Report of the city of Somerville 1884, Part 15

Author: Somerville (Mass.)
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Somerville, Mass.
Number of Pages: 364


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An unusually great length of sewers has been laid in the past year, and the amount of extraordinary expense has been large. For a number of years, the necessity for reconstructing the greater part of the sewer in Linwood Street has been recognized by the committee on sewers ; and this year, as the city council decided to raise the grade of the street, the work had to be done, involving an expense, as hereinbefore stated, of $2,294.34. The city of Cambridge also deemed it necessary this year to remove the deposit from the mouth of the Bridge Street sewer ; and Somerville's part of the expense, as before stated, amounted to $1,714.70. These two items may prop- erly be termed extraordinary expenses ; for although the dredging at the Bridge Street sewer outlet was done last year, at a cost nearly as great as the sum just mentioned, yet its recurrence this year was not anticipated when the annual appropriations were made.


We present herewith a list of sewers built during the year.


For the committee,


ALBION A. PERRY, Chairman. GEO. I. VINCENT, Clerk.


268


SEWERS BUILT IN 1884.


Street.


From.


To.


Length in Feet.


Cost.


Assessment. Cost to City.


Clyde


.


.


.


.


.


Summer Street


Private Lands


.


.


.


.


137.8


1,255 86


1,232 36


23 50


Graves


Private Lands


Willow Avenue


.


434.7


514 02


426 20


87 82


Durham


Beacon


.


Near Trull Lane


394.5


508 52


486 25


22 27


Jaques


.


.


End of old sewer


Bond Street .


.


531.9


1,764 35


1,042 42


721 93


Murdock .


Cedar Street .


Clyde Street .


786


1,185 72


1,184 50


1 22


Morrison .


Willow Avenue


Cedar Street .


1,436.7


₹ 6,273 20


3,575 24


2,697 96


Cedar


·


.


Morrison Street


Murdock Street


443.2


549 79


529 59


20 20


Partridge Avenue


Medford Street


Near Broadway


459.0


514 95


514 08


87


Pleasant Avenue


Walnut Street


Near Vinal Avenue


493.4


558.94


539 23


19 71


Porter


Williams Court


Brastow Avenue


·


.


900.5


2,069 63


2,002 18


67 45


Brastow Avenue


·


.


End of old sewer


Highland Avenue .


58.4


363 28


268 75


94 53


Highland Avenue


School Street .


North-westerly


169.6


10,711.6


$18,810 98


$14,310 15


$4,500 83


SEWERS REBUILT IN 1884.


Poplar


Maple Street


Linwood Street


.


·


·


.


.


.


Near Linwood Place


Northerly


.


.


.


233.6 1,006.0


{ $2,294 34


-


$2,294 34


Beech


·


·


Spring Street .


·


.


.


66.7


646 19


$131 40


514 79


Spring


.


Near Beech Street .


Beech Street .


·


.


1,554.6


$2,940 53


$131 40


$2,809 13


.


.


.


594


$1,329 84


$910 34 405 20


15 68


Cutter Avenue


.


Cutter Avenue


.


.


Hanson


.


244.1


1,502 00


1,193 81


308 19


Bond


Jaques Street .


Adams Street .


Partridge Avenue


848.3


Pinckney .


Washington Street .


Angle


.


.


.


·


Porter Street .


Near Lowell Street


650.5


.


.


.


.


·


Cedar Street


Murdock Street


368.8


420 88


Cutter


Near Broadway


:


Graves Street .


309.1


Private Lands


.


Highland Avenue


Near Sycamore Street


.


Near Broadway


Medford


.


.


.


.


.


School


Linwood


.


Harvard Street


248.3


834.5


616.6


$419 50


ANNUAL REPORTS.


REPORT OF THE CITY ENGINEER.


CITY OF SOMERVILLE.


IN BOARD OF MAYOR AND ALDERMEN, Jan. 2S, 1885. Referred to the committee on printing, to be printed in the annual reports. Sent down for concurrence.


CHARLES E. GILMAN, Clerk.


Concurred in.


IN COMMON COUNCIL, Jan. 28, 1885.


DOUGLAS FRAZAR, Clerk.


CITY OF SOMERVILLE.


CITY ENGINEER'S OFFICE, Jan. 21, 1885. To his Honor the Mayor and City Council.


GENTLEMEN, - In accordance with the provision of the city ordi- nance in relation to city engineering, I herewith submit my annual report for the year 1884.


SEWERS.


Ten thousand seven hundred and eleven and six-tenths feet of sewers were built during the year, of which 2,271.2 feet were of brick, and 8,440.4 feet of pipe. In these sewers were built thirty- nine man-holes.


Fifteen hundred and fifty-four and six-tenths feet of sewers have been rebuilt at a lower grade.


Fourteen hundred and forty-six and five-tenths feet of pipe sewers have been built by private parties, under the direction of the city engineer.


The following table will show the location, size, length, cost, assess- ment, etc., of each sewer : -


TABULAR STATEMENT OF SEWERS BUILT IN 1884.


LOCATION.


CONSTRUCTION.


COST.


Name of Street.


From


To


Built by


Materials.


Inches. Size in


Manholes.


Inlets.


Length in


Feet.


Average


Aver. Cost


per foot.


Total Cost.


Assess- ment.


Cost to City.


1 Clyde


Cedar Street .


Murdock Street . Sibley Court .


John J. Dorey


Akron pipe


12


2


31


594


10.5 6.2


$2 24 1 14


$1,329 84 420 88


$910 34


$419 50


Cutter


Near Broadway .


Summer Street


Private Lands


Patrick Terry .


"


12


1


16


309.1


8.9


1 18


1,255 86


1,232 36


23 50


Private Lands


Cutter Avenue .


Graves Street


·


Willow Avenue .


"


10


2


26


583.5


7.0


*


2 Dartmouth .


Evergreen Avenue .


·


Maurice Buttimer, Chas. A. Mongan, .


12


2


31


434.7


9.3


1 18


514 02


426 20


87 82


Durham


Beacon Street


Bow Street


North-easterly .


Dennis Ryan .


.


·


1


6


1


10


394.5


11.5


1 29 *


508 52


486 25


22 27


Highland Ave. .


Near Sycamore St. . Pearl Street .


Near Trull Lane


Paul Kelly


Near Veazie Street, Bond Street


John J. Dorey


·


12


2


37


531.9


9.1


1 94


1,502 00


1,193 81


308 19


5 Bond .


Jaques Street


Near Broadway . Partridge Avenue


Brick


17×24


3


60


834.5


11.9


2 11


1,764 35


1,042 42


721 93


Medford


Near Adams Street,


Maurice Terry John J. Dorey


Akron pipe


12


2


55


786.0


6.7


1 51


1,185 72


1,184 50


1 22


Murdock


Cedar Street . .


Clyde Street .


Cedar Street .


Patrick Terry .


Brick "


.


·


17×24|


4


61


848.3


443.2


7.4


1 24


549 79


529 59


20 20


Pinckney .


Washington Street Medford Street Walnut Street .


Chas. A. Mongan, Putterill & Killian, Dennis O'Connell, Maurice Terry .


Akron pipe Portland pipe, Akron pipe .


12


2


27


493.4


8.5


1 13


558 94


539 23


19 71


Porter .


Williams Court


1 33


2,069 63


2,002 18


67 45


Brastow Ave.


Porter Street .


School


End of old sewer


Patrick Terry .


12


1


58.4


11.4


1 59


363 28


268 75


94 53


Highland Ave.


School Street . Medford


Paul Kelly .


·


·


12


1


9


169.6


7


181


6.8


*


-


-


REBUILT.


7 Beech


8 Spring .


Spring Street . Near Beech Street . Maple Street . ·


Harvard Street Beech Street . Linwood Street .


Near Linwood Pl. . | Northerly . .


Maurice Terry Richard Falvey .


.


Akron pipe Brick


12 12 2 - 22×33 | 22×33| 3


15 4 18 115


248.3 66.7 233.6 1,006.0


---


10.0


$2 05


$646 19


$131 40


$514 79


Poplar .


7.4


1 85


2,294 34


-


2,294 34


1,554.6


-


$2,940 53


$131 40 $2,809 13


1 190 cubic yards of rock. 6 456 5 1


2 22.8 cubic yards of rock. 7 15.08 "


3 21 cubic yards of rock. 8 18.75 "


4 172.83 cubic yards of rock.


5 6.57 cubic yards of rock.


* Built by private parties. 182,453.4 feet. 10,711.6 « 193,165.0 ‹‹ or 36.6 miles.


Total length of sewers built by city previous to Jan. 1, 1884 . dining the year 1884


of public sewers in city, Jan. 1, 1885 .


272


ANNUAL REPORTS.


Total length of sewers built by city


·


10,711.6


-


-


$18,810 98 $14,310 15 $4,500 83


.


12


2


30


368.8


405 20


15 68


Putterill & Killian,


·


·


12


2


40


616.6


1


Graves


Private Lands


-


·


·


8


12


104.0


-


7.0


*


-


-


-


1


.


1


12


1


13


244.1


4 Jaques


End of old sewer


Richard Falvey


12


15


304.5


3 James


6 Cedar


.


Willow Avenue . Morrison Street .


Murdock Street


12


3


12


27


459.0


7.1


1 12


514 95


514 08


87


Partridge Ave.


Pleasant Ave.


12


4


51


900.5


2


39


650.5


12


·


·


10


·


3


111


1,436.7


12.7


2 75


6,273 20


3,575 24


2,697 96


Morrison .


Tennyson .


Angle . Near Broadway . Near Vinal Avenue, . Brastow Avenue Near Lowell Street . . Highland Avenue . North-westerly . Southerly . .


·


12


-


8


137.8


1


273.5


Hawkins Park


Near Broadway . Hanson Street .


·


12


-


17×24


25


10.1


-


Cut.


Cutter Avenue


Linwood


273


REPORT OF THE CITY ENGINEER.


POPLAR AND LINWOOD STREETS SEWER.


That portion of the sewer in Poplar Street between Maple and Linwood Streets, and in Linwood Street from near Congress Place northwardly, a distance of one thousand and six feet, was rebuilt at a lower grade. These sewers were built in 1868, and were found to be irregular in grade, and, at places, nearly full of deposit.


The expense of this improvement was $2,294.34 ; all of which was borne by the city, the abutting estates having been assessed in 1868.


BEECH STREET SEWER.


This sewer was built in 1869, and was not deep enough to drain the abutting estates on the lower side of the street. During the year 315 feet of the sewer were relaid at a lower grade, at an expense of $646.19, of which $131.40 was assessed on the estates not assessed in 1869.


MURDOCK AND CLYDE STREETS SEWERS.


Sewers were laid in Murdock and Clyde Streets, where they have been much needed for many years. It was necessary to build a long line of sewer in Morrison and Cedar Streets to provide an outlet.


The total cost of the work was $8,688.76 ; of which $5,670.08 was assessed on the abutters, leaving $3,018.68 to be borne by the city. A large amount of rock excavation was necessary in the construction, which materially increased the cost of the work.


CRAIGIE BRIDGE SEWER OUTLET.


On account of the numerous complaints made by the owners of property in the vicinity of this sewer-outlet, the cities of Cambridge and Somerville again dredged and removed the deposit, at a cost of $1,714.70 to Somerville.


This expense is now incurred nearly every year, and is a large item in the cost of the maintenance of our sewers.


PRIVATE DRAINS.


Two hundred and seventy-eight permits were issued for laying pri- vate drains, - 262 for new connections, and 16 for repairs.


The present number of licensed drain-layers is twenty-eight.


CATCH-BASINS.


Five catch-basins were built during the year, under a contract with Charles A. Mongan, at an average cost of seventy-three dollars.


274


ANNUAL REPORTS.


EXAMINATION OF SEWERS.


All the sewers that are provided with manholes have been exam- ined, and many small defects remedied.


I would recommend that all the sewers in the city be examined annually, as many defects may be discovered, which, if allowed to remain, would result in serious damage.


SIDEWALKS.


The following table will show the sidewalk improvements during the year : -


Street.


Side.


From


To


Materials.


Approx. length of walk in feet.


Cost.


Appleton. Church. Pleasant Av. Summer.


Both. Both. Both. South.


Morrison St. Somerville Av. Walnut St. Laurel St.


Willow Av. Summer St. Vinal Av. Easterly.


Gravel and edge-stones. .6 66


1,551.8


$1,123.42


1,274.0


804.12


66


1,119.0


799.00


249.0


156.40


Total,


4,193.8


$2,882.94


The board of aldermen assessed one-half the cost on the abutters.


STREETS.


The following table will show the streets accepted by the city council during the year : -


STREETS ACCEPTED IN 1884.


Name of Street.


From


To


Width in feet.


Length in feet.


Evergreen Avenue.


Sycamore Street. Tufts Street.


Oliver Street.


40


717


Little Washington.


Central Street.


Easterly.


40


692


Pleasant Avenue. Summit Avenue.


Walnut Street.


Vinal Avenue.


40


542


Walnut Street.


Vinal Avenue.


45


531


Total,


2,797


Thurston Street.


40


315


Glen.


STREET NUMBERING.


Eight streets have been numbered during the year, and notices sent to each house. Plans are now being prepared for several others.


SURVEY OF THE CITY.


There was expended on this work the sum of $298.27. Surveys


275


REPORT OF THE CITY ENGINEER.


were commenced, and partially plotted, for a large tract on the south- erly slope of Spring Hill, and on the north-westerly slope of Winter Hill.


Tracings were made of a portion of East Somerville and the southerly slope of Central Hill, from which copies can be repro- duced by means of the " blue process." The surveys above men- tioned were made in districts where improvements have been ordered, such as the building of sewers, streets, etc. ; and on this account the work already performed is scattered in different parts of the city, and only a small portion in any part of the city is complete. If an addi- tional sum could be expended, and the thickly settled portions of the city completed, I believe it would be for the interest of the city.


STONE BOUNDS.


For the purpose of marking the lines of streets, thirty-five granite bounds have been set during the year. They are five feet long, and about eight inches square, set with the top of the bound level with the surface of the street.


The following table will show the location of each bound : -


Austin Street, west side, at north side of Broadway.


66 66


66 near Benedict Street.


66


66 at south side of Mystic Avenue.


Cross


66 66 at north side of Broadway.


66


66 66


" south side of Mystic Avenue.


Eliot Street, south side, at east side of Park Street.


66 " west side of Vine Street.


Evergreen Avenue, north side, at west side of School Street.


66 66 66


" Dartmouth Street.


66


66 " east side of Thurston Street.


66


south side, at west side of Thurston Street.


66


66


66 " east side of Sycamore Street.


Highland


66


66 66 " " Central Street.


two on each side at curve east of Central Street.


Jaques Street, south side, at east side of Temple Street.


Linden Avenue, west side, at south side of Summer Street.


Concord


south side, at west side of Springfield Street.


66


66 north side, at south side of Newton


66


66


66 south side, at west side of Prospect


Columbus 66


" angle east of Warren Avenue.


Mystic 66


" west side of Winthrop


276


ANNUAL REPORTS.


Mystic Avenue, south side, at east side of Chauncey Avenue. Newton Street, east side, at south side of Webster


Oliver south side, at angle east of Glen Street.


66


" west of «


Springfield Street, west side, at Cambridge line.


STONE BOUNDS SET IN 1881. [No list published in report for that year. ]


Gilman Street, north side, at angle nearest Walnut Street.


66 66


66 near Cross Street.


North


66


west side, at north side of Broadway.


66


66


"


" summit near Broadway.


66


66


east side, at angle in " hollow."


66


66 66 66


66 " near T. R. Cook's house.


Park


66


66


66


" P. C., south of Fitchburg Railroad.


66 near Eliot Street.


" angle south of Eliot Street.


Pleasant Avenue, south side, at west side of Walnut Street. 66


66 " east side of Vinal Avenue. Porter Street, east side, at south side of Summer Street.


Prospect Hill Avenue, north side, at west side of Medford Street. 66


66 66 66 east side of High Street. Russell Street, west side, at north side of Cottage Avenue. Vinal Avenue, east side, at angle near Pleasant Avenue.


west side, at north side of Summer Street.


STONE BOUNDS SET IN 1876. [No list published in report for that year.]


Broadway, south side, at angle west of Cross Street. 66 " east side of Central Street.


66 north side, at east side of Chauncey Avenue.


66 " west side of Winthrop Avenue.


Concord Avenue, south side, at angle opposite Marion Street.


66 66 150 feet west of Marion Street.


66 66 north side, at angle 150 "


66 66


66 south side, at angle 31 feet east of Leon Street.


66 66 66


66 " at Medford line.


66


66


66


“ west side of Cross Street.


66


277


REPORT OF THE CITY ENGINEER.


BRIDGES.


The bridge over the Boston and Lowell Railroad at Broadway has been removed, and a wooden bridge built on the same abutments, with a high board fence on each side; that over the same railroad at Walnut Street has been rebuilt of wood, and widened, and a high board fence built on each side. The bridges over this road at Cross, Medford, School, and Central Streets are all in good condition ; that at Cedar Street should be rebuilt at an early day. Of the bridges above named, those at Walnut, School, and Cedar Streets, and Broadway, are not as wide as the streets on each side.


I would also call the especial attention of the city council to the roadway under the Boston and Lowell Railroad at Washington Street. The recent decision of the Supreme Court against the city, in the case of Whicher vs. Somerville, where the defendant was damaged by running his team into a fence dividing the roadway from the ele- vated portion occupied by the horse-railroad, would indicate that the city is liable for damages for any accidents occurring under this bridge, and on its approaches. I am also informed that other accidents have occurred at this place in former years. I would therefore recom- mend that such changes be made under the bridge, and on its ap- proaches, as will make it safe for public travel.


The bridges over the Fitchburg Railroad at Beacon and Washing- ton Streets are in good condition, but that over this railroad at Prospect Street is too narrow for the convenience and safety of pub- lic travel.


The stone arch-bridge over Alewife Brook at Broadway, and the wooden bridge over the Mystic River at Boston Avenue, are both in good condition.


The wooden drawbridge over the Mystic River at Middlesex Ave- nue needs repairs. This bridge was built twelve years ago, and many of the timbers and some of the piles have decayed. Parts of the sidewalks were replanked during the year, and further repairs will be needed early next season. By an order of the County Commis- sioners, the bridge and draw are maintained by the town of Medford, the city of Somerville to pay one-half of the expense The cost to Somerville during the last five years has been as follows : 1880, $546.26; 1881, $373.42; 1882, $421.84; 1883, $501.69; 1884, $477.57.


278


ANNUAL REPORTS.


WATER-WORKS.


Lines and grades have been given for laying water-pipes and set- ting hydrants. All water-service pipes have been located and properly recorded in books for the purpose.


MISCELLANEOUS.


Street lines and grades have been furnished to parties for building- purposes. Levels have been taken, and benches established, and plans made for suits at law, and other miscellaneous work has been done.


EXPENSES.


The expenses of the department for the year 1884 were as fol- lows : -


Salary of city engineer, including maintenance of a team .


$2,000 00


Salaries of assistants .


1,330 29


Salaries of assistants for survey of city


298 27


Repairing instruments, stationery, spikes, tools, fares,


etc.


211 48


Total expense of department .


$3,840 04


Respectfully submitted.


GEORGE A. KIMBALL, City Engineer.


REPORT


OF THE


COMMITTEE ON FIRE DEPARTMENT.


CITY OF SOMERVILLE.


IN BOARD OF MAYOR AND ALDERMEN, Jan. 3, 1885.


Report accepted, and referred to the next city council to be printed in the annual reports. Sent down for concurrence.


CHARLES E. GILMAN, City Clerk.


Concurred in.


IN COMMON COUNCIL, Jan. 3, 1885. DOUGLAS FRAZAR, Clerk.


CITY OF SOMERVILLE.


IN COMMITTEE ON FIRE DEPARTMENT, Dec. 31, 1884. To the City Council of Somerville.


The following is respectfully submitted as the final report of this committee for the year 1884.


MANUAL FORCE.


The manual force of the department is now sixty-one men, as fol- lows : -


Chief engineer .


1


Assistant engineer


1


1 hook and ladder company


15


1 steamer company


12


4 hose companies, 8 men each


32


Total


. 61


·


·


This is a reduction of ten call-men from last year's force, the call- force of the four hose companies and the steamer company being reduced two men each. The pay of the call-force was raised from seventy-five dollars to ninety-six dollars per year ; and, with a very few exceptions, the members of the department are men who have employment in this city. The result of this change is, that the num- ber of call-men absent at fires has averaged but one man from each company at each alarm ; showing that under this new plan the call- men are better paid, and the department has a larger force at fires, than under the old system.


The record of fires this year shows that of the 45 alarms, 24 were given between seven A.M. and six P.M., and 21 were given between six


282


ANNUAL REPORTS.


P.M. and seven A.M. ; which shows it is just as important to have a call-force that can answer to the alarms given during the working- hours of the day as at night.


The department is small, compared with the territory covered and the large amount of property to be protected. We have had a cor- rect record kept of the actual service of the department ; and, to show the amount of work that our firemen have done in the last year, we give a few figures, that may be interesting to you and to the citizens generally.


ALARMS.


From box 12, alarms during the year .


10


" 112,


66


66


13,


66


66


66


.


·


1


66


66


18,


66


66


66


.


·


5


66


"


24,


66


66


66


66


7


66


66


26,


66


66


1


66


66


27,


66


66


66


1


66


35,


38,


66


66


66


66


1


66


43,


66


66


66


1


66


47,


66


66


66


1


66


66


.


2


Total


45


Hose laid .


30,250 feet.


Ladders used


1,880 “


Distance run by steamer


91 miles.


66


21,


66 66


66


.


1


66


" 228,


66


66


66


66


3


66


1


66


66


25,


.


4


66


28,


41,


48,


·


This record shows that the department has had a large amount of work to do; and it gives us pleasure to say that it has this year, as well as in former years, done prompt and efficient service.


The houses and apparatus of this department are in good condi- tion, but it is important that some hose should be purchased the


.


1


2


3


283


REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON FIRE DEPARTMENT.


coming year ; and we are in hopes that, at no distant date, the city council will provide additional apparatus for the department.


The following is a statement of the receipts and expenses for the year ending Dec. 31, 1884.


FIRE-DEPARTMENT ACCOUNT.


Appropriation .


$22,000 00


Receipts and credits for articles sold


103 75


Total credit


. $22,103 75


Expenses : -


For salaries of permanent men . . $8,585 81


" call-men


. 5,037 33


substitute drivers 267 06


improvement and repairs of apparatus and vehicles 443 18


new vehicles 30 00


improvements and repairs of buildings and furniture, and new furniture . .


1,583 09


fire-alarm telegraph, maintenance and ex- tension of, including one new box and new batteries for two of the three cir- cuits . 1,019 31


hose, repairing of, and new hose-pipes . 200 31


grain, etc.


·


477 44


hay and straw


780 48


fuel


543 53


supplies .


231 90


horseshoeing


235 08


water, for hydrants and dep't buildings . 1,538 00


gas .


274 75


ice .


35 00


insurance


55 50


washing and ironing


129 62


reservoirs, maintenance of


44 72


harnesses and repairs of same


62 72


incidentals


437 64


Amounts carried forward . .


$22,012 47 $22,103 75


284


ANNUAL REPORTS.


Amounts brought forward . $22,012 47 $22,103 75


fire extinguishers, - one new extinguisher, $50.00 ; compound and barrel, $24.25 ; gauge, $3.00


77 25


horse-medicine


1 55


Total expenditure


22,091 27


Unexpended balance


$12 48


New Ladder-Attachments for Fire-Apparatus Account.


Appropriation


$600 00


Expended : -


For new ladder and hose-truck, combined


600 00


A fuller statement of the condition of the houses, apparatus, and fire-alarm telegraph of this department, and of the losses by fire, will be found in the report of the chief engineer, which we would request to be printed with this report.


For the committee,


LEVI F. S. DAVIS, Chairman. GEO. I. VINCENT, Clerk.


REPORT


OF THE


CHIEF ENGINEER OF FIRE DEPARTMENT.


:


CITY OF SOMERVILLE.


IN BOARD OF MAYOR AND ALDERMEN, Jan. 3, 1885. Referred to the next city council, to be printed in the annual reports. Sent down for concurrence.


CHARLES E. GILMAN, Clerk.


Concurred in.


IN COMMON COUNCIL, Jan. 3, 1885.


DOUGLAS FRAZAR, Clerk.


CITY OF SOMERVILLE.


OFFICE OF CHIEF ENGINEER FIRE DEPARTMENT, CITY HALL, SOMERVILLE, MASS., Dec. 31, 1884.


To the Honorable Committee on Fire Department.


GENTLEMEN, - Agreeably with a vote of your committee, I herewith present to you a report of the operations of the Fire Department for the year 1884. This report contains a statement of the condition of the apparatus, and buildings occupied by the department ; the num- ber of fires ; the causes thereof ; the loss by fire, and the insurance, and the amount of insurance paid ; also, suggestions for the purpose of maintaining its efficiency.


APPARATUS.


The apparatus in permanent service - namely, engine No. 1, hose- carriages Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4, the steamer hose-carriage, and hook and ladder No. 1 - is in first-class condition.


We have, in addition to this apparatus, one steamer, one hose- carriage, and one hook-and-ladder truck, which are used for relief purposes. A new combination hose and ladder carriage has been placed in charge of hose company No. 4. This apparatus will meet our expectations ; namely, furnish sufficient ladders for service until the arrival of the regular truck. The hose-carriage formerly used by No. 4 is now in service with steamer one. On account of the diffi- culty in raising the old-fashioned splice-ladder, I recommend the purchase of a Bangor telescope-ladder.


The apparatus named as in permanent service is the same in num- ber as in 1874, - ten years ago. The population was then 18,000 ; it is now presumably 30,000. From the increase in the number of dwellings, churches, manufacturing and business interests, it is evident that there is double the amount of combustible property requiring . protection from fire that there was at the period named. For this


288


ANNUAL REPORTS. .


reason I request the committee to consider the expediency of placing in permanent service another steam fire-engine, - either the old one or a new one. Other reasons may be stated why this is desirable : namely, the inefficiency of the water-supply in the elevated portion of our city ; and again, as we sometimes require assistance from our neighbors, we should be in such a condition as to render to them aid without jeopardizing the property of our own citizens.


SPRING HILL DISTRICT.


This section of our city is more remote from our fire stations than any other. The nearest piece of apparatus would be from five to six minutes in reaching box forty-six ; and, when the roads are slippery, the steamer would be ten minutes in getting to that box, it being necessary at such a time to go around Prospect Hill. The business interests in this district are the Middlesex Bleachery, the American Tube Works, Henderson's Carriage Factory, a casket factory, the Union and Charles River Railroad stables, and Reitenbach's Tannery. A piece of apparatus stationed on the city ledge-land, on Somerville Avenue, would be the first to reach the afore-mentioned property.




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