USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1889 > Part 17
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22
290
ANNUAL REPORTS.
BRIDGE STREET OUTLET
The work done at this outlet consists in throughty cleansing and flushing the outlet and adjacent flats. The amount expended is as follows : -
Boynton Brothers, dredging 3476 cubic yards at $0.65
$2,259 40
Labor
241 00
Cambridge Water Works, flushing
92 80
Advertising
1 88
Teaming ·
3 00
Supplies
22 47
Total
· $2,620 55
Five-ninths of the amount, $1,455.86, was paid by the City of Somerville.
WINTHROP AVENUE SEWER.
In the report for 1888, it was recommended that this sewer be extended to Middlesex Avenue. If in the opinion of the City Coun- cil it is inexpedient to extend the Winthrop avenue sewer to Middle- sex Avenue, I would recommend that a new culvert be built at once. The condition of the old wooden culvert is so very uncertain that it should be immediately replaced.
The upper and lower sections of this culvert, each about fifteen feet in length, have been repaired during the last season
EAST SOMERVILLE SEWERAGE.
Excavations have been made on the line of the Broadway sewer and levels and measurements taken from which a profile showing the elevation and depth of this sewer has been made. At the Mt. Pleasant Street intersection the connection is very imperfectly made. A considerable amount of deposit had formed at this point, which effectually dammed the Mt. Pleasant Street sewer. A manhole should be built at this point and the grade of the Mt. Pleasant Street sewer improved. Between Cutter Street and Winthrop Avenue the average depth of the sewer is about six feet. This sewer will have to be lowered in the near future to provide for draining the large area of vacant land on the northeast side of Broadway, known as the " Nunnery Grounds."
291
REPORT OF THE CITY ENGINEER.
If the Broadway sewer is lowered, the sewer in Cutter Street could be connected with the new Broadway sewer. The sewer in Bonair Street could also be connected with the Broadway sewer by building a sewer in Autumn Street.
These sewers in Bonair and Cutter Streets now drain into the Cross Street sewer, and if these sewers could be connected with the Broad- way sewer it would relieve the Cross Street sewer of a large amount of storm water and would be a great benefit to the entire system in East Somerville.
When the sewer in Broadway is lowered the entire system in East Somerville should be examined. Many sewers in this district are laid at a depth of not more than five feet and are imperfectly built. Even now these sewers are causing some trouble from the imperfect manner in which they have been constructed.
PROPOSED SEWER IN THE LOCATION OF THE BOSTON AND LOWELL RAILROAD.
The attention of the City Council is again called to the necessity of building a trunk sewer in the Boston and Lowell railroad location. The necessity for building this sewer becomes more apparent every year. New streets are being laid out and a demand will soon be made for this sewer from districts which cannot be drained in any other way but by the proposed sewer. As the vacant land is occu- pied and improved, the quantity of water which the sewers must dis- pose of is greatly increased and the present trunk sewer will soon be found to be too small. The necessity for building this sewer was more fully stated in the last annual report to which the atten- tion of the City Council is respectfully directed.
A table showing the location, size, cost per foot, assessment, and cost to the city, of sewers built in 1889, may be found in appendix B.
WATER WORKS.
HIGH SERVICE SUPPLY.
The most important work undertaken by this department during the year was the construction of the high service works.
The summits of Winter, Spring, Central and Prospect Hills are nearly of the same elevation as the Mystic reservoir, so that houses situated above a contour of eighty-seven feet below the surface of , the reservoir were not supplied with water in quantity or at a pres-
292
ANNUAL REPORTS.
sure sufficient for the ordinary use ; and in houses on the summits of the hills it very often happened that no water could be obtained. :
The necessity for building the high service supply has been urged for several years and it had finally come to be so evident that some improvement must be made in the supply of water furnished the high- lands, that on January 23, 1889, a vote passed the city council authorizing the appointment of a joint special committee to report a plan for a high service system.
April 3, 1889, a report was made by the City Engineer to the joint special committee and was presented to the City Council. The report was accepted and the mayor authorized to employ an expert to verify the report of the City Engineer.
The plan adopted by the city council provided for an iron tank thirty feet in diameter and one hundred feet high, located on the sum- mit of Spring Hill between Belmont and Lowell Streets. A pump- ing station, seventy-five feet and six inches by thirty-three feet and four inches, located on the city farm ; a two million compound con- densing, duplex, pumping engine, and a fourteen-inch force main through Cedar Street, Broadway, Central Street, Highland Avenue and Belmont Street to the tank.
Following the receipt and acceptance of the report of the com- mittee, the water board was authorized to proceed with the construc- tion of the works.
Specifications were prepared by the City Engineer for an iron tank and a contract was executed with the Cunningham Iron Works.
The bottom of the tank is three-fouths of an inch plate-iron, and is connected to the sides by an angle iron six inches by four inches by five-eighths inches double riveted to the side plates and single riveted to the bottom plates. All the bottom plates are single riveted. The side plates are of wrought iron in twenty courses and of the follow- ing thickness :
The thickness of the plates was reduced in every second course one-sixteenth of an inch to a height of seventy feet. The thickness of the plates was as follows : the first course three-forths of an inch, the third course eleven-sixteenths of an inch, fifth course five-eighths of an inch, seventh course nine-sixteenths of an inch, ninth course one-half of an inch, eleventh course seven-sixteenths of an inch, thirteenth and fourteenth courses three-eighths of an inch ; from this course to the top the plates are five-sixteenths of an inch thick.
293
REPORT OF THE CITY ENGINEER.
The vertical seams for fifteen courses are double riveted. All horizontal seams for the lower seven courses are double riveted, all other seams single riveted.
For the first twenty-five feet in height the rivets are seven-eighths of an inch in diameter, the second three-fourths of an inch, the remainder five-eighths of an inch.
A ring of 3x3x} inch angle iron was riveted around the top inside and a ladder provided on the inside and outside from the top to the bottom.
A gallery has been placed around the top of the tank.
The force main is connected with the tank by a fourteen-inch cast-iron flange pipe riveted to the bottom of the tank and bolted to the force main.
The tank is provided with a man-hole eighteen inches by twenty- five inches.'
The cost of the tank erected on a foundation built by the City of Somerville, not including inspector's salary, was $10,223.07.
The tank has been completed but will not be accepted until it has been tested.
The foundation for the tank was laid by the day and is built of block stone masonry, of Rockport and Deer Island granite, laid in courses of about two feet rise. The diameter of the bottom course is forty feet and the top course thirty-two feet and the depth of the foundation is seven feet.
'The cost of the foundation including the excavation was $2,940.69.
The pumping station is a substantial brick building with freestone trimmings seventy-five feet six inches long by thirty-three feet four inches wide with a roof of six-inch hard pine plank covered with slate.
The engine room is thirty-two feet by thirty-one feet and the boiler room forty feet six inches by thirty-one feet, inside measurements.
A cellar is made under the engine room and the engine room is furnished with a bath room and appointments.
The chimney is built of brick and is ninety-six feet high from the ground line to the top.
The outer shaft is ten feet square at the base and six feet square at the top. The inner shaft is distinct from the outer, is circular in cross section and is three feet three inches in diameter throughout.
294
ANNUAL REPORTS.
The thickness of the outer shaft is sixteen inches at the bottom and eight inches at the top.
The inner shaft is eight inches thick throughout.
The chimney is completed and the engine and boiler house are practically finished.
The plant contracted for at the pumping station includes :
One Worthington Compound, Condensing, Duplex, Pumping Engine. One Return Tubular Boiler.
One Boiler feed pump.
One Hot well.
One 4-inch Ashton relief valve.
One 14-inch check valve.
All the steam pipe, necessary valves and fittings within the engine house.
All necessary drain, drip, priming and starting pipes and the boiler feed pump and connections.
The engine contracted for is a compound, condensing, duplex, pumping engine of proper power and capacity to deliver two million United States gallons in twenty-four hours against a pressure of eighty pounds per square inch, with a steam pressure of sixty pounds per square inch ; the pump to take water under a pressure of forty-seven pounds to the square inch. The duty of the pump to be not less than fifty million foot pounds to each 100 pounds of coal consumed.
The engine will have two high pressure steam cylinders fourteen inches in diameter, two low pressure steam cylinders twenty-four inches in diameter, two double acting water plungers fourteen inches in diameter ; all of eighteen inches stroke.
The condenser will be in the suction mamn.
The boiler contracted for is a sixty-inch return tubular boiler sixteen feet two inches long containing seventy-seven tubes three inches in diameter by fifteen feet long. The shell is of steel.
The contract and specifications for the pumping plant were not prepared by the City Engineer.
The contract price for the pumping plant is $8,700. The pump- ing plant will probably be ready for the duty trial about April first.
The force main and connections were laid by the day by the Superintendent Nathaniel Dennett.
The engineering work has been done by this department. The
295
REPORT OF THE CITY ENGINEER.
erection of the iron tank, chimney and pumping plant has been done under the direction of Hon. Christopher E. Rymes.
The report of the City Engineer to the Joint Special Committee, with the report of the expert, Mr. M. M. Tidd, will be found in Appendix A of this report.
The work done by the water department on extensions and main- tenance has been located and new services located have been ac- curately recorded.
HIGHWAYS.
Nineteen thousand and ninety lineal feet of edgestone and side- walk have been laid and lines and grades have been given.
The cost of this work has been estimated, surveys of the estates benefited have been made, assessments apportioned and returns with the owners names have been made to the Board of Aldermen for assessment. A table showing the location, length and cost of sidewalks laid in 1889 will be found in Appendix C.
STREETS ACCEPTED.
Fifteen streets have been accepted, plans showing location and profiles have been submitted by the abutters and have been revised and deposited with the City Clerk.
A table showing the location, width and length of streets ac- cepted in 1889, will be found in Appendix D.
STREETS NUMBERED.
Ten streets have been numbered, surveys have been made, plans prepared and notices issued to owners of buildings on streets num- bered. Many new houses have been located and numbers assigned them on streets for which numbering plans were on file.
LOCATION AND LENGTH OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE STREETS.
A table showing the location and length of public and private streets will be found in Appendix E.
BRIDGES.
WASHINGTON STREET BRIDGE.
This is an iron-plate girder bridge and is in the same condition as in January 1889. The headroom still remains the same and has never been made to conform to the requirements of the agreement
296
ANNUAL REPORTS.
with the County Commissioners. The northwest sidewalk has been graded and covered with asphalt concrete ; a guard fence has been placed on the retaining wall on the west side of the street between the bridge and Tufts Street.
CROSS STREET BRIDGE.
The Cross street bridge is in the same condition as in 1889. Plans have been prepared by the Boston & Maine Railroad Com- pany and bids solicited for a new iron bridge to replace the old one ; and it is probable that the work of rebuilding will be commenced immediately.
WALNUT STREET BRIDGE.
The bridge is in the same condition as reported in 1888. The abutments are badly out of line. The westerly corner of the southerly abutment has moved towards the rails about fifteen inches.
MEDFORD STREET BRIDGE.
The deck is in good repair ; the iron .work should be repainted ; the abutments are in good condition.
SCHOOL STREET BRIDGE.
The covering plank and floor timbers are sound and in good repair. The wooden approach on the easterly side of the south abut- ment needs immediate attention. The posts which support the out- side of the sidewalk are badly decayed and should be replaced at once. The southerly abutment is out of line and has a bad crack near the westerly end.
SYCAMORE STREET BRIDGE.
The bridge appears to be in good condition. The abutments show signs of settlement and movement towards the tracks.
CENTRAL STREET BRIDGE.
The stone arch at this bridge is in fair condition but the sidewalks are not safe. The iron girder on the easterly sidewalk is danger- ous ; the iron in the web has entirely rusted out in places. The Bos- ton and Maine railroad has prepared plans for a new bridge and the work has already begun on the excavation for the new abutments.
CEDAR STREET BRIDGE.
This new iron bridge was built by the Boston and Maine Railroad Company in the winter of 1888 and 1889, and is in good condition.
297
REPORT OF THE CITY ENGINEER.
BROADWAY BRIDGE.
The woodwork is sound and the abutments are in good condition but the floor timbers are not deep enough to make a stiff floor. There is very great vibration even under light loads. This bridge should be rebuilt as soon as possible.
Bridges over the Fitchburg Railroad.
The Prospect Street bridge was rebuilt in 1888 and is in good condition. The Washington street and the Beacon street bridges are in good condition.
Miscellaneous Bridges.
BROADWAY BRIDGE OVER ALEWIFE BROOK.
The retaining walls need pointing, otherwise the bridge is in good condition.
BOSTON AVENUE BRIDGE OVER MYSTIC RIVER.
One-half of this bridge is supported by the City of Somerville. The fences need extensive repairs, otherwise this bridge is in a safe condition.
MIDDLESEX AVENUE BRIDGE OVER MYSTIC RIVER.
One-half of this bridge is supported by the City of Somerville. The fence rails are somewhat decayed and need considerable patch- ing. The draw piers need replanking. The covering plank at the head of the pier is unsafe and should be replaced. On the draw the trusses are badly out of shape.
The chords have sagged considerably between the centre and shore ends on the Medford end of the draw.
The trusses should be thoroughly examined and needed repairs made as soon as possible.
PUBLIC GROUNDS.
BROADWAY PARK.
A large part of the appropriation for Public Grounds has been used in improving the condition of Broadway Park in the immediate vicinity of the pond.
Owing to conditions which existed before the park was constructed that portion northeast of the pond has been gradually settling. This
298
ANNUAL REPORTS.
settlement had left the walks and borders below the level of the curb- ing around the pond, the water retained by the curbing had killed the grass ; the curbing had also settled badly and was very much out of line.
The work done included the raising and aligning the curbing ; re- paving the bottom of the pond for a width of 10 to 15 feet inside the curbing ; the walks and borders were raised to the grade of the curb- ing ; a section of the grass land at the northeasterly end of the park was ploughed, harrowed and seeded and a drain laid to connect with the sewer in Chauncey Avenue to carry off the surface water. The bottom of the pond was thoroughly scraped and the outlet of the pond opened and cleaned and a man-hole built over the outlet to provide for inspecting and cleaning the outlet.
The amount of work done and materials used is as follows : -
WORK DONE.
1,207 linear feet curbing reset.
1,098 square yards paving relaid.
2,300 linear feet walks regraded.
32,102 square feet sod taken up and relaid.
22,400 square feet ploughed, graded and seeded.
MATERIAS USED.
114 loads dressing.
1,106 loads loam.
1,088 single loads gravel. 503 square feet sod.
296 loads dirt removed from pond.
EXPENDITURES AT BROADWAY PARK.
Maintenance
$802 69
Repairing outlet of pond
123 16
Cleaning pond
.
272 54
Resetting curb
568 50
Relaying paving .
404 81
Taking up and relaying sod
1,798 28
Gravelling walks
852 89
Cleaning walks
49 00
Breaking up and regrading ¿ acre piece at easterly end
460 50
Amount carried forward
·
$5,332.37
299
REPORT OF THE CITY ENGINEER.
Amount brought forward
$5,332 37
Laying surface drain . 527 74
Painting iron fence and flag pole .
203 00
Resetting section of iron fence
19 03
Repairs on tool house .
23 32
Electric lighting
148 37
Police service
50 00
Tools, hardware and sundries
91 79
Hose .
24 00
Raising and lowering top-mast of flag pole
12 00
Plants
60 00
Sewer assessments (Chauncey Avenue sewer)
963 60
New seats .
44 59
$7,499 81
Less amount due sewer account to be charged to
appropriation 1890 99 05 .
·
$7,400 76
CENTRAL HILL PARK.
The new grass land on the top of the hill was top dressed with loam in April and the bare places seeded at the following cost :-
Labor
$130 64
Teams
11 70
Loam
67 74
Seed
16 00
$226 08
In September the material which was left from the grading done in 1888 and which had been deposited in an unsightly dump on the summit of the hill was removed. The refuse material was removed from the hill. The remainder was utilized as loam. About ten thousand five hundred square feet were covered with this loam, top dressed and seeded and the refuse material disposed of at the follow- ing cost :-
Labor .
$322 99
Teams .
95 00
Dressing
53 75
Amounts carried forward · . $471 74
$226 08
300
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Amounts brought forward .
$471 74
$226 08
Seed
4 45
Lumber
19 74
$495.93
MAINTENANCE.
Labor (care of grass and walks)
277 87
Tools and hardware 18 25
Electric light pole
9 50
Two catch basins .
89 25
Plants .
15 00
$464 47
$1,185 48
Less cost of two catch basins built by sewer dept., to be charged to appropriation for 1890 89 25
$1,097 23
CITY HALL AND LIBRARY GROUNDS.
Care of walks and grass. labor
$233 12
Hose
.
40 50
Tools and sundries
7 20
Sewer assessment, sewer in
School street
227 40
$508 22
HIGH SCHOOL GROUNDS.
Care of walks and grass, labor
$103 37
The following estimate of the cost of maintenance and improve- ments on Public Grounds is respectfully submitted : -
MAINTENANCE.
City Hall, Public Library and High School Grounds,
Central Hill, and Broadway Parks $1,647 61
Top dressing lawns as above 395 14
Amount carried forward
$2,042 75 ·
301
REPORT OF THE CITY ENGINEER.
Amount brought forward $2,042 75
IMPROVEMENTS.
City Hall and Public Library Grounds, par-
ing gutters and resurfacing driveways · High School Grounds, building catch basins, repairing surface drains and resurfacing driveways
$211 77 ,
188 00
399 77
Grading, seeding and sodding northerly slope of Cen- tral Hill, Walnut Street to the High School build- ing, including loam, manure, tools, signs, etc. Concrete walks .
4.016 00
698 50
BROADWAY PARK.
Laying drain and building catch basins. seeding and sodding, settees, lawn mowers, painting buildings and two electric lights
644 00
$7,801 02
Add 10 per cent. for contingencies
780 10
$8,581 12
HORACE L. EATON, City Engineer.
APPENDIX A.
CITY OF SOMERVILLE. .
REPORT OF THE CITY ENGINEER ON THE PROPOSED HIGH-SERVICE WATER SUPPLY.
OFFICE OF CITY ENGINEER, SOMERVILLE, APRIL 8, 1889. To the Joint Special Committee of the City Council on the introduction of High Service Water Supply :
GENTLEMEN, -I herewith submit my report on the introduction of a High Service Water Supply, in accordance with a vote of the Joint Special Committee on high water service passed January 30th, 1889. and in accordance with the following order of the city council passed January 23, 1889 : -
"Ordered, - That a joint special committee consisting of two aldermen and three councilmen, be appointed to confer with the Water Board, in relation to a high water service, and to thoroughly in- vestigate the present system of water supply for the highlands of the city, and ascertain the number of dwellings insufficiently supplied, with the cause, and the area of lands where it is impracticable to furnish a proper supply under the present system, and to report the result of such investigation, with a plan for a system of high water service for the city, and an estimate of the cost ; and the said com- mittee is hereby authorized to call upon the city engineer and any other of the officials of the city for such information and aid as may be required.
"ALVANO T. NICKERSON."
The water supply of the City of Somerville is taken from Mystic Water Works system by the 30-inch and 24-inch mains, which pass through the city and carry a supply to Charlestown, Everett, Chelsea and East Boston. The 30-inch is a wrought iron cement- lined pipe, which is laid from the reservoir on College Hill in Med-
303
APPENDICES TO CITY ENGINEER'S REPORT.
ford, through Medford, to the Medford and Somerville line at Broad- way, about 400 feet northwest of Cedar street. It is continued in Somerville territory, through Broadway, Medford, Pearl, Mt. Vernon, and Perkins streets to the Boston or Charlestown line.
The 24-inch is a cast-iron pipe, which is laid from the reservoir to the Medford and Somerville line, at a point about 100 feet east of Main street near Fremont street, and is continued through Heath and Temple streets and Broadway, to the Charlestown line.
A 12-inch main is laid from the reservoir across Tufts College grounds, through Packard avenue to Broadway, where it reduces to 10 inches, and then continues through Broadway, Holland street, and Highland avenue to Grove street.
A 12-inch main is also laid from the 24-inch on Medford street in Medford, through Medford and Central streets, to Somerville avenue.
The two latter mains are used exclusively to supply the City of Somerville.
An-8 inch pipe is laid from the 30-inch main, through Wash- ington street to Union square, and connects at Union square with an 8-inch pipe laid from the 12-inch on Central street, through Somerville avenue.
The distribution is practically divided into two systems, one on the northeast side of the Boston and Lowell R. R., the other on the southwest.
That on the northeast includes Winter Hill and East Somerville ; the one on the southwest includes West Somerville, Spring, Central, and Prospect hills, Union square, and territory southwest to the Cambridge line.
The first district mentioned is supplied both from the 30 and 24- inch main, and could be liberally supplied with water, if the district were properly piped.
The second district derives its supply from the 12-inch main lead- ing from the 24-inch through Medford and Central streets to Somer- ville avenue, and from the 12-inch through Packard avenue and Holland street to Davis square. This main is reduced to a 6-inch east of Davis square, and practically supplies a limited territory ; a 6-inch connection extends from the 30-inch in Broadway through Cedar street to Somerville avenue. This pipe is so small that it is practically of little service to the distribution.
304
ANNUAL REPORTS.
In accordance with instructions received from the joint special committee on high service supply, surveys and investigations were begun in January, 1889.
For convenience the high service territory was divided into two districts. The first district includes all of that part of Winter Hill lying between School, Medford, Vernon, Lowell, Broadway, Heath and Temple Streets.
The second district includes all that part of Spring, Central, and Prospect hills lying between Cedar, Elm, Somerville Avenue, School, Summer, Vinal Avenue, Aldersey, Walnut, Munroe, Prospect Hill Avenue, Medford Streets and Highland Avenue.
Every house included within these districts was visited by an in- spector, the owner's name, number of consumers, size of service pipe, the water pressure, number of taps used, and information as to the character of the supply, the day of the week, and the time of the day when the supply is deficient, were recorded in convenient form for reference.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.