USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1887 > Part 13
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Vinal Avenue, from Summer
Street to Highland Avenue . 258 02
Walnut Street, from Summit Avenue to the Lowell Rail- road 488 88
Webster Avenue, from Union Square to Tremont Street 185 48
general repairs 4,327 13
9,967 98
repairs of stone paving . ·
479 33
repairs of brick sidewalks
560 91
clearing and repairing streets after the con- struction of sewers and catch-basins .
283 99
cleaning streets
3,630 31
removing snow and ice, and care of slippery sidewalks
1,270. 25
one-half cost of maintaining Middlesex Avenue bridge for the year 1886; the other half being paid by the town of Medford
402 38
planting trees furnished by citizens .
71 51
trimming trees
174 40
overseeing water carts .
150 77 .
clearing and fencing city lot, Elm Street .
9 69
tax on Waltham gravel land . . $122 40
less received for pasturage for 1886, 120 00
2 40
tax on Wakefield gravel land
26 94
tax on Winchester gravel land
10 69
dippers for W. C. T. U. fountain, Union Square 1 85
Evergreen Avenue extension, from Thurston Street to Sycamore Street, abatements and costs of suit 892 31
Amount carried forward
$34,135 89
234
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Amount brought forward
$34,135 89
salary of superintendent . 1,500 00
board of superintendent's horses 522 29
rent, etc., of superintendent's telephone .
40 60
books, stationery, and printing
58 75
sundry small expenses .
16 00
private work, etc., the bills for which remain uncollected 724 19
Value of materials on hand this day
1,122 25
Value of property on hand this day : -
horses (20) . . $5,125 00
carts and implements used with horses
.
2,188 50
harnesses and horse clothing 619 55
stable utensils and property 172 00
stone crusher, engine, and fittings . 1,096 75
tools, tool-chests, and tool-house
339 80
9,541 60
Total debit .
$47,661 57
Balance unexpended
$231 80
In addition to the above, labor and materials have been fur- nished, and the Treasurer has received payment or credit for the same, as follows: -
Private parties, constructing driveways and sidewalks, etc. $443 65
Public grounds account, on Central Hill land and Broadway Park 451 52 . Sidewalks account . 619 31
Watering streets account, repairs around stand- pipes
12 66
Total
$1,527 14
·
235
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON HIGHWAYS.
SIDEWALKS ACCOUNT.
CREDIT.
Appropriation . $3,500 00
Credit, - advertising paid for in 1886 . 30 60
Total credit
$3,530 60
DEBIT.
Expenditures : -
For Chapel Street sidewalks $474 04
Elm Street sidewalk, north side
.
418 93
Elm Street sidewalk, south side
. 336 13
Elm Street sidewalk, west side
. 469 13
Holland Street sidewalk .
483 15 ·
Mystic Avenue sidewalk
320 68
Porter Street sidewalks .
615 41
Prescott Street sidewalks
1,459 55
Quincy Street sidewalks .
878 59
Warren Avenue sidewalk
763 24
Total cost of sidewalks
. $6,218 85
Less assessments
3,109 42
Net cost to city
$3,109 43
Advertising notice of hearing for sidewalk in Dane Street
11 20
Abatement of assessment
4 52
Total debit
$3,125 15
Balance unexpended
$405 45
We have also expended from miscellaneous account $23.25 for tools for trimming trees.
NEW STREETS AND SIDEWALKS.
Three streets and two parts of streets have been accepted during the past year, as follows : -
Aldrich Street, from the Lowell Railroad to Pearl Street. Chapel Street, from Elm Street to Chandler Street.
236
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Mystic Street, from Somerville Avenue to Washington Street.
Meacham Street, from the northerly line of Orchard Street to the Cambridge line.
Orchard Street, from Dover Street to Meacham Street.
The narrow strip of land acquired by the city in 1886, between Quincy Street and the small portion of Prescott Street which lies south of Summer Street, has been laid out for highway purposes by changing the easterly line of Quincy Street so as to make it coincident with the westerly line of Prescott Street, and the road- way has been constructed ; thus joining Prescott Street, south of Summer Street with Quincy Street, and adding very materially to the convenience and safety of public travel, at a very small ex- pense, as the corner formed by this little piece of land at the junction of Summer and Quincy Streets was a very awkward one to turn, especially for a team going down the hill by way of Pres- cott and Quincy Streets.
Chapel Street has been constructed, and gravel sidewalks with edgestones have been made therein; and the westerly end of Berkeley Street, Cherry Street, between Summer Street and High- land Avenue, and Preston Street, which were accepted last year, have also been constructed.
Ten sidewalks have been constructed under the Sidewalks Act; and several have been made where the edgestones and bricks were furnished by the abutters, - all as shown by the accompanying tables.
HORSE RAILROADS.
Four and one-seventh miles of horse-railroad tracks have been laid in our streets during the year, entailing such a great amount of work in this department that we have been obliged to postpone other necessary repairs and improvements.
The additional track in Washington Street, between Union Square and Tufts Street, which was laid from Union Square to Mystic Street late last year, has been completed ; and a second track has also been laid in Broadway, from Autumn Street to Temple Street.
The Somerville Horse Railroad Company has been granted loca- tions this year as follows : -
Cross Street, from Broadway to Medford Street.
Medford Street, from Washington Street to Highland Avenue.
237
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON HIGHWAYS.
Highland Avenue, from Medford Street to Davis Square. Pearl Street, from Cross Street to Medford Street. Medford Street, from Pearl Street to Central Street. Central Street, from Medford Street to Highland Avenue.
Tracks have been laid in all the locations except Central Street ; and all the tracks laid are being operated, except in Highland Avenue west of Central Street, Pearl Street, and Medford Street between Washington Street and Cross Street and between Pearl and Central Streets. The Board of Aldermen was assured by the president of the Consolidated Street Railway Company, which leased the tracks from the Somerville Company, that the tracks on Highland Avenue to Davis Square would be operated as soon as completed ; but the West End Street Railway Company, which has since absorbed the Consolidated, has not as yet fulfilled the promise.
GRAVEL.
In continuing the work at the Waltham gravel land, commenced by the highway committee of 1886, it was deemed essential to have a considerable quantity of earth removed, in order to reach an abundant supply of good gravel, and to shape the bank so that cars might be loaded conveniently. Accordingly, permission was given to the Fitchburg Railroad Company, by authority of the City Council, to remove not more than thirty thousand cubic yards of filling; and by the same authority, a contract was made with said company to deliver, in Somerville, five thousand yards of gravel, for the sum of sixty cents per yard, the cars to be loaded and unloaded at the railroad company's expense. About fifteen thousand yards of filling have been removed, and thirty-seven hundred and eighty yards of gravel have been delivered upon the land owned by the railroad company on Dane Street.
RECOMMENDATIONS.
We repeat the recommendation made by former committees, that a portion of Somerville Avenue be paved every year. We should have commenced the work this year at Union Square, had not the grading and macadamizing of the streets where horse-rail- road tracks have been laid taken so large a part of the appropria- tion. There is no satisfaction in placing macadam on this street,
238
ANNUAL REPORTS.
as it is speedily crushed out of shape and ground into dust by the heavy teaming.
We recommend that the supervision of the watering-carts be no longer imposed upon the superintendent of streets, as his entire time is required in this department; and it is poor economy to hamper him with this extra duty in the busiest part of the year.
We are of the opinion that the shade trees in the streets should be placed in charge of the committee on public grounds, as that committee has more time to attend to them.
We also recommend that the drinking-fountains be committed to the care of the Water Board, as whatever work may be required upon them is done by the superintendent of water-works; and our duties have consisted mainly in approving the bills.
SCHEDULES.
Additional information as to the work performed is given in the following schedules : -
STREETS ACCEPTED.
NAME.
From
To
Length in Feet.
Aldrich Street.
.
Lowell Railroad . .
Pearl Street .
611
Chapel Street
.
Elm Street
Chandler Street
273
Meacham Street
.
Cambridge line . .
North line Orchard Street .
100
Mystic Street .
Somerville Avenue,
Washington Street
360
Orchard Street
.
Dover Street .
Meacham Street .
224
239
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON HIGHWAYS.
STREETS IMPROVED.
NAME.
From
To
Improvement.
Feet.
Beacon St., W. side,
No. Camb'ge line .
Sacramento St.
Re-macadamized
2,130
Berkeley St. .
Central St.
Easterly .
.
SIDEWALKS CONSTRUCTED WHERE THE MATERIALS AND LABOR WERE FURNISHED BY THE CITY, AND ONE-HALF OF THE COST WAS AS- SESSED UPON THE ABUTTING ESTATES.
STREET.
From
To
Feet of Edge- stones.
Yards of Brick.
Cost.
Chapel, both sides .
Elm St. .
Chandler St. ..
640.6
$474 04
Elm, north side .
Grove St.
Medina building,
426.36
418 93
Elm, south side .
Russell .
Chester St.
583.9
336 13
Elm, west side
Arlington R.R.
Chapel St. .
667.0
469 13
Holland, north side
Arlington R.R. Boston line ·
Canal St. .
494.9
320 68
Porter, both sides .
Eim St. .
Williams Ct. .
1,037.7
615 41
Prescott, both sides
Summer St.
Highland Ave. .
2,252.75
1,459 55
Quincy, west side .
Som'ville Ave.
Sunimer St. .
804.9
878 59
Quincy, east side
Som'ville Ave.
Near Summer St. Columbus Ave. .
634.45
440.59
763 24
Totals .
8,118.70
1,207.03
$6,218 85
.
Bow St.
Summer St.
Som'ville Avc.
Gravelled.
550
Broadway, So. side,
Boston line
George St. .
Gravelled .
550
Broadway, No. side,
Cross St. .
Bond St.
Gravelled .
3,490
Chapel St. .
Elm St.
Chandler St. .
Graded and macadamized .
273
Cherry St.
Nummer St.
Highland Ave.
Graded and in: cadamized .
560
Cross St.
Broadway
Medford St.
Re-macadamized
2.660
Elm St.
Russell St.
Chapel St. .
Re.macadamized
1,960
Highland Ave.
Medford St.
Central St. .
Re-macadamized
3,250
Highland Ave.
Central St.
Davis Square .
Macadamized
5,850
Medford St.
Washington St.
Highland Ave.
Re-macadamized
1,650
Medford St.
Pearl St.
Central St. .
Re-macadamized
1,940
Mystic Ave.
Boston line
Canal St. .
Re-macadamized
490
Pearl St.
Cross St. .
Medford St.
Filled and macadamized
2,430
Prescott St.
Summer St.
Ilighland Ave.
Macadamized
1,050
Preston St.
School St.
Summer St.
Graded and macadamized .
800
Porter St. .
Elm St.
Williams Ct. Summer St.
Re-maeadamized
700
Somerville Ave.
E. Cambr'ge line .
Union Square .
Re-macadamized
4,400
Vinal Ave.
Summer St. .
Highland Ave.
Gravelled .
1,400
Walnut St.
Pleasant Ave
Lowell R.R. .
Re-macadamized
800
Warren Ave. .
Bow St.
Columbus Ave.
Re-macadamized
650
Webster Ave.
Union Square
Tremont St.
Re-macadamized
1,450
.
Filled and macadamized
480
Quiney St.
Somerville Ave.
Wallace St.
277.4
340.08
483 15
Mystic Ave., north side .
.
725.1
Warren Ave., west side .
Bow St. . .
Graded and macadamized .
690
240
ANNUAL REPORTS.
SIDEWALKS CONSTRUCTED WHERE EDGESTONES AND BRICKS WERE FURNISHED BY THE ABUTTERS.
For
Street.
Feet of Edgestones.
Yards of Brick.
L. R. Bacon
Orchard
53.6
38.0
Bowman & Kendall, trus- tees
Broadway
35.7
68.25
Charles Callahan
Pinckney
-
46.0
E. Coliton .
Linwood and Poplar
140.0
Charles Drouet
Summer .
132 9
F. C. Gallagher .
Poplar
78.1
Elm
91.8
117.7
George H. Hills .
Walnut
72.6
-
H. M. Holland
Broadway
23.3
T. C. Hollander .
Walnut and Pleasant Ave.
73.4
140.0
C. W. Kingsley
Orchard
152.3
116.0
O. S. Knapp
School
79.2
58.4
M. P. Otis .
Broadway
27.0
80.0
W. L. Snow
Highland Ave.
67.3
E. S. Sparrow
Elm
44.2
-
E. R. Stearns .
Broadway
23.0
307.36
B. F. Thompson.
Summit Ave ..
49.32
F. A. Titus
Glen and Oliver
257.0
-
Totals
1,211.4
1,161.03
DRIVEWAYS CONSTRUCTED (AT EXPENSE OF ABUTTERS).
For
Street.
Chase & Dutch
Prospect.
H. E. Hall
Highland Ave.
L. P. Hollander
Summit Ave.
Lewis Hollis
Broadway.
S. T. Kirk
Cross.
E. McLeod
Linwood.
Public grounds account.
Highland Ave. (at Central Hill land.)
W. H. Thomas .
Cross.
R. W. Willey
Flint.
F. D. Woodbridge .
Cross.
E. S. Brooks
Summit Ave.
-
J. F. Hathaway .
C. E. Randall .
Central Square
R. H. & L. J. Sturtevant,
Columbus Ave.
241
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON HIGHWAYS.
DRIVEWAYS DISCONTINUED (AT EXPENSE OF ABUTTERS).
For
Street.
R. P. Benton
E. A. Stone .
Summer. Marshall.
CROSSINGS CONSTRUCTED.
Broadway, across end of Austin Street.
Central Square, across end of Shawmut Street.
Central Street, in line with northerly sidewalk of Highland Avenue. Elm Street, 66 westerly 66 " Chester Street.
66
66 " Porter Street.
Highland Avenue, at driveway to Central Hill land.
.6 in line with westerly sidewalk of Putnam Street. Holland Street, across end of Winter Street.
Medford Street, in line with westerly sidewalk of Norwood Avenue. Somerville Avenue, in line with easterly sidewalk of Church Street. 66 66 66 . 4 " Hawkins " Summer Street, across end of Benton Avenue.
Vinal Avenue, in line with southerly sidewalk of Summit Avenue. Walnut Street, " " " northerly 66 " Grand View "
CULVERTS CONSTRUCTED.
Broadway, wood, under southerly sidewalk, at City Ledge, 1. Cameron Avenue, pipe, under street, at brook, 1.
Cedar Street, wood, under westerly sidewalk, north of Lowell Railroad, 1.
Cedar Street, wood, under easterly sidewalk, north of Lowell Railroad, 1.
Highland Avenue, wood, under southerly sidewalk, at Lowell Street, 1.
Pearl Street, wood, under northerly sidewalk, east of Walnut Street, 1.
Pearl Street, wood, under southerly sidewalk, east of Walnut Street, 1.
Summer Street, pipe, under northerly sidewalk, west of Prescott Street, 1.
242
ANNUAL REPORTS.
DANGER SIGNS ERECTED.
Ashland Street, at Chestnut Street.
" Summer Street.
Chandler
" Broadway.
Chestnut
66
" Cedar Street.
Dimick 66 (or Garden Street), at Calvin Street.
66
66
66
" Concord Avenue.
Francesca Avenue, at Elm Street.
Kidder 66 66 66 66
Lowell Street, at Summer Street. . 0 " Somerville Avenue.
Williams Street, at Elm Street.
And three on private way leading to the clay pit between Wash- ington and Wyatt Streets.
STREET SIGNS ERECTED.
Beacon Street.
Broadway.
Irving Street.
Morgan Street.
Porter Street. Quincy Street. Wallace Street.
EDGESTONES AND PAVING.
Lineal feet of edgestones set (including 520 feet reset), 9,850 ; square yards of brick paving laid (including 1,442 yards re-laid ), 3,810 ; square yards of stone paving laid (including 237 yards relaid), 3,980.
For the committee, SAMUEL W. HOLT, Chairman. GEO. I. VINCENT, Clerk.
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON SEWERS.
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
IN BOARD OF ALDERMEN, Dec. 30, 1887.
Ordered to be filed with the city clerk for presentation 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, Dec. 30, 1887.
DOUGLAS FRAZAR, Clerk.
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
IN COMMITTEE ON SEWERS, Dec. 31, 1887.
To the Board of Aldermen of Somerville : -
The committee on sewers presents the following final report for the year 1887 : -
SEWERS ACCOUNT.
CREDIT.
Appropriation
$8,000 00
Receipts and credits : -
For catch-basin curbs in sidewalks, -
received credit from Sidewalks account
$40 16
fee for entering Elm Street sewer 53 60
fee for drainage of Asylum buildings into Fitchburg Street sewer 50 00
labor and materials furnished in 1886, the bills for which remained un-
collected Jan. 1, 1887
33 42
unpaid bill for materials purchased,
7 50
184 68
Value of materials on hand Jan. 1, 1887
275 74
Value of tools and property Jan. 1, 1887
.
246 80
Total credit
$8,707 22
DEBIT.
Expenditures : -
For eighteen sewers, as per accom-
panying table · . $8,524 40
less assessments
. . 6,281 32
cost to city
$2,243 08
Amount carried forward
$2,243 08
246
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Amount brought forward ·
$2,243 08 re-laying part of Webster Avenue sewer near Union Square at a lower grade 187 46 two man-holes in Elm Street sewer, between Cedar and Cherry Streets . 120 00 .
fourteen catch-basins (average $73.50})
1,029 07
moving catch-basin Highland Avenue west of steamer house 67 08
moving catch-basin east side Porter Street near Elm Street . 42 27
five-ninths cost of removing deposit from mouth of Bridge Street sewer and repairing said sewer . 1,175 87
repairing sewers and drains
198 72
flushing sewers and filling catch-basins with water
238 69
cleaning sewers
179 50
examining sewers
67 55
digging to locate old sewers
33 20
repairing catch-basins
145 54
changing lines and grade of catch-basins
101 14
cleaning catch-basins
1,398 59
clearing mouths of catch-basins
138 00
examining catch-basins .
2 81
repairing man-holes
1 13
changing lines and grades of man-holes . 191 19
cleaning ditches
33 51
inspecting sewers built by abutters in Bartlett, Gibbens, and Sydney Streets, and Fanning,
Henley, Lesley, Lexington, Norwood, Rich- dale, and St. James Avenues 261 87
books, stationery, and printing
.
46 06
repairing tools and property . .
14 59
sundry small expenses
7 24
abatements of assessments and settlement of land damages . 180 52
advertising and sounding for sewer in Cedar and Cherry Streets 57 40
Amount carried forward
$8,162 08
247
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON SEWERS.
Amount brought forward
$8,162 08
private work, the bills for which remain uncol- lected 149 04
Depreciation in value of tools, property, and mate- rials .
99 21
Value of materials on hand Dec. 31, 1887 .
233 67
Value of tools and property on hand Dec. 31, 1887 (including purchases during the year, $255.55)
407 70
Total debit
$9,051 70
Amount overdrawn .
$344 48
In addition to the above statement, labor and materials have been furnished, for which credit or payment has been received, as follows : ---
For the Board of Health, catch-basin in Columbia Street . $83 37
For the Highway Department, drain pipe 22 44
For the Water Board, repairing catch-basin in Marshall Street . 8 10
For sundry contractors, puddling sewers
13 50
Total
$127 41
For the purpose of relieving the sewer in the easterly end of Summer Street, overflow sewers have been constructed from this sewer into the sewers in Church and School Streets, so that in times of heavy rains or thaws a large part of the water is now diverted into these last-named sewers.
A portion of the sewer in Webster Avenue, between Everett Street and Union Square, has also been taken up, and re-laid at a a lower grade, to accommodate the owner of a block of stores having deeper cellars than those under the dwelling-houses hereto- fore drained by the sewer.
We present the following list, prepared by the city engineer, of sewers built and rebuilt during the year : -
SEWERS BUILT IN 1887.
STREET.
From
To
Length in Feet.
Total Cost.
Assessment.
Cost to City.
Bigelow
Boston Street .
Southwesterly .
202.0
$206 74
$200 65
$6 09
Buckingham
Dimick Street
Near Beacon Street .
217 0
236 49
209 53
26 96
Cherry .
Elm Street .
" Summer Street
752.33
968 96
907 85
61 11
Church
End of old sewer
Summer Street
114.0
206 25
206 25
Derby .
Wheatland Street
Temple Street .
1,084.5
2,056 99
1,481 58
575 41
Grand View Avenue
End of old sewer
Vinal Avenue
86.0
193 57
121 82
71 75
Vinal Avenue .
·
End of old sewer
Trull Lane .
410.0
705 16
619 93
85 23
Hinckley .
Hinckley Street .
.
.
.
158.0
244 88
200 33
44 55
Lowell.
Medford Street }
247.0
282 48
253 37
29 11
Medford
Lowell Street
Near Broadway
.
Southeasterly .
100.0
97 77
57 99
39 78
Munroe
Walnut Street
176 49
95 38
School .
End of old sewer
Summer Street
70.0
104 03
98 97
59 71
Temple
Derby Street .
South westerly .
171.5
378 22
254 20
124 02
Trull
Vernon Street
Medford Street
1,096.7
1,038 00
1,013 31
24 69
Willow Avenue
Highland Avenue
Lexington Avenue
340.3
813 18
371 76
471 42
Elm .
Winter Street.
Northeasterly
293.0
337 53
241 69
95 84
Southwesterly .
REBUILT.
-
$8,524 40
$6,281 32
$2,243 08
Webster Avenue .
A man-hole nr. Everett St.
A point near Union Square .
123.0
$187 46
-
$187 46
Total ,
1
$8,711 86
$6,281 32
$2,430 54
.
.
.
Grand View Avenue
Northeasterly
65.7
Highland Avenue
.
.
Broad way,
170.5
193 60
71 85
121 75
Linden Avenue
End of old sewer
Summer Street
175.0
271 87
104 03
Summer
Porter Street .
Southeasterly
.
.
·
·
.
·
.
·
·
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
·
For the committee,
DANA W. BENNETT, Chairman. GEO. I. VINCENT, Clerk.
248
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Winter
End of old sewer
·
Elm Street .
140.0
158 68
Broadway
Trull Street
Near Medford Street
.
.
.
.
REPORT OF THE CITY ENGINEER.
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
IN BOARD OF ALDERMEN, Feb. 1, 1888.
Referred to the committee on printing, to be printed in the annual re- ports. Sent down for concurrence.
GEO. I. VINCENT, Clerk pro tem.
Concurred in.
IN COMMON COUNCIL, Feb. 9, 1888.
CHAS. S. ROBERTSON, Clerk.
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
OFFICE OF CITY ENGINEER, CITY HALL, SOMERVILLE, Feb. 1, 1888. To his Honor the Mayor and City Council : -
In compliance with Sect. 9 of the Ordinance relating to the City Engineer's Department, the following report is respectfully submitted : -
CITY ENGINEER'S DEPARTMENT.
The maximum number of persons employed is five; minimum, two; the present number employed is five.
EXPENSES.
Salary of city engineer, including care and keeping
of horse and carriage .
$2,000 00
Salaries of assistants
1,867 04
Instruments and repairs
·
159 45
Supplies
151 44
Car fares
12 12
$4,190 05
The work which has come under the direction of this depart- ment will be considered under the following heads : SEWERS, HIGHWAYS, BRIDGES, WATER, PUBLIC GROUNDS.
SEWERS.
Five thousand five hundred and fifty-three feet, or 1.05 miles, of public sewers have been built during the past year, making the total length of the entire system of public sewers 40.4 miles.
The cost of new construction for the year 1887 was $8,711.86. Of this amount $6,266.92 has been assessed on abutters, and $2,444.94 assumed by the City.
252
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Four thousand five hundred and thirty-two and six-tenths feet of private sewers have been built under the supervision of inspectors furnished by the City.
The cost of inspection of sewers built by the City was $354.13, of sewers built by private parties $269.37.
CATCH-BASINS.
Seventeen new catch-basins have been built at an average cost of $73.94, an increase in average cost over that of last year of about twelve per cent, due to the increased cost of labor.
Two basins have been removed and re-located, at an average cost of $63.75.
The amount expended for cleaning catch-basins was $1,536.09.
MAN-HOLES.
Two new man-holes have been built on the Elm Street sewer, between Cherry and Cedar Streets. Many old sewers were built without man-holes, and cannot, therefore, be examined or cleansed. These sewers must in time become filled ; and, if neglected, will cause serious trouble. I would, therefore, recommend that man- holes be built immediately in such locations as the committee on sewers deems necessary.
BRIDGE STREET OUTLET.
About 4,820 cubic yards of deposit were removed from the out- let of the Bridge Street sewer by the City of Cambridge, during the months of May and June, at a cost of $2,054.30. The cost of repairs was $62.24. Total cost for the year, $2,116.54. Five- ninths of this amount -$1,175.87 - was paid by the City of Som- erville.
WHEATLAND STREET OUTLET.
The outlet of the Wheatland Street sewer is a wooden box- drain, which runs parallel with Mystic Avenue from Wheatland Street to Winthrop Avenue. The earth has been removed from the top of the box, and openings have been made through which the sewage flows on top of the box, and in open trench, thus in- creasing the capacity of the outlet. As the quantity of sewage which may be discharged is more than doubled by this change in
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REPORT OF THE CITY ENGINEER.
the outlet, it is hoped that there will be no more complaint of damage to property from storm water in the Wheatland Street sewer district. Total cost, $186.99.
REBUILDING WEBSTER AVENUE SEWER.
A portion of the sewer in Webster Avenue near Union Square, as originally laid, was not low enough to drain the cellars of adja- cent houses. About 123 feet of the old sewer has been rebuilt at a lower grade, at a cost of $187.46.
PRIVATE DRAINS.
Three hundred and fifty-six permits for laying private drains, and twenty for re-laying and repairing old drains have been issued. These private drains and changes in old drains have been properly located and recorded.
LICENSED DRAIN LAYERS.
A City ordinance provides that all private drains shall be laid, and all repairs on the same be made, by persons licensed for that purpose by the Board of Aldermen. Twenty-one drain layers have taken permits during the past year. In most cases these drain layers' bonds were executed several years ago ; the sureties should be examined and the bonds renewed. I would therefore recom- mend that all drain layers' licenses be revoked, and new licenses granted to such persons as will give the work their personal atten- tion, and are capable of doing it in a thorough manner.
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