USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1887 > Part 15
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Benton Ave. .
Private .
40
400
Giles Pl. .
Walnut St.
Northwesterly
Private .
32.71
168
Gill's Ct. .
Franklin St.
Westerly
Private .
10
100
Gilman
Cross St.
Walnut St.
Public .
40
1,430
200
Glen
Broadway .
Tufts St. .
Public .
40
2,300
-
Gorham
Holland St.
Howard St.
Private .
40
-
760
Grand View Av.
Walnut St.
Vinal Ave. .
Public .
40
470
-
Granite
Somerville Ave.
Osgood St. .
Private .
40
400
Grant .
Broadway .
Mystic Ave.
Private .
40
1,350
Greenville
Medford St.
High St.
Private .
40
650
Grove .
Elm St.
Arlington B. R.R.
Public
40
600
-
Grove .
Arlington B.R.R.
Morrison St.
Private .
40
-
400
Hadley Ct.
Franklin St. .
Westerly
Private .
20
150
Hall
Cedar St. .
Cherry St.
Private .
30
350
Hall Ave.
Elm St.
Liberty Ave.
Private .
40
910
Hamlet
Highland Ave.
Southwesterly
Private .
30
-
400
Hammond
Dickinson St.
Concord Ave. .
Private .
40
-
273
.
Franklin St.
Cross St.
Public
40
1,020
Forster
Sycamore St.
Central St.
Private .
30
740
Franklin .
Broadway .
.
Washington St.
Public .
40 +
Franklin Ave. .
Washington St ..
Franklin St.
Private .
20
Private .
30
235
Frost Ave. .
Somerville Ave.
Southeasterly
Private .
8
Evergreen Sq. .
Porter St. .
Park St. .
Public .
40
Eliot .
Vine St.
Villa Ave. .
Northwesterly
Private .
18
-
Glass House Ct.
Webster Ave.
Easterly .
Private .
40
.
-
-
LENGTH.
450
500
300
Florence
267
APPENDICES TO CITY ENGINEER'S REPORT.
STREET.
From
To
Public or Private.
Width in Fect.
Public.
Private.
Hanson
Washington St ..
Vine St. .
Private .
35
-
Harding
South St. .
Cambridge Line
Private .
30
100
Harris
Beacon St.
Cambridge Line
Privatc .
35
150
Harvard
Summer St. .
Beech St.
Public .
40
650
Hathorn
Broadway .
Arlington St. .
Public .
40
330
Hawkins .
Somerville Ave.
Washington St.
Private .
40
330
Hawthorne
Willow Ave.
Northwesterly
Private .
30
700
Heath
Temple St.
Brooks St. .
Private .
45
1,800
Hennessey Ct ..
Medford St. .
Fisk Ave.
Private .
20
250
Henry Ave.
Highland Ave.
Lexington Ave.
Private .
40
290
Herbert
Chester St.
Day St.
Public
40
360
High
Boston St.
Munroe St.
Private .
50
1,100
Highland Avc.
Medford St.
Davis Sq.
Public .
60
9,100
150
Holland
Davis Sq.
Broadway
Public .
60
2,650
100
Homer Sq.
Bonner Ave.
Northwesterly
Private .
30 +
200
Horace
Southi St.
Fitchburg R.R.
Private .
30
510
Houghton
Prospect St. .
Springfield St. .
Private .
40
750
Howard
Thorndike St.
Northwesterly
Private .
40
560
Howe .
Marshall St.
School St.
Private .
40
470
Hudson
Cedar St.
Central St.
Privatc .
40
2,700
Irving .
Holland St.
Broadway
Public .
40
1,180
-
Ivaloo .
Beacon St.
Park
Mondamin Ct. .
Private .
40
-
330
Jackson
Medford St.
Maple St.
Private .
30
-
-
775
James .
Pearl St.
Veazie St.
Private .
40
300
Jaques
Chauncey Ave.
Bond St. .
Public
40 & 45
2,250
300
Jay
Holland St.
Howard St ..
Private .
40
525
Jenny
Vernon St.
Medford St.
Public .
40
870
380
Joy
Washington St ..
Poplar St.
Private .
30
1,150
Joy St. Pl.
Joy St. .
Southwesterly .
Private .
30
-
175
Kent
Somerville Ave.
Beacon St.
Private .
25 & 40
740
Kent Ct. .
Kent St.
Northerly
Private .
about 25
420
Kidder Ave.
Elm St.
Liberty Ave.
Private .
40
610
Kingman Ct.
Washington St ..
Fitchburg R.R.
Private .
25
400
Knapp
School St. .
Granite St. .
Private .
40
350
Lake .
Hawkins St. .
Church St.
Private .
40
850
Lamson Ct.
Linwood St. .
Northeasterly
Private .
20
300
Laurel
Somerville Ave.
Summer St.
Public .
40
940
-
Lawrence
Hinckley St. . .
B. and L. R.R.
Private .
35
650
Lee
Medford St. .
Richdale Ave ..
Private .
40
3S5
Leland
Washington St. .
Northeasterly
Private .
40
250
Leon .
Concord Ave.
Dickinson St.
Private .
40
150
Lesley Ave.
Highland Ave ..
Private .
40
333
Leslie I'l.
Highland Ave. . Willow Ave. . Appleton St . . . Broadway
Perkins St. .
Public .
40
550
-
Linden
Somerville Ave.
Private .
30
600
Linden Ave.
.
Summer St.
Northeasterly .
Private .
45
250
Linden Pl. .
Linden Ave. . .
Northwesterly
Private .
20
-
160
Line
Washington St .. Linwood St. .
Cambridge Line Chestnut St.
Private .
33
1.750
Linchan Ct.
Somerville Avc.
Washington St. Southwesterly
Private .
about 12
150
London
Linwood St. ..
B. and L. R.R.
Private .
40
340
Loring
Somerville Ave.
Northeasterly . Crown St.
Private .
33 +
-
1,600
Lowell
Somerville Ave. B. & L. R.R. . .
Medford St.
Private .
33 +
-
1,150
.
Pearl St.
Southwesterly
Private .
30
Hinckley
Broadway .
Lawrence St.
Private .
30
430
Holt's Ave. .
()ak St. .
Southeasterly
Privatc .
10
650
150
James .
Broadway
Holland St.
Private .
40
-
Jasper
Pearl St.
Gilman St.
Privatc .
40
Joseph
Newton St.
Northwesterly
Privatc .
40
12
75
Lexington Ave.
Southeasterly
Private .
50
-
665
Liberty Ave.
Northeasterly
Private .
40
-
about 700
Lincoln
Charlestown St. Summer St.
Public .
45
1,050
-
Linwood. .
Public .
about 15 50
2,050
Linwood Pl.
Linwood St .
400
Lowell
Private .
40
-
* Proposed.
Public
.
40
Ivaloo PI .*
Ivaloo St. .
Lexington Ave. Westerly
Private .
Linden Ave.
Elm St.
200
Private .
LENGTHI.
750
Hillside Avc. .
268
ANNUAL REPORTS.
LENGTH.
STREET.
From
To
Public or Private.
Width in Feet.
Public.
Private.
Madison
School St. .
Sycamore St.
Private .
40
850
Main .
Broadway . .
Medford Line .
Public .
50
950
-
Malloy Ct.
Somerville Ave.
Southwesterly .
Private .
40
-
200
Maple .
Poplar St. .
Jackson St. .
Private .
30
-
470
Maple Ave.
School St. .
Southeasterly
Private .
40
300
Maple Pl.
White St. .
Southeasterly
Private .
20
200
Marion
Concord Ave.
Adrian St.
Private .
40
170
Marshall .
Broad way .
Pearl St. .
Public .
40
,650
-
Mason Ave.
Orchard St.
Cambridge Line
Private .
35
220
May Pl ..
Hawkins St.
Easterly .
Private .
12
100
Meacham
Orchard St.
Cambridge Line
Public .
40
100
-
Meacham
Arlington B.R.R.
Orchard St.
Private .
40
600
Meacham
Mt. Vernon Ave.
Medford Line
Private .
40
800
Mead
Cameron Ave. .
Moore St.
Private .
40
340
Medford
Cambridge Line
Medford Line
Public .
50 & 55
10,100
150
Merriam
Somerville Ave.
Charlestown St.
Private .
30
-
500
Middlesex Ave.
Mystic Ave. . Somerville Ave.
Southwesterly
Private .
about 30
100
Miller .
Sacramento St. .
North westerly
Private .
33
350
Mills
Walnut St.
Sargent Ave.
Private .
40
500
Mondamin Ct. .
Ivaloo St.
Ivaloo Pl.
Private .
25
250
Montgomery Av.
Broadway
Wellington Ave
Private .
40
265
Montrose
School St. .
Sycamore St.
Private .
40
850
Moore
Holland St.
Mead St. .
Private .
40
1,200
Morganl
Beacon St.
Park St.
Public .
40
-
350
Morrison
Willow Ave ..
Elm St.
Public .
40
1,700
1,300
Mortimer Pl.
Marshall St. .
Southeasterly Elm St.
Public
40
350
-
Mousal Pl. .
Canal St.
B. and M. R.R.
Private .
20
-
200
Mt. Pleasant
Broadway
Perkins St. .
Public
33
570
250
Mt. PleasantAv.
Curtis St.
Northwesterly
Private .
40
700
Mt. Vernon . .
Washington St .. Main St.
Broadway
Public
40 & 50
1,640
-
Munroe
Walnut St.
High St. .
Private .
40
400
Murdock .
Cedar St.
Clyde St.
Private .
30
900
Murray
Washington St ..
Southerly
Private .
30
-
about 250
Myrtle
Washington St. .
Perkins St.
Public
40
1,400
-
Myrtle Ct.
Myrtle St. .
Easterly .
Private .
10
-
100
Mystic
Washington St. .
Somerville Ave.
Public
40
360
-
Mystic
Benedict St. .
Mystic Ave.
Private .
40
-
330
Mystic Ave.
Charlestown Line
Medford Line
Public
60 & 66
7,250
-
Nashua
Appleton St. .
B. and L. R.R.
Private .
35
-
610
Nevada Ave.
Village St.
Hanson St. .
Private .
20
200
Newberne
Appleton St. .
Morrison St.
Privatc .
40
1
280
Newbury
Holland St.
Cambridge Line
P.ublic
40
1,250
Newton .
Webster Ave. .
Concord Ave. .
Public
40+
650
-
Norfolk
Webster Ave.
Cambridge Line
Public
40
200
-
North .
Broadway
Medford Line
Public
40
2,550
600
Norwood Ave.
Broad way
Medford St.
Private .
40
350
Oak
Prospect St.
Angle .
Public .
40
670
-
Oak
Angle
Cambridge Line
Private .
30
-
530
Oak St. Pl. .
Oak St.
Northerly
Private .
4
85
Oakland Ave.
Marshall St.
School St.
Public
40
440
Olive Sq.
Lake St.
Southerly
Private .
about 15
-
100
Oliver .
Franklin St. Broad way
Cedar St.
Private .
40
Orchard
Cambridge Line
Meacham St.
Public .
40
1,625
-
Orient *
Morrison St. .
Orange St. .
Private .
40
-
1,240
Osgood
Granite St.
Easterly & westerly .
Private .
40
-
450
Otis
Cross St.
Wigglesworth St.
Public
40
1,200
-
Oxford
School St. .
Central St.
Private .
30+
-
1,330
Oxford
Beacon St.
Cambridge Line
Public
.
50
100
1
150
Mt. Pleasant Ct.
Perkins St.
South westerly
Private .
40
Mt. Vernon Av.
Meacham St.
Private .
50
800
Melvin
Bonair St .. .
Northeasterly .
Private .
35
-
Medford Line .
Public .
60
3,400
-
Morrison *
Willow Ave. .
Cedar St.
Private .
40
1
Private .
20
Mossland
Somerville Ave.
Northeasterly .
Private .
30
-
North Union
Mystic Ave.
Cross St.
Public
40
1,050
Orange *
1,175
Marrett Pl. .
Walnut St.
Northwesterly
Private .
40
195
Milk St. Pl. .
* Proposed.
269
APPENDICES TO CITY ENGINEER'S REPORT.
STREET.
From
To
Public Private.
Width in Feet.
Publie.
Private.
Packard Ave. .
Broadway
Medford Line .
Private .
60
1
2,000
Palmer Ave.
.
Franklin St.
Northwesterly
Private .
20
200
Park
Somerville Ave.
Beacon St. .
Public .
50
1,300
-
Park Ave.
Elm St. ·
Wallace St. .
Publie .
40
450
Parker
Washington St. .
Fremont Ave. .
Private .
35
200
Parker Pl.
Porter St.
North westerly
Private .
20
150
Partridge Ave. Patten Ct.
Cutter St. .
Southeasterly
Private .
8
100
Pearl
Creseent St.
Medford St.
Publie .
40 & 50
4,750
200
Pembroke
Central St.
Syeamore St.
Private .
40
1
.
40
1,350
200
Pinckney
Washington St. .
Perkins St. .
Public
40
1,170
800
Pleasant Ave.
Walnut St.
Vinal Ave. .
Publie
40
470
650
Porter
Summer St.
Brastow Ave.
Private .
45
200
Preseott
Summer St.
Highland Ave.
Publie
50
1,050
- -
.
College Ave.
Curtis St.
Private .
40
-
1,900
Prospeet .
Washington St. .
Cambridge Line
Publie .
40 & 50
2,050
Prosp't Hill Av.
Medford St.
High St. .
Publie .
40
450
Prospeet Pl.
Prospeet St. .
Briek-yard Lane
Private .
20
-
130
Putnam
Summer St. .
Highland Ave.
Public :
50
1,240
-
Quiney
Somerville Ave.
Summer St.
Public .
40
700
-
Rand *
Morrison St. .
Orange St.
Private .
40
1,630
Raymond Ave.
Curtis St. .
North St.
Private .
40
1,350
Records' Pl.
Broadway .
Southwesterly
Private .
10
-
110
Reed's Ct. .
Oliver St.
Southwesterly
Private .
20
105
Remiek Ct. .
Cutter St.
Southeasterly
Private .
10
100
Riehdale Ave. .
School St. .
Syeamore St.
Private .
40
850
Roseland
Beacon St.
Cambridge Line
Publie .
40
100
-
Runey
Cross St.
Aldrich St. .
Private .
40
-
760
Rush
Broadway .
Flint St. .
Public
40
1,400
Russell
Elm St.
Cambridge Line
Public .
40
700
Sacramento .
Somerville Ave.
Cambridge Line
Private .
40
-
600
Sanborn Ave. .
Warren Ave.
Walnut St.
Private .
40
Sargent Ave.
Broadway . .
Mills St. .
Private .
40
450
School St.
Somerville Ave.
Broadway
Publie .
40 & 50
4,370
120
Sewall
Grant St. .
Temple St. .
Private .
40
-
190
Shawmut
Washington St ..
Cross St. .
Publie .
40
550
-
Shawmut Pl.
Shawmut St. .
Alston St.
Private .
30
200
Sherman .
Somerville Ave.
Frost Ave.
Private .
35
270
Sibley Ct.
Cutter St. .
Northwesterly
Private .
10
100
Sibley Pl.
Cutter St.
Northwesterly
Private .
10
100
Simpson Ave.
Broadway .
Holland St. .
Private .
40
8:25
Skehan
Hanson St.
Dane St.
Private .
30
300
Smith Ave.
Beacon St.
Line St.
Private .
25 ++
200
Somerville Ave.
E. Camb'ge Line
N. Cambridge Line
Public .
70 & 75
11,100
South .
Medford St. . .
Westerly
Private .
30
940
Spring
Somerville Ave.
Summer St. .
Public
35
1,200
200
Springfield
Concord Ave.
Cambridge Line
Publie
40
800
-
.
Summer St.
Private .
40
-
488
Stone Ave. .
Union Sq.
Columbus Ave.
Private .
40
675
Stone Pl.
Stone Ave.
Southeasterly Elm St.
Publie .
45
7,700
Summit Ave. .
Bow St. Walnut St.
Vinal Ave.
Publie .
45
470
Sunnyside Ave.
Walnut St.
Wigglesworth St.
Private .
35
250
Syeamore
Broadway
Medford St.
Public .
45
1,250
Sycamore
Medford St.
Highland Ave.
Private .
33 & 40
1,350
Sydney
Wheatland St.
Temple St. .
Private .
40
-
925
.
Franklin St.
Perkins Pl. .
Perkins St.
Northeasterly
Private .
20
.
-
Pitman
Beech St. .
Somerville Ave. Elm St.
Summer St.
Public
45
1,150
-
Porter
Preston
Sehool St ..
Summer St.
Publie .
40
800
Professors'Row,
Vernon St.
.
Broad way
Private .
40
1,500
Pearl St. Pl.
Pearl St.
Northeasterly
Private .
20
440
Perkins .
Charlestown Line
Public
Private .
30
Belmont St.
Joy St.
Private .
30 & 35
Poplar
.
Sellon Ct.
Marshall St. .
North westerly
Private .
12
650
Sewall Ct.
Sewall St. .
South westerly
Private .
25
Spring Ct.
Somerville Ave.
Westerly
Private .
20
Stickney .
Marshall St. Elm St.
School St.
Private .
40
450
St. James Ave.
-
145
Private .
30
Summer
.
-
* Proposed.
300
.
LENGTH.
270
ANNUAL REPORTS.
STREET.
From
To
Public or Private.
Width in Feet.
Public.
Private.
Taggard Ct. ·
Beacon St.
·
Northeasterly
Private .
15
200
Taylor's Pl.
.
Somerville Ave.
Southerly
Private .
15
200
Temple Et. .
Broadway . .
Mystic Ave.
Public
66
1,540
400
Tennyson
Forster St. .
Pembroke St.
Private .
40
900
Thorndike .
Holland St. .
Arlington B. R.R.
Private .
40
400
Thorpe Il.
.
Broadway .
.
Medford St.
Public .
40
1,350
300
Tower *
Crown St. . .
Highland Ave.
Private .
40
550
Tower Ct.
Tyler St. .
Northeasterly
Private .
25
150
Tremont .
Webster Ave. .
Cambridge Line
Private .
40
450
Trull .
Vernon St. .
Medford St.
Private .
40
1,050
Trull Lane
Highland Ave. .
Oxford St.
Private .
15
200
Tube Works Ct.
Somerville Ave.
Southwesterly
Private .
20
-
150
Tufts
Washington St .. Vine St.
Dane St. .
Private .
40
-
400
Union
Broadway .
Mystic Ave.
Public Private .
10
-
100
Veazie
Walnut St.
Bradley St. .
Private .
40
-
650
Vernon
Central St. .
Jenny Lind Ave. .
Public
40
740
-
Vernon .
Jenny Lind Ave.
Private .
30
-
600
Villa Ave.
Winslow Ave. .
Lowell St. . Arlington B. R.R. Vine St.
Private .
25
370
Vinal Ave.
Summer St.
Highland Ave.
Public
45
1,400
1,400
Virginia
Aldrich St.
Jasper St.
Private . 40
-
350
Wallace
Holland St.
Broadway
Public .
40
1,350
Walnut
Bow St.
Broadway
Public .
40
3,830
Ward .
Medford St.
Earl St.
Private .
30
610
Warren
Medford St.
Cambridge Line
Private .
30
100
Warren Ave.
Uuion Sq. .
Columbus Ave.
Public
40
650
630
Washington ·
Charlestown Line Washington St .. South St.
Cambridge Line
Public
60 to 100
7,250
350
Waverly
Washington St.
Southerly
Private .
35
-
700
Webster
Franklin St. .
Cross St ..
Public .
40
1,000
Webster Ave. .
Union Sq. .
Cambridge Line
Public .
49.5
1,950
300
Wesley
Otis St.
Southeasterly South westerly
Private .
30
150
Wesley Park .
Wesley Sq.
Northeasterly . Heath St.
Private .
30
250
Weston Ave.
Clarendon Ave. . Broadway . .
Mystic Ave.
Private .
40
1,350
Whipple . ·
Hawthorne St. .
Arlington B. R.R.
Private .
30
575
Wigglesworth .
Bonair St. .. .
Southwesterly . Elm St.
Private .
40
400
Willow Ave.
Elm St.
.
South St.
Private .
25
150
Wilton
Lowell St.
Lawrence St.
Private .
35
470
Winslow Ave.
Elm St.
Grove St.
Private .
40
470
Winter .
Elm St.
Holland St. .
Private .
30
430
Winthrop Ave.
Broadway .
Mystic Ave.
Public .
50
1,170
600
Wyatt
Concord Ave.
Northerly
Private .
40
400
Wyatt Ct.
Wyatt St. .
Westerly
Private .
13
200
Total
222,917
158,516
·
Mystic Ave. .
Northeasterly
Private
30
.
Highland Ave. .
South westerly
Private .
30
450
Thurston
·
Medford St. .
Richdale Ave ..
Private .
40
330
Union Pl.
Linwood St. .
South westerly
Private .
40
-
200
Vine
Somerville Ave.
Beacon St.
Private .
25 & 40
25
-
250
Weare
Curtis St. .
Northwesterly
Private .
40
40
405
West .
.
Hawthorne St.
Arlington B. R.R.
Private .
.30
40
525
William .
Chandler St. . .
North westerly
Private .
30
150
Willoughby
Central St.
Sycamore St.
Private .
30
400
Broad way
Public .
50
3,440
Willow Pl. . .
Cambridge Line .
Southeasterly
Private .
40
Washington Av.
Northerly
Private .
18
Water
200
WellingtonAve.
Walnut St.
Private .
40
West
.
Broadway .
Broadway
Private .
Private .
40
500
Williams Ct.
Porter St. .
Woodbine
Centre St. .
Lowell St.
Private .
30
.
Cross St.
Public
40
940
Tyler
Village
Dane St.
Warwick
Cedar St. .
Northerly
Private .
Private .
590
Wheatland .
Public, 42.22 miles ; private, 30.02 miles.
* Proposed.
Tenney Ct. .
.
Thurston
40
LENGTH.
REPORT
OF THE
COMMITTEE ON FIRE DEPARTMENT.
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
IN BOARD OF ALDERMEN, Dec. 30, 1887.
Accepted and referred to the next city council, to be printed in the an- nual reports. Sent down for concurrence.
CHARLES E. GILMAN, Clerk.
IN COMMON COUNCIL, Dec. 30, 1887.
Concurred in.
DOUGLAS FRAZAR, Clerk.
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
IN COMMITTEE ON FIRE DEPARTMENT, Dec. 30, 1887.
To the City Council : -
The committee on Fire Department submits the following final report for the year 1887 : -
The working force and the equipment have not been increased during the year, except by the placing of chemical tanks upon hose and ladder truck No. 4, at a cost of $1,000; and they have proved a very valuable acquisition. Five horses have been bought to take the places of three old ones sold this year and one sold last year and one about twenty years old that died. Fifteen hundred feet of jacket hose have been purchased, at a cost of $975.
The annual report of the chief engineer is presented herewith, and we recommend that it be printed as usual. He suggests a few measures for increasing the efficiency of the department, all of which are worthy of consideration, but especially the one concern- ing a subdivision of our fire-alarm circuits. A fire-alarm system for a city so large as ours should be divided into more than three circuits, to insure that degree of protection which our property owners have a right to expect. In case of the failure of one cir- cuit to work, the territory it serves is so large that considerable time may be required to reach a box on another circuit ; and, in addition to this, valuable time be wasted by taking the apparatus to a box at a distance from the fire, instead of one in its immediate vicinity.
As the first few minutes after a fire breaks out are often decisive of the result, and as the danger of temporary interruption in the working of any circuit in the fire-alarm system is daily increasing by the erection of additional telephone and electric-light wires, the imperative necessity for subdividing these circuits must be appar- ent to all. The estimated cost of this improvement is $1,800.
274
ANNUAL REPORTS.
The appropriation, receipts, and expenses for the year are as follows : -
FIRE DEPARTMENT ACCOUNT.
CREDIT.
Appropriation
$26,000 00
Receipts for property sold
278 60
Total credit
$26,278 60
DEBIT.
Expenses : -
For salaries of permanent men . $9,780 00
" call-men
. 4,923 99
substitute drivers .
331 95 . improvements and repairs of appa- ratus and vehicles 1,464 05
improvements and repairs of build- ings and furniture, and new furni- ture
1,804 98
maintenance and extension of fire- alarm telegraph, including one new box and a switch-board .
1,018 71
hose and hose pipes, and repairing same . .
1,165 50
new horses (and one old horse given in trade) 1,050 00
grain and feed 496 82
hay and straw 831 43
horse-shoeing
240 00
horse doctoring and medicine . 89 40
harnesses, and repairing same
63 89
fuel
324 66
supplies
246 51
water for hydrants .
1,848 00
" " department buildings
105 00
gas
319 19
insurance
98 75
Amounts carried forward
$26,202 83
'$26,278 60
275
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON FIRE DEPARTMENT.
Amounts brought forward · $26,202 83
$26,278 60 washing and ironing .
134 27
maintenance of reservoirs
60
hand fire - extin-
guishers
117 66
telephones
60 98
incidentals
218 75
Total debit
26,735 09
Amount overdrawn
$456 49
For the committee, BERNARD W. LAWRENCE, Chairman. GEO. I. VINCENT, Clerk.
REPORT
OF THE
CHIEF ENGINEER OF FIRE DEPARTMENT.
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
IN BOARD OF ALDERMEN, Dec. 30, 1887.
Referred to the next city council, to be printed in the annual reports. Sent down for concurrence.
CHARLES E. GILMAN, Clerk.
IN COMMON COUNCIL, Dec. 30, 1887.
Concurred in.
DOUGLAS FRAZAR, Clerk.
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
To the Committee on Fire Department.
DEC. 30, 1887.
GENTLEMEN, - In conformity to established usage, I present herewith my annual report, containing a detailed statement of the condition and operations of the Fire Department during the year ending Dec. 31, 1887, and also recommendations of such improve- ments and additions to the personnel and materiel of the depart- ment as seem to me required.
MANUAL FORCE.
This consists of -
One chief engineer
.
1
One assistant engineer
1
One steam fire-engine company .
12
Four hose companies, eight men each
32
One hook and ladder company .
15
Total .
61
APPARATUS.
All the apparatus is substantially in good condition.
By the placing of two tanks, each having a capacity of thirty- five gallons, upon the hose and ladder carriage in charge of com- pany No. 4, a chemical engine has been provided which has already demonstrated superior qualities as a fire-extinguishing agent. To secure its most effective operation, an additional per- manent man is necessary, and I recommend that one be appointed.
The long single ladders now carried on the hook and ladder truck are undesirable for several reasons, and I recommend that they be replaced by ladders of the "telescope " pattern. The objectionable feature of the first named is, - that difficulty is liable to be experienced, particularly at night, in raising them in
280
ANNUAL REPORTS.
those streets through which lines of telegraph wire are run close to the buildings. It will readily be seen that " telescopic " ladders are superior for use under such circumstances. Again, by the use of sectional ladders, the load upon the truck would be concen- trated, and the vibratory motion of the projecting ends of the longer ladders materially lessened, thus making the load much easier of draught, while less room would be required for turning the truck.
I again call attention to the inadequately protected
SPRING HILL DISTRICT,
wherein are situated the Middlesex Bleachery, the American Tube Works, the Union and Cambridge Railroad stables, Chase's Dis- tillery, Reitenbach's Tannery, the Franklin Schoolhouse, Miller Brothers casket factory, and many dwelling-houses, stables, shops, and stores.
To give this territory protection commensurate with that accorded other sections of the city, a hose carriage, at least, ought to be stationed upon the City Ledge land on Somerville Avenue and Lowell Street. Thus stationed, this piece of apparatus would be the first to arrive at a fire in that vicinity, and would also be early upon the scene of a fire in West Somerville, where large and expensive business blocks, and numerous buildings, miscella- neous in character, have been recently erected. A house built upon the above-mentioned site, or elsewhere in the district, should be made sufficiently capacious to accommodate an engine and a hose carriage, which will ultimately be needed, if the increase in 1
material prosperity in this direction, in the future, be proportion- ate to that which has been manifest within the past few years.
HORSES.
Two new pairs of horses were purchased for the steamer hose carriage and hose carriage No. 4, respectively. A horse was also bought for the use of the chief.
New pairs of horses for hose No. 2 and hook and ladder No. 1 will be necessary early the coming year.
BUILDINGS.
Extensive improvements and repairs have been made in the department buildings during the year.
281
REPORT OF CHIEF ENGINEER OF FIRE DEPARTMENT.
The upper rooms in hose house No. 1 were painted and papered, and the roof was shingled and the building painted outside.
The stairway between the first and second floors of engine house No. 1 was removed from the building proper to an annex built upon the westerly side, thus giving the apparatus and horses the benefit of the entire area of the engine-room floor.
A new floor should be laid in the engine-room, and the whole interior of the building is greatly in need of painting and whitening.
The driveway from the main doors to the street was paved with block granite.
New floors of maple were laid in the houses of hose companies 2 and 4.
Storage sheds, similar to the one in rear of hose house No. 1, would be of great convenience on the premises of hose houses 2 and 4.
FIRE-ALARM TELEGRAPH.
The great increase in the number of despatch, telephone, and electric-light flines necessitated the re-location of the fire-alarm wires in different parts of the city, and caused much trouble and considerable expense.
Two new signal boxes, viz., 37 and 119, were put up, and eight miles of copper wire were run.
This branch of the department now comprises 40 signal boxes, 40 miles of wire, 18 gongs, 6 bell-strikers, and 5 indicators.
I repeat a suggestion made in a former report, that the three circuits at present composing our alarm system be subdivided into eight ; so that in the event of injury to any one circuit, only a comparatively small portion of the city would be without the alarm, while the proximity of a box on another circuit would render the deprivation of less moment to the district immediately affected.
For obvious reasons, the importance of having the fire-alarm constantly in perfect working condition cannot be over-estimated ; and I therefore ask your committee to consider the expediency of employing a suitable person as a lineman, who shall have charge of the telegraph under the direction of the chief.
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