
7,507 88
24,575 34 2,524 50
132 20 16,350 20 1,323 29
13,237 39 540 45
improvements on Washington
Street, near F. R. R.
322 80
Total expenditure for construction
$22,209 24
$9,338 59
$27,725 43
$18,714 76
$15,008 52
EXPENDITURES, MAINTENANCE.
Blow-offs, from water-pipes
$48 00
Books and stationery .
$74 20
$52 50
$34 50
$67 50
31 25
Catch-basins, repairs on
587 99
372 86
590 37
416 42
229 99
cleaning .
831 25
958 31
708 51
602 87
898 18
66
changing lines and grades of
20 35
18 25
63 85
examining
3 50
3 50
5 62
3 50
Clerk, salary .
200 00
Craigie Bridge outlet, dredging
111 00
922 05
66
repairs
29 49
11 00
45 50
29 12
Manholes, repairing
53 96
135 80
8 25
16 74
70 50
46
changing lines and grades.
57 05
34 84
17 50
16 75
93 47
cleaning dirt-catchers.
202 89
235 82
231 25
30 37
18 00
Materials, depreciation.
5 00
10 66
1 06
8 70
Miscellaneous .. .
39 68
104 24
70 80
324 10
88 66
Sewers, repairing .
84 15
52 52
13 83
52 25
12 05
=
flushing
182 98
38 75
134 69
186 27
29 88
28 32
47 42
14 63
145 62
65 95
66
ventilating
81 26
23 19
84 85
Superintendent's salary and team, 2 months,
150 00
Storehouse, fitting up
44 32
5 75
83 79
26 67
75 78
repairs on .
48 61
69 33
15 66
13 66
36 44
arranging
Total expenditure for maintenance
$2,860 44 22,209 24 159 52
$2,447 58 9,338 59 212 74
$2,179 24 27,725 43 219 17
$2,355 27 18,714 76 236 93
$3,468 52 15,008 52 259 05
Total
$25,229 20
$11,998 91
$30,123 84
$21,306 96
$18,736 09
Balance unexpended .
2,004 44
1 61
3,361 97
3,578 29
1,105 52
Sewers, new, building, net cost to city
$5,683 21
$2,686 88
$11,126 21
$6,340 70
$4,020 64
2.4
1.3
3.0
1.7
1.7
miles of pipe, Jan. 1 .
1.3
1.6
2.4
3.9
4.5
6.1
miles of brick, Jan. 1
*20.3
*22.4
*22.9
*24.4
*25.5
*25.6
=
total miles of, Jan 1. .
21.6
24.0
25.3
28.3
30.0
31.7
cost of maintenance, per mile, including catch-basins ...
$132 43
$100 31
$86 14
$83 23
+$115 62
Catch-basins, number built each year ..
..
average cost of each .
$66 21
$54 65
$57 80
$64 93
$70 49
total number in city, Jan. 1. .
403
438
462
472
486
499
loads of deposit removed ....
1,449
1,659
1,212
993
1,457
66
cost of cleaning per load . ..
$0 57
$0 58
$0 58
$0 61
$0 61₴
47 63
49 50
93 75
156 37
clearing mouths of
79 72
82 88
168 80
88 38
251 28
Sewers, new, building .. rebuilding ..
110 18
$67 76 1,311 67
$47 53
578 06
$909 07
916 32
* Including 1303.5 lin. ft. (0.2 mile) of plank sewer. t $84 88 per mile, excluding $922.05 for dredging at Craigie Bridge.
13
35
24
10
14
Tide gates
39 82
Tools, purchased
163 24
106 46
7 02
12 00
3 49
.6 construction
Materials, value of, Dec. 31. .
Amount overdrawn
cleaning
examining.
Surveys. .
13 92
50 65
Ditches, cleaning.
200 00
$272 76
miles built each year.
163
SIDEWALKS.
The following table will show the sidewalk improvements during the year : -
Street.
Side.
From
To
Materials.
Approx. length of walk in feet.
Cost.
Chester . .
North westerly.
Orchard Street .
Herbert St ...
Brick and edge stone, Brick .. Gravel and edge stone, Gravel and edge stone,
405 1,305
$510 68 751 62
Gilman .. Putnam ..
Both
.
The Board of Aldermen assessed one half the cost on the abut- ters.
STREETS.
The following table will show the streets accepted by the City Council during the year : -
STREETS ACCEPTED IN 1881.
Name of Street.
From
To
Width in feet.
Length in feet.
Eliot.
Vine Street.
Park Street
40
291
Cross
Medford Street
High Street.
40
596.5
Cross
Broadway
Mystic Avenue
40
1,098.0
ENGINEERING EXPENSES FOR 1881.
Salary of City Engineer, including maintenance of
team
$1,900 00
Salaries of assistants .
1,109 35
Repairing instruments, stationery, spikes, tools, etc., 124 31
$3,133 66
Respectfully submitted,
GEORGE A. KIMBALL,
City Engineer.
. .
2,537
1,818 76
Walnut . .
Southeasterly ..
Highland Ave. .
Boston St ....
616
442 48
Total
4,863
$3,523 54
Both
Cross Street .... Highland Ave. .
Angle. . Summer St. .
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
COMMITTEE ON SEWERS.
1881.
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
IN BOARD OF ALDERMEN, Dec. 30, 1881.
Report accepted and referred to the next city government to be printed in the Annual Reports, and sent down for concurrence.
CHARLES E. GILMAN, Clerk.
Concurred in.
IN COMMON COUNCIL, Dec. 30, 1881. DOUGLAS FRAZAR, Clerk.
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
IN COMMITTEE ON SEWERS, Dec. 30, 1881.
To the Board of Somerville :
The Committee on Sewers, having reported upon all matters that have been referred to them, present the following exhibit of the Sewers account for the year 1881 : -
Appropriation,
$8,000 00
Received fees for entering sewers,
176 89
Value of materials on hand, Jan. 1,
236 93
$8,413 82
EXPENDED.
For 16 new sewers (as per accompany-
ing table),
$13,237 39
Less assessments,
9,216 75
Net cost to city, $4,020 64
For rebuilding sewer in Poplar Street,
540 45
" 13 catch-basins (average $70.49),
916 32
" 1 manhole,
41 60
" clearing mouths of catch-basins,
251 28
" cleaning catch-basins,
898 18
" repairing.
229 99
" examining 66
3 50
" changing lines and grades of catch- basins,
63 85
" repairing sewers,
12 05
" flushing
156 37
" examining
65 95
" cleaning 66
29 88
" repairing manholes,
70 50
Amounts carried forward, $7,300 56
$8,413 82
163
Amounts brought forward. $7,300 56 $8,413 82
For changing grades of manholes, 93 47
" cleaning manhole dirt catchers,
18 00
ditches,
29 12
" blow-offs from water pipes into sewers, 48 00
" surveys on the Mystic River, 84 85
" removing obstructions from drain in Pearl Street, 19 58
" repairing drain in Broadway,
40 55
" removing deposit and repairing gate chamber at mouth of Bridge Street Sewer, Cambridge, 972 70
" abatements of assessments of the year 1880, 272 76
" tools and personal property,
75 78
" repairing tools and personal prop- erty, 36 44
" books and stationery, 31 25
" clerk's salary,
200 00
" sundry small expenses,
28 53
" depreciation in value of materials,
8 70
" value of materials on hand this day, 259 05
Total expenses, 9,519 34
Excess of expenses over appropriation, etc., $1,105 52
Appended to this report is a table, prepared by the City Engi- neer, showing the location, materials, size, length, and cost of sewers built, and of the sewer rebuilt, during the year.
For the committee,
MARTIN W. CARR, Chairman. GEO. I. VINCENT, Clerk.
SEWERS BUILT IN 1881.
Street.
From
To
Materials.
Size in inches.
Manholes.
Inlets.
Length in feet.
Total cost.
Assess- ment.
Cost to city.
Belmont .
Somerville Ave .... School Street ......
Near Summer Street. Near end of street ... High Street .
Akron pipe ..
12
6
87
1,257.5
$2,427.63 1,276.95
$1,745.28 816.48
460.47
Akron pipe. ..
12
1
20
402.3 }
1,451.55
1,102.30
349.25
High. . .
Boston Street. . . .. n. Clarendon Ave. .
Land L. E. Hutchins. Lincoln School ...... Near Broadway ..... Clarendon Ave ... Near Medford Street. Willow Ave.
66
12
1
12
249.0
581.83
344.71
237.12
Clarendon Ave.
12
3
. 20
382.0
776.93
349.55
427.38
Private Lands ..
Private lands. .. .. Newbury Street ... Poplar Street ...... End of old sewer ..
Brick ....
24 X 17
1
6
66.0 }
324.98
200.80
124.18
Willow Ave ..
Northerly .
Akron pipe. ..
12
0
10
166 0
211.66
176.45
35.21
Orchard
Northwesterly.
12
0
9
174.5
133.96
110.66
23 30
Oxford ..
School Street ......
Akron pipe. .
12
7
101
1,325.0
1,951.57
1,574.08
377.49
Otis. Wigglesworth.
Near Dana Street .. Otis Street .
Southerly .
12
1
11
168.5
Russell
Elm Street .
Cottage Ave ..
15
1
12
203.7
579.15
260.40
318.75
Russell.
Cottage Ave ...
Orchard Street ...
12
1
20
295.35
308.79
235.08
73.71
Villa Ave ..
Winslow Ave ... ...
Portland pipe .
12
1
17
291.0
452.41
348.62
103.79
Winslow Ave.
Grove Street . .
Villa Ave. ..
12
1
9
172.0
483.44
330.84
157.60
Wheatland ...
Jaques Street. .. ...
Near Veazie Street .. Near Broadway .
12
2
42
492.5
613.08
469.06
144.02
Totals .
39
625
8,957.5
$13,237.39
$9,216.75
$4,020.64
SEWER REBUILT IN 1881.
Poplar . ....
| Somerville Ave. . . . | Maple Street .
Į Brick
..
33 × 22 | 1
13
191.0
- $540.45
· ..
$540.45
66
. .
.. .
...
.........
. .. . . .. .. .
12 .
12
2
48
611.0
649.96
497.66
152.30
Morrison. . .
Morrison Street .... Chester Street .. .. . Day Street ..
Northwesterly . ..
Portland pipe.
12
1
15
250.5
.
Near Central Street .. Wigglesworth St .. . .
12
2
32
355.5 l
1,008.50
654.78
353.72
.
....
.
·
.
·
·
Walnut .. ..
Pearl Street .. ..
Akron pipe ..
12
1
18
329.5
·
·
...
..
....
....
...
·
.
. .
1
23
366.0
Village ...
Dane Street. ..
Near Hanson Street .. Elm Court.
Akron pipe .. .
12
2
4.8
716.7 5
Brick
24 × 17
4
65
683.0
Berkeley.
Boston.
Washington St .....
12
Broadway .
Maple. .
. . .
...
Orchard ..
.
GEO. A. KIMBALL, City Engineer.
169
Portland pipe ...
. ..
$682.35
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
COMMITTEE ON HIGHWAYS
FOR
YEAR 1881.
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
IN BOARD OF ALDERMEN, Dec. 30, 1881.
Report accepted and referred to the next city government to be printed with the City Reports for the year 1881, and sent down for concurrence.
CHARLES E. GILMAN, Clerk.
IN COMMON COUNCIL, Dec. 30, 1881.
Concurred in.
DOUGLAS FRAZAR, Clerk.
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
IN COMMITTEE ON HIGHWAYS, Dec. 29, 1881.
To the City Council :
The Committee on Highways respectfully submit this, their annual report, showing briefly what has been undertaken and ac- complished during the year 1881.
SNOW AND OTHER STORMS.
Your committee are glad to report that the expenditure called for in this direction has been comparatively light ; and as it is one that cannot be estimated, it is always a matter of anxiety till the end of the year, as at any time the unforeseen and immediate ex- penditure of large amounts of money may be demanded to repair serious damage done by the elements.
The expenditure for this year amounts to $611.78.
MIDDLESEX AVENUE
Has always been a cause of outlay and anxiety to your committee, and this year the matter culminated in a petition to the County Com- missioners from the citizens of Malden, Melrose, and Medford, call- ing their attention to the state of the avenue.
This compelled your committee to take some action in the matter, and the Superintendent of Streets was therefore instructed to com- mence the repair and improvement of the avenue ; and it was put in such good condition that when visited by the County Commis- sioners, it was, after the public hearing which followed, accepted by them as a public highway : and a vexed question has been thus satisfactorily settled and determined, at an outlay and cost of $2,690.46.
SOMERVILLE HORSE RAILROAD.
There have been some improvements made on this road. The old and unsightly T-rail has been removed from the side of Elm Street,
174
and a new track laid in the middle of the street, and the roadway paved at the expense of the company, from Cherry Street to the car-house on Dover Street. The company has also laid a new track from the car-house on Dover Street, through Holland Street to Clarendon Hill, this roadway also being paved at their own expense.
THE CHARLES RIVER STREET RAILWAY COMPANY.
This new company has commenced its operations in our city by laying a double track from Wesley Square to Union Square, the company paving the whole of the roadway ; a double track also on Webster Avenue from Union Square to the Fitchburg Railroad Crossing, and a single track on Webster Avenue, from the railroad crossing to Prospect Street; and a single track from Webster Avenue, through Newton and Springfield Streets, to the Cambridge line ; and on Beacon Street a single track, from the Cambridge line to Washington Street ; and have also from time to time been granted other locations for tracks in various streets, which, on ac- count of the lateness of the season, they have been debarred from building upon.
The work as constructed so far has been under the supervision of your committee and the Superintendent of Streets, and to their entire satisfaction ; and it is pleasant to be able to state that the company in question have been exceedingly thorough in the laying of their tracks, and paving, and attentive to any suggestion from your committee.
Your committee desire, before closing this subject, to respectfully invite the attention of our citizens to the work this corporation has undertaken and commenced, and which if consummated will give our city quick and easy access from many of its parts now not touched by horse railroads, to our neighboring cities of Cambridge and Bos- ton ; the system inaugurated by this company being to gather in those streets in our city now without accommodation, and by a short and rapid route, which contemplates a bridge across the Charles River, to land them in either Cambridge or Boston. The system seems to your committee one that should be encouraged, and one that will open up our city and offer many advantages.
175
SCHOOL STREET BRIDGE.
In the opinion of your committee, the time has come when some- thing definite should be done to have a proper and suitable struc- ture erected over the Lowell Railroad on this street. The matter has received serious consideration from different committees ; but no definite plan has ever been agreed upon between the city and the Lowell Railroad corporation, and it seems imperative that some- thing should be done in the coming year.
In the opinion of your committee, at this moment the approaches and structure crossing the road at this point are in a dangerous condition ; and it is to be hoped that the City Council will make this a matter of special consideration early in the coming year, and have some plan fixed and agreed upon between the city and the Lowell Railroad corporation, looking to the immediate removal of this unsightly and unsafe structure, or its permanent and thorough renovation.
STONE BREAKER.
Your committee can only reiterate their report of last year, namely : -
"Everything in the shape of stone can be fed to this machine at a nominal cost, and distributed upon the highways in its most valuable form ; it is considered an invaluable adjunct to the economy aimed at in the repair and preservation of highways, and it now seems impossible to conceive how the department has ever done so long without it."
There has been fed to this machine during the present year over 6,000 loads of stone.
CLOSED GATES AT THE FITCHBURG RAILROAD CROSSING ON SACRAMENTO STREET.
This vexed question was, as usual each year, referred to your committee in the form of a petition. It is desired here to record the report made upon said petition to the City Council, so that our citizens may perfectly understand the condition in which the mat- ter now stands.
176
To the City Council :
The Committee on Highways report submitting the following communi- cation from the City Solicitor on the subject of closed gates, on Sacra- mento Street.
" CITY SOLICITOR'S OFFICE, NOV. 14, 1881.
" To Committee on Highways :
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.