USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1889 > Part 12
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193
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
sults we have seen. The special teachers have been equally zealous, painstaking, and faithful, and have taken a great burden of respon- sibility from the Superintendent. I am pleased with the attitude of the press on the subject of education, and I appreciate the aid and encouragement it has been in this important work. We are espe- cially fortunate in having communities who sustain and encourage the teachers ; without their co-operation our work could not succeed. To all I extend my hearty thanks, and I hope to see in the near future greater cause for congratulation than we do to-day.
Respectfully submitted,
C. E. MELENEY, Superintendent of Schools.
SOMERVILLE, MASS., Dec. 30, 1889.
194
ANNUAL REPORTS.
APPROPRIATIONS AND EXPENDITURES.
Estimated.
Expended.
Deficit.
Balance.
Salaries of teachers
$89,250
$93,065.49
$3,815.49*
Salary of superintendent
2,500.00
Salaries of truant officers
10,450
900.02
$601.62
Salaries of janitors
6,448.36
Water and gas
1,000
805.02
194.98
Text-books,
3.500
3,912.83
412.83
Writing and drawing books
1,000
1,327.11
327.11
Stationery and supplies
1,800
3,079.66
1,279.66
Printing
300
359.58
59.58
Miscellaneous
2,700
1,223.42
1,476.58
Total
$110,000
$113,621.49
$5,894.67 3,621.49
$2,273.18
Total deficit
*Owing to increase of salaries, as per schedule.
'Amount received for tuition of non-resident pupils .
$100.50
TABLE SHOWING THE NUMBER OF SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS IN THE SEVERAL DISTRICTS, THE NUMBER OF PUPILS IN ATTENDANCE IN DECEMBER, THE NUMBER IN THE NINTH CLASS, AND THE AVERAGE NUMBER TO A SCHOOL.
DISTRICTS.
No. of
Schools
No. of
Teachers.
No. of
Pupils.
No. in Ninth
Class.
Average No.
to a School.
East Somerville
23
24
1183
64
51.4
Prospect Hill
42
43
2128
108
50.7
Winter Hill .
18
19
914
48
50.8
Spring Hill
19
20
932
57
49.0
West Somerville
14
15
656
58
46.9
116
121
5813
335
50.1
TABLE SHOWING THE NAME, LOCATION, DATE OF ERECTION, ESTIMATED VALUE, CAPACITY, ETC., . OF THE SEVERAL SCHOOL BUILDINGS.
DISTRICTS.
SCHOOLS.
LOCATION.
When built.
in Lot. No. Feet
Value. Estime'd
No. of
Rooms.
No. of
No. of
Gramm'r
Classes.
No. of
Primary
Classes.
High .
Highland Avenue.
1871
44,000
10
4
. .
East Somerville. .
Prescott
Myrtle Street
1867
21,444
42,000
12
11
Edgerly
Cross Street ..
1871
26,428
43,100
S
S
5
3
-
Davis
Tufts Street ...
1884
29,584
18,333
4
4
1
Prospect Hill.
L. V. Bell .. .
Vinal Avenue.
1874
22,262
43,000
13
13
12
1
Independent Hall.
Union Square.
.
·
.
.
· ..
. ... .
1
1
. .
.
·
. .
Prospect Hill.
Washington Street.
1848
25,313
20,600
6
6
3
Cummings.
School Street ..
1884
11,300
15,357
4
4
1
3
Brastow.
Medford Street
1861
10,019
6,250
2
2
1
1
Joy Street. .
1868
20,560
8,300
4
4
2
2
Jackson ..
Poplar Street ...
1861
11,212
8,300
4
4
1
3
-
6€
Webster.
Webster Avenue .. .
1868
11,050
8,300
4
1
3
Union ..
Prospect Street.
1842
9,360
2,600
1
1
1
Winter Hill .
Forster ...
Sycamore Street.
1866
32,693
39,422
12
12
8
4
1
66
Bingham ..
Lowell Street.
1886
20,896
15,105
4
4
1
Cedar Street
1843
.
800
2
1
·
1
Spring Hill ..
Morse. . .
Summer Street.
1869
29,109
26,000
S
S
6
Beech Street.
Beech Street.
1872
6,000
4,750
2
2
.
2
Spring Hill
Beech Street.
1850
4,991
1,700
1
1
·
Somerville Avenue.
1846
33,017
14,300
4
2
2
Harvard
Beacon Street. .
1851
9,810
2,600
1
1
. .
* Burns ..
Cherry Street ...
1886
16,080
15,250
4
2
2
West Somerville
.
Highland. .
Highland Avenue. .
1880
23,260
33,000
S
8
6
2
Elm Street.
Elm Street. . .
Lincoln .
Broadway, Clarendon Hill .. .
1885
17,662
15,487
4
+
2
128
121
62
55
.
.
.
.
...
..
..
. .
. .
1
·
1
..
Som. Av. Kg.
Som. Ave. (The Irving) .
·
.
.
1
1
·
1
.
66
·
.
66
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
* Receives pupils from both the Spring Hill and the West Somerville Districts.
195
.
1
Bow Street School ...
. .
1
66
~
Eberle Hall.
1
1
1
1
1
. .
.
. .
·
2
2.
Franklin
1
Chapel. .
Cedar Street ..
66
Bennett ..
7
4
Classes.
196
ANNUAL REPORTS.
TEACHERS.
Number of teachers (including 7 assistants)
142
SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS.
SCHOOLS.
TEACHERS.
WHERE EDUCATED.
Sala- ries.
When Elected.
High
George L. Baxter . Frank M. Hawes
Harvard College
$2,400 1867
Tufts College
1,800 1879
66
Dartmouth College
1,400
1887
66
Charles T. Murray Sarah W. Fox
High School, Taunton. Instruction in classics and German, abroad . Lawrence Academy, Gro- ton. Private instruc-
1,200 1868
66
.
Sarah F. Litchfield
tion in Latin, French and German · Somerville High School and Salem Normal
850 1880
School
850|1882
Eudora Morey .
Malden High and Bridge- water Normal School .
800 1882
Bessie R. White
Colby University
700 1887
66
*Josephine H. Short
Boston University .
700 1887
66
+Mabel S. Clark
Boston University
700
+Lilia E. Smith
Monroe College
700
Prescott
G. A. Southworth
Chicago, Ill., and Lowell, Mass., High School Salem High and Normal Schools
1,900 1873
66
Anna M. Bates .
Adelaide Reed
Abbie A. Anderson
Bridgew'r Nor'l School . Stoughton High School and Canton Training School
600 1878
Emma M. Cate . .
High School, Winchester
600 1882
. 10
Number of teachers in the grammar grades . Male, 7 ; female, 58.
65
Number of teachers in the primary grades (including 7 assistants)
63
Teacher of music
.
1
Teacher of drawing
.
1
Teachers of sewing
2
.
142
* On leave of absence.
+ Substitutes.
700,1874
650|1877
Male, 11 ; female 131.
Number of teachers in high school Male, 3 ; female, 7.
Fannie W. Kaan
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS-Continued.
SCHOOLS.
TEACHERS.
WHERE EDUCATED.
Sala- ries.
When
Elected.
Prescott
Amelia I. Sears
Westfield Normal School Somerville High School 66
600 1868
66
.
Sarah E. Pratt .
600 1877
66
Elgina M. Plummer Florence M. Morton
Bridgew'r Nor'l School High School, Boston . Somerville High School 66
600
1877
66
Ada Cowles .
600
1875
66
66
400 1889
Edgerly
Charles E. Brainard .
High School, Danielson- ville, Conn. .
1,000 1889 600 1885
66
Amy C. Hudson Lilla J. Pike .
Somerville High School High School and Acade- my, Salmon Falls, N. H. Salem Normal School
600 1887
66
C. E. Cunningham Gertrude L. Gardner
600 1889
66
Mary B. Currier
600 1873
66
Lillian Nealley . Clara M. Bagley
R. I. State Normal . Somerville High School Salem Normal School Somerville High School Framingham Nor'l Sch'l Bridgew'r Nor'l School . Winchester High School, Salem Normal School
500 1889 600 1885
L. V. Bell
Lucretia A. Burns . Gertrude A. Earle . Annie J. Richardson . Priscilla A. Merritt Herbert L. Morse . Abbie C. Hunt May E. Berry Joanna A. Barry Sarah S. Waterman Nellie A. Knowlton
Bridgew'r Nor'l School . Ipswich Fem. Seminary Somerville High School Bridgew'r Nor'l School .
1,700 1885- 675 1873 675 1880 600 1886
600 1888
Salem Normal School
600 1887
66
Emma F. Schuh
600 1874
600 1888
66
Alice I. Norcross . Fannie A. Wilder .
600 1874
66
Carrie E. Cobb .
600 1887
66
Gertrude E. Robbins, Mary A. Bradford +Eliza L. Schuh
Bridgw'r Nor'l School · Somerville High School, Brid'water Normal
600 1888 1882 600 1888
66
Abbie A. Hayward
Salem Normal School Somerville High School . Cambridge Kg. Trg.
600 1888 400 1889
Prospect Hill,
Helen Tincker .
School . Mt. Holyoke Seminary and Salem Nor'al Sch'l, Somerville High School, 66
700 1872
66
Sarah A. Tuttle Ellen Ledyard
600 1886
600 1874
66
Davis
650 1882
66
600 1884
66
Rubie M. Stetson
Somerville High School . High School and Acad- emy, Hanover, Mass. . High School High Sch' and Academy, High School, Taunton, Mass.
500 1888
.
Abbie A. Gurney
.
·
Mary S. Rinn
.
Mrs. J. S. Soper . .
600 1889
*Assistant.
+On leave of absence.
600 1873
Catherine T. Brown Clara Taylor
600 1871
.
*Louise E. Pratt
600
1882
66
600 1888
600 1882
66
600 1873
600 1885
197
198
ANNUAL REPORTS.
SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS-Continued.
SCHOOLS.
TEACHERS.
WHERE EDUCATED.
Sala- ries.
When
Elected.
Prospect Hill,
66
Nellie S. Dickey
600 1875
Lillian A. Wellington,
500 1889
+Clara M. Smith
350|1889
66
Lucia Alger
Somerville High 66
650 1869
66
·
Ida F. Fillebrown .
66
500 1888
Annie Coffin .
66 6.
600 1884
Brastow
Lizzie W. Parkhurst,
Gloucester High and
625 1885
Lillian C. Albee
High School, No. Attle- boro'
600|1888
Bennett
Mary B. Smith . Florence O. Bean . Annie E. Sheridan
Me. Wes. Seminary Fram'ham Normal Sch'l, Salem Normal School
500 1886
Jackson
Annie E. McCarty Fannie L. Gwynn Lena G. Allen
Somerville High School, Somerville High School, Salem Normal School Somerville High School,
600 1884
66
.
Annie E. Crimmings . Mary M. Burnham Clara B. Parkhurst Nellie F. Sheridan Annie L. Savage
600 1873
Union
Annie E. Robinson
600 1876
Forster
John S. Hayes
1,800 1878 675 1878
600 1883
Marietta S. Murch
Gorham Normal School, Me.
600 1887
$6
Minna L. Wentworth .
High School, Salmon Falls, N. H.
600 1885
$ 6
·
Frances M. Guptill .
Training Department of Eliot Academy, Leb- anon, Me.
600 1869
66
·
·
.
66
Alice A. Batchelor
Tilton, N. H., Seminary, High School, Northboro, Mass.
600 1877
66
Addie S. Winnek
Salem Normal School
600 1883
66
Martha H. Pennock .
Somerville High School,
600 1873
Annie L. Bennett .
Gorham Normal 66
600 1889
Annie S. Gage .
Somerville High
600 1883
Harriet A. Brown
Westfield Normal 66
600 1890
Clara. A. Jordan
Gorham Normal School .
600 1889
Bingham
Mary A. Osborne .
High and Training Sch'l, Quincy .
650:1885
.
Addie M. Brown
66
600 1886
.
Isadore E. Taylor
600 1883
650 1880
600 1886
Som. Av. Kg., Webster ·
.
Framingham Normal Salem Normal . Somerville High School, Salem Normal School Somerville High School, Phillips Exeter Academy High School, Centreville, Training School, Farm- ington, Me. .
650 1889
350 1888
$ 6
Mary E. Northup .
Mary E. Stiles .
·
·
.
.
·
Maria Miller
$600 1889
Somerville High School Quincy Drawing Sehooi Boston Normal School . Somerville High School, Brid'water Normal
600 1889
Cummings
Lydia J. Page
Training Schools
650 1885
500 1888
66
600 1884 400
Lizzie F. Clement
600 1884
t Assistant.
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS-Continued.
SCHOOLS.
TEACHERS.
WHERE EDUCATED.
Sala- ries.
When Elected.
Bingham
Alice Simpson
High and Nor'l School, Newburyport ·
600 1872
Nora F. Byard .
Somerville High School Salem Normal School 3 .
350 1889
Alice M. Porter
600 1880
66
Mina J. Wendell .
Bridgewater Normal Sch. High and Training Sch'ls, Woburn
675 1882
66
Stella Hall
Salem Normal School
600 1884
Pauline S. Downes
Cooper Union, New York City
600 1872
Ella F. Gould
Lowell and Nashua
600 1882
66
Anna E. Sawyer
Somerville High School
600 1873
Mary A. Haley .
Boston
600 1868
66
Charlotte I. Houghton Anna Pushee
Somerville
600 1875
Beech Street .
Mary E. Bosworth
Bridge'w'r Normal Sch'l State Nor'l School, N. H. Boston High School . . Somerville High School High School, Nantucket, Worcester State Normal School
650 1874
66
Anna C. Damon
Southbridge, Mass.
600 1879. 600 1859.
Harvard Burns
66
Minnie S. Turner
Somerville High School Providence Somerville High School Cambridge 66
550 1889
Highland
Florence M. Hamlin George E. Nichols M. Alice Paul
Somerville High School Dartmouth College .
1,800 1877
66
. Harriet B. Sargent S. Adelaide Blood Annie R. Cox
State Nor'l School, N. H. Boston Normal School
600 1883
66
Jennie C. Frazier
Somerville High School Quincy Training School Somerville High School Boston 66
400 1888 400
Elm Street 66
Lucretia C. Sanborn .
N. H. Normal School and Kindergarten
600 1888 650
Lincoln
H. F. Hathaway Carrie E. Fay
Charlotte F. Mott .
Private School, Wad- dington, N. Y. .
600 1886
Music
Annie C. Thayer S. Henry Hadley
Boston Normal School .
600 1885
Drawing
Sewing
L. A. Herrick Mrs. C. M. Coffin Mary L. Boyd .
Mass. Nor'l Art School Nantucket High
1,200 1888 500 1888
500|1888
66
Ella P. McLeod
600 1888.
Franklin
Hattie A. Hills E. C. Summerhayes
Caroline S. Plimpton Florence B. Ashley .
600 1887
650 1883.
600|1885.
66
Annie L. Brown
Somerville High School Worcester Nor'l School Salem Normal School
600 1882
66
Sarah E. Pray . Lilias M. Bryden Jennie M. Horner Mary Winslow .
Bridgewater Normal Sch. ·
600 1887
600 1878
600 1888
66
.
675 1879
600 1887
.
400 1888
650 1882
Cedar Street . Morse
Horatio D. Newton,
1,700 1886
600 1884
Laura C. Duddy
Laura J. Brooks .
600 1885
600 1889
1,333 1868
199
200
ANNUAL REPORTS.
PUPILS.
Number of persons in the city on the first day of May last, between five and fifteen years of age .
6,135
Number between eight and fourteen years of age
4,446
High School.
Grammar and Prim. Schools.
Total.
Whole number registered during the year
420.
7,337.
7,757.
Average attendance
371.5
5,213.9
5,585.4
Per cent. of attendance .
95.8
93.6
93.8
Number cases of tardiness
218.
2,562.
2,780.
Number cases of dismissal
787.
2,306.
3,093.
Number cases of punishment
922.
922.
Number pupils in attendance in January
394.
5,642.
6,036.
Number pupils in attendance in December
423.
5,813.
6,236.
Number pupils over fifteen years of age
357.
239.
596.
Number pupils between 8 and 14 years of age
·
4,001.
TABLE OF PUPILS BY GRADES.
Grades.
Class.
No. of Teachers.
Boys.
Girls.
Total.
No. Promoted
Grade in June.
High .
Fourth year
25
38
63
. . .
66
Third
35
42
77
66
Second
First
77.
96
173
...
Grammar
.
Ninth
6
149
186
335
281
66
.
Eighth
7
189
183
372
322
Seventh
8
239
219
458
343
Sixth
12
322
267
589
437
Fifth
13
348
306
654
548
Fourth
14
379
330
709
630
Primary
·
Third .
15
401
336
737
547
Second
17
430
328
758
653
First
31
667
534
1,201
731
*63
1,498
1,198
2,696
1,931
Total
.
133
3,302
2,934
6,236
4,492
.
178
245
423
to Higher
10
41
69
110
....
.
·
·
·
60
1,626
1,491
3,117
2,561
.
* Including seven assistants.
Average whole number .
387.6
5,568.1
5,955.7
Average number of pupils to a school .
50.1
..
201
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
EXHIBIT OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
SCHOOLS.
Whole number regis-
tered during the year.
Average whole number.
Average attendance.
Per cent. of attendance.
Number cases of tardi-
Number cases of dis-
Number cases of punish-
Number pupils in attend-
Number pupils in attend-
Average number of pu-
pils to a school.
Number pupils over 15
years of age.
Number pupils between 8 and 14 years of age.
High School
420
387.6
371.5
95 8
218
787
394
423
357
Prescott School.
713
542.
517 4
95.5
90
109
58
579
565
51.4
41
419
Edgerly School
498
390.9
373.
95.4
41
91
27
411
411
51 4
13
302
Davis School ..
293
201.3
187.3
93.
61
63
43
231
207
51.8
1
155
Forster School
783
637.
602.
94.5
86
131 58
26
607
682
52.4
49
485
Bingham School ...
260
185.
176.7
95 5
46
25
11
44
39
39.
44
L. V. Bell School ...
1,004
416
340.
311.
91.5
151
104
25
360
380
63.3
2
269
Cummings School. .
260
204.
194.
95.
75
52
42
221
214
53.5
107
Brastow School.
123
S2.4
77.9
94.
53
35
87
91
45.5
55
Bennett School.
236
176.
160.
90.9
265
121
199
191
191
48
143
Jackson ..
290
180
168.8
93.7
276
64
116
207
217
54.2
1
129
Somerville Ave. Kin-
94
35.4
27.
79.
80
40
39
35
35. 34.7
2
63
Union School
79
40.
37.5
94.
31
15
1
43
39
39.
1
Morse School .
478
374.7
353.4
94.
137
137
35
377
322
40.3
33
303
Beech St. and Spring Hill School.
165
138.
129.
93.
58
36
11
134
150
50.
63
Franklin School.
250
216.
202.
91.5
111
66
42
189
180
45.
1
168
Harvard School.
82
43.6
37.2
91.2
66
10
12
47
36
36.
Burns School
265
204.
189.
93.7
77
75
14
171
244
48.8
174
Highland School.
491
419.7
393.2
94.2
1×3
330
49
437
454
50.4
29
315
Elm Street Kinder-
74
27.2
23.2
83.6
105
28
·
30
27
27.
1
Lincoln School.
204
164.3
155.1
94 4
55
34
19
154
175
43.7
2
114
Total
7,757
5,955.7
5,585.4
93.8
2,780
3,093!
922
6,036
6,236
50.1
596
4,001
. .
134
Cedar Street School.
44 7
39.7
89.
51
272
613
94
771
822
51.4
65
552
Webster School.
209
141 2
130.
92.
192
69
88
128
139
729.5
93.4
ness.
missal.
ment.
ance in January.
ance in December.
193
48.2
3
184
Prospect Hill School
dergarten. .
garten School.
202
ANNUAL REPORTS.
ADDITIONAL STATISTICS OF THE HIGH SCHOOL.
Whole number of different pupils during the year .
. 589
Largest number at one time
· 444
Number admitted during the year,
· 192
from our Grammar Schools
169
from other schools
23
graduated 67
of graduates who entered college
14
לי 66 Institute of Technology
6
Whole number at the present time, Dec. 1889
423
Average number to a teacher
42.3
Number over 15 years of age
357
in course preparatory to college
127
pursuing the regular course
247
" English course . 66
in the first class when it entered the school 140
" at the present time
63
second class when it entered the school .
149
" at the present time .
77
. third class when it entered school . 175
66
at the present time 110 .
fourth class when it entered the school . .
187
66
" at the present time .
· 173
REPORT OF TRUANT OFFICER.
Number of visits to schools . 738 .
،، absences investigated
. 619
.. cases of truancy . 137
truants arrested . 8 .
sent to House of Reformation
.
3
and Scientific Schools who have left during the year, exclusive of graduates 99
·
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
203
STATISTICS OF EVENING SCHOOLS.
No.
Enrolled.
Average
Attendance.
No. of
Teachers.
No. of
Sessions
Cost of
Instruction.
Cost of
Janitor's
Services.
Prescott School
94
35.4
4
45
$281.00
$47.00
L. V. Bell
98
41
5
45
300.50
47.00
Highland .
49
23
2
45
208.50
47.00
Drawing School, Freehand ..
56
39.6
2
32
281.00
34.00
. . Mechanical
69
39
2
32
264.00
34.00
Sewing School.
1
39
58.50
16.00
Total
366
178
16
$1,393.50
$225.00
Cost of instruction
$1,393.50
supplies .
225.08
janitors
225.00
Total cost
$1,843.58
TIME TABLE OF SEWING TEACHERS.
MRS. COFFIN.
MISS BOYD.
Forster School.
Edgerly 66
Wednesday, A. M., 66 P. M.,
Thursday, A. M. .
P. M. .
Lincoln School
Friday, A. M. .
Highland School
66
66
P. M. .
·
ings School L. V. Bell School . Morse School
Prescott . "
Prospect Hill. Bennett and Jackson Schools.
Davis and Bingham Schools. Forster School.
Monday . Tuesday, A. M.
L. V. Bell School .
Independent Hall and Cum-
P. M.
Franklin and Burns Schools
1
PROGRAMME OF VISITS OF MISS HERRICK, DRAWING TEACHER.
DAYS.
A. M.
P. M.
For the weeks beginning Sept. 23, Oct. 21, Nov. 18, Dec. 16, Jan. 27, March 3, March 31, April 28, June 2.
) Monday ..
Burns School.
'Tuesday . . .
High School.
Wednesday .. . . Thursday .. .
Forster School. . Franklin School.
j Friday. ...
Morse School.
) Monday .. .
Bingham School and Annex.
Tuesday . .. ....
High School. ...
Wednesday .. .. Thursday . .
Bell School .. ...
Highland School. . .
.
Friday. .. ..
Prescott School ..
) Monday .. ..
Jackson and Somerville Avenue Kg .. .
Tuesday . .
High School ..
Wednesday .. .
Forster School .
Thursday ...
Edgerly School .
Friday ..
Morse School ..
Prospect Hill School.
) Monday .. ... ...
Lincoln School.
Tuesday . .. ....
High School.
¿ Wednesday . . ..
Bell School. ...
| Thursday ...
Highland School.
j Friday. . .
Prescott School.
Beech Street School. Supplementary work. - Edgerly School. Prospect Hill School.
Forthe weeks beginning Sept. 30, Oct. 28, Nov. 25, Jan. 6, Feb. 3, March 10, April 7, May 12, June 9.
Cedar Street School. Supplementary work. Webster School. Brastow and Cummings. Elm Street School.
Cummings. Supplementary work.
Bennett School. Prospect Hill District.
Union and Eberle and Ind. Halls. Supplementary work. Bell, Bow St. and Harvard. Davis School. Supplementary work.
204
ANNUAL REPORTS.
For the weeks beginning Oct. 7, Nov. 4, Dec. 2, Jan. 13, Feb. 10, March 17, April 14, May 19, June 16.
For the weeks beginning Oct. 14, Nov. 11, Dec. 9, Jan. 20, Feb. 17, March 24, April 21, May 26, June 23.
REPORT
OF THE
SOMERVILLE MYSTIC WATER BOARD.
1
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
IN BOARD OF ALDERMEN, Jan. 22, 1890.
Referred to the committee on printing, to be printed in the annual reports. Sent down for concurrence.
GEO. I. VINCENT, Clerk.
IN COMMON COUNCIL, Jan. 22, 1890.
Referred to the committee on printing, to be printed in the annual reports, in concurrence.
CHAS. S. ROBERTSON, Clerk.
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
To His Honor the Mayor, and the City Council :
GENTLEMEN, -The Somerville Mystic Water Board has been kept constantly busy during 1889. The most important work of the year has been the introduction of the high service system, which was provided for by an order of the City Council, adopted early in June. In accordance with the directions of this order the Water Board has purchased land on Belmont Street, Spring Hill, and has erected thereon a water tower of iron, 30 feet in diameter, and 100 feet high, with a capacity of about 528,000 gallons. A pumping station and a chimney have been erected on the city farm, on land set apart for that purpose by the City Council. The building is of brick, with brown stone trimmings, and is a plain, substantial structure. well adapted for the purposes for which it will be used. A Worthington compound duplex pump, with boiler and attachments, has been bought and is now being put in position. It will be able to supply 2,000,000 gallons of water every twenty-four hours. The mains required for the high service system have been laid in accordance with the directions of the order, excepting that on account of the prospective rebuilding of the Central street bridge over the Lowell railroad, the Water Board was obliged to reach the stand-pipe by way of Cedar street and Highland avenue. This made it necessary to lay a main that was not provided for in the order of the City Council, at a cost of $7,777.13. This amount has had to be ex- pended without especial authority ; but the Cedar street main was included in the plans made by the city engineer, and would have had to be laid in any case before long, so that the Water Board has only been compelled to anticipate a future expense. The Central street main has been laid to the bridge, on both sides, and a connection can be made whenever the railroad shall rebuild the bridge.
The work of introducing the high service system has been pushed as rapidly as possible, but it has taken longer than was anticipated by the board. After the order was adopted, specifications had to be
208
ANNUAL REPORTS.
prepared, and bids solicited on the pipe, the water tower, the pump- ing machinery, and the pumping station and chimney. It was nearly September when the pipes were received, and after they had arrived, a long wet, rainy season delayed the work in all its branches. The work has all been done in the most thorough manner. The trench- ing and pipe-laying have been done by the day, as has the work of laying the foundations for the water tower, the pumping station and the chimney. In this way the expense has been made somewhat greater than if the work had been let out by contract, but the board has believed that economy in this respect would have been unwise, since it is essential that permanent works of this kind should be con- structed in the most thorough manner. The members of the Water Board have given their most careful and constant attention to the work, and hardly a day has passe 1 that each member has not given some time to its advancement. Many obstacles have had to be over- come as the work progressed. The appropriation for the high service system was $62,000. The land for the stand pipe, for which $3,978.74 was appropriated, has cost $3,988.25. The stand pipe, for which $14,000 was appropriated, has cost $13,044.22. The pump, boiler and fittings, for which $8,500 was appropriated, have cost $9,102,92. The pumping station and chimney, for which $10,000 was appropriated, have cost $9,987.88. The force main, with gates and connections, for which $20,000 was appropriated, has cost $23,831.66. The Cedar street suction main, for which $1,400 was appropriated, has cost $1,682.07. The force main through Cedar street and Highland avenue, for which no appropriation was made, has cost $7,777.13, and necessary teaming and filling for the pumping station lot cost $800. Without the expenditure for the Cedar street main, the Water Board has expended on the work $62,537.10, the total appropriation having been $62,000. The de- partment has on hand materials bought and charged to high service account, consisting of pipes, gates, hydrants and special fittings, to the value of $6,330. These can all be used in the regular system of the city, so that, deducting their value from the total expenditure, it will be seen that the Water Board has kept $5,793.90 within the appropriation made for the work. The system is now approaching completion, and will be in use at an early date, and credit should be given to those who have planned and constructed the high service system. The plans and specifications for the water tower were
209
REPORT OF SOMERVILLE MYSTIC WATER BOARD.
drawn by City Engineer Horace L. Eaton, and the tower was built by the Cunningham Iron Works, of Charlestown, under the super- vision of Hon. C. E. Rymes. The pumping station was designed by Samuel D. Kelly, of Somerville, and Messrs. Coon & Hall, also of Somerville, were the builders. The chimney was built by Messrs. Fessenden & Libby, the drawings having been made and the work inspected by Hon. C. E. Rymes. The specifications for the pump, boiler and pipings, were drawn by City Engineer Eaton, and the con- tract was awarded to the Worthington Company.
The work of the department during the year has been important. On the high service system there has been laid 12,044 feet of pipe, including 3,620 feet not included in the order of the City Council. Besides this, there has been laid 11,550 feet of new pipe in exten- sion of mains to accommodate new buildings. Of the old cement pipe, 4,266 feet have been replaced by new iron pipe. This work has greatly improved the condition of the system, and as a result there have been but 44 bursts as compared with 79 in 1888. Several of these bursts, however, were disastrous, and while the number of breaks has been reduced, the damage has been much larger than in any preceding year. A large amount of relaying should be done in 1890. The danger from these worn-out pipes is serious and immi- nent, and now that the high service has been provided for, they should be replaced as soon as possible. The eight-inch main in Washington street, from Myrtle to Prospect street, should be re- placed the coming season with ten-inch pipe. This is the principal connection between the thirty-inch main in Pearl street and Union square. The pipe is in bad condition, and is insufficient in size for so important a main. When this has been done. Union square and vicinity will have a reliable and ample supply of water, and in case of a large fire, there need be no fear of lack of water or breaking of the main. The distance is 3,400 feet, and the cost would be nearly $6,000. The extension of the system during the year has accommo- dated many new neighborhoods, and there have been 475 new ser- vices put in, compared with 414 in 1888. This is the largest number of new services ever put in in a single year.
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