Report of the city of Somerville 1891, Part 11

Author: Somerville (Mass.)
Publication date: 1891
Publisher: Somerville, Mass.
Number of Pages: 448


USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1891 > Part 11


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


43,100


10


10


6


4


Davis


Tufts Street


1884


29,584


18,333


4


4


1


3


L. V. Bell


Vinal Avenue


1874


22,262


43,000


13


13


9


4


Cummings


School Street


1SS4


11,300


15,357


4


4


1


3


Brastow


Medford Street


1861


10,019


6,250


2


-


-


.


.


Charles G. Pope .


Washington Street


1891


27,266


64,891


12


12


8


4


Prospect Hill


Washington Street


1848


25,313


20,600


6


4


4


-


.


.


·


Webster Avenue


1868


11,050


S,300


4


4


1


3


Winter Hill


Forster


Sycamore Street


1866


32,693


39,422


12


12


9


3


J. T. Glines


Jaques Street


1891


28,800


47,207


8


6


3


3


Bingham


Lowell Street


1886


20,896


15,105


4


4


1


3


Cedar-street


Cedar Street


1843


S00


2


2


-


2


Spring Hill


Morse .


Summer Street


1869


29,109


58,031


12


12


9


3


Beech-street


Beech Street


1872


6,000


4,750


2


2


-


2


Spring Hill


Beech Street


1850


4,991


1,700


1


-


-


4


2


2


Harvard


Beacon Street


1851


9,810


2,600


1


1


1


*Burns


Cherry Street .


1886


16,080


15,250


4


4


2


2


Highland


Highland Avenue


1880


23,260


53,306


12


12


8


4


Lincoin


Broadway, Clarendon Hill


1885


17,662


15,487


4


4


2


2


160


146


78


64


1


-


-


High


Highland Avenue


1871


$44,000


10


4


·


·


* Receives pupils from both the Spring Hill and the West Somerville Districts.


190


ANNUAL REPORTS.


-


4


Jackson


Poplar Street


1861


11,212


S,300


4


4


S


4


4


O. S. Knapp


Concord Square


1889


24,517


32,974


8


Webster


Union


Prospect Street


1842


9,360


2,600


1


-


Franklin


Somerville Avenue


1846


33,017


14,300


4


West Somerville


"


Bennett


Joy Street


1868


20,560


8,300


4


4


4


66


Prospect Hill


Grammar


191


REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE.


TEACHERS.


MALE.


FEMALE.


TOTAL.


Number of teachers in High School


3


9


12


Number of teachers in grammar grades ( including one assistant )


1


78


79


Number of teachers in primary grades ( including twelve assistants )


75


75


Number of principals of large grammar schools Teacher of music


7


1


8


1


1


-


2


2


Teacher of drawing


1


1


TOTAL


12


166


178


SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS.


SCHOOLS.


TEACHERS.


WHERE EDUCATED.


Sala- ries.


When


Elected.


High


George L. Baxter Frank M. Hawes


Harvard College Tufts College .


1,800 1879


66


Charles T. Murray Sarah W. Fox


Dartmouth College . High School, Taunton. Instruction in classics and German abroad .. Lawrence Academy, Gro- ton. Private instruc- tion in Latin, French, and German


850 1880


.


16


Fannie W. Kaan


Somerville High School


and Salem Normal


School


850 1882


Eudora Morey


Malden High and Bridge- water Normal School


850 1882


16


Bessie R. White


Colby University Boston University


775 1887


66


Annie E. French


800 1891


66


Bertha L. Brown


775|1892


66


Mary M. Kingsbury


700 1892


Prescott


G. A. Southworth


Chicago, Ill., and Lowell (Mass.) High School .


1,900 1873


66


Anna M. Bates


Salem High and Normal School .


700 1874


Adelaide Reed


650 1877


Abbie A. Anderson


Bridgew'r Normal School Stoughton High School and Canton Training School


600,1878


66


Emma M. Cate


High School, Winchester


600 1882


1


Teachers of sewing


-


$2,400 1867


1,400 1887


1,200 1868


Sarah F. Litchfield


800 1877


Josephine H. Short


Colby University Boston University


192


ANNUAL REPORTS.


SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS. - Continued.


SCHOOLS.


TEACHERS.


WHERE EDUCATED.


Sala- ries.


Elected. When


Prescott


Amelia I. Sears


$600 1873


Catherine T. Brown


600 1868


Emma F. Porter


600 1890


66


Sarah E. Pratt


Somerville High School Bridgewater Nor'l School


600 1877


Elgina M. Plummer


High School, Boston


600 1877


Florence M. Morton Ada Cowles .


Somerville High School


600 1882


66


*Louise E. Pratt .


Somerville High School .


500 1889


*A. Maude Emerson


Somerville High School


200


*Frances M. Seymour


Somerville High School .


-


66


Addie L. Smith .


Malden High School


Wellesley College and


600 1890


66


Annie L. Dimpsey


600 1891


66


Lilla J. Pike .


High School and Academy, Salmon Falls, N. H. R. I. State Normal .


600 1887


Gertrude L. Gardner


600 1889


Emma L. Zeigler


600 1891


Alice M. Dearing


High School, Lisbon Falls, Me.


600 1890


66


Lillian Nealley .


Salem Normal School Somerville High School Somerville High School and Quincy Training


600 1873


66


Martha M. Power


Class


300 1891 200 -


66


Davis


*Lizzie M. Hamilton *Florence N. Day Lucretia A. Burns Gertrude A. Earle . Annie J. Richardson Priscilla A. Merritt *Nettie M. Orne . *Carrie T. Lincoln Fred W. Shattuck . May E. Berry Emma F. Schuh


Dartmouth College


1,750 1890


66


Somerville High School . 675 1880


600 1874


66


.


Anna L. Dickerman


600 1890 600 -


Vyra L. Tozier Gertrude E. Robbins


600 1888


66


Mary S. Rinn


600 1889


Anna L. Alger .


400 1891


Ines M. Dernier


500 -


400 -


Martha E. Daniels .


Bridgewater Normal Sch'l Gorham (Me.) Nor'l Sch'l Bridgewater Normal Sch'l Somerville High School . Framingham Nor'l School Salem Normal School . Somerville High School .


600 1888


66


Nellie S. Dickey Mary A. Bradford


Somerville High School . Quincy Training School . Mt. Holyoke Seminary .


200 200


-


66


Somerville High School .


200 675 1882 600 1884


Framingham Nor'l School Bridgewater Normal Sch'l Winchester High School Salem Normal School Somerville High School .


600 1899 600 1885


L. V. Bell


Charles E. Brainard


High School, Danielson- ville, Conn. .


1,200 1889 675 1890


Anne A. Lathrop


Harvard Annex


600 1882


Clara M. Bagley


Somerville High School


600 1875


Edgerly


Clara Taylor .


Westfield Normal School Somerville High School . Boston Normal School


* Assistant.


.


.


.


.


600 1889


600 1871


193


REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE.


SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS. - Continued.


SCHOOLS.


TEACHERS.


WHERE EDUCATED.


Sala- ries.


When Elected.


L. V. Bell . .


Eliza L. Schuh


Somerville High School .


$600|1882


66


Eula M. Byrns


Somerville High School


300


-


Cummings


.


Addie M. Brown


Somerville High School .


600 1886


66


Ida F. Fillebrown


Somerville High School


600 1888


Annie Coffin .


Somerville High School


600 1884


Chas. G. Pope


66


66


Helen M. Freeman .


Farmington Normal Sch'l


600


-


66


Alice I. Norcross


High School


600 1885


66


Lizzie W. Parkhurst


Training Schools .


600 1885


Mary C. Jones


600 1890


Clara B. Sackett


600 1891


66


Ellen P. Longfellow


350 1891


66


Maria Miller


600 1869


66


Lillian C. Albee


Bridgewater Nor'l School Somerville High School Mt. Holyoke Seminary and


400 1891


Prospect Hill .


66


66


Florence O. Bean Mary B. Smith


Salem Normal School . Framingham Nor'l School Maine Wes. Seminary


600 1888


Bennett


.


Annie G. Sheridan


Salem Normal School .


600 1886


Isadore F. Taylor


Somerville High School .


600 1883


66


Mabel E. Daniels


Somerville High School Somerville High School Salem Normal School


600 1886


O. S. Knapp .


.


.


.


Carrie E. Cobb


Taunton High School


600 1887


66


Nellie A. Hamblin


600,1882


66


.


Annie E. Robinson Abbie A. Gurney


Bridgewater Nor'l School Somerville High School Bridgewater Nor'l School Somerville High School . Salem Normal School


600 18SS


66


Lena G. Allen


600 1884


Minnie A. Perry


400 1891


66


Lucia Alger


Bridgewater Nor'l School Salem Normal School


600 1889


Webster


Clara B. Parkhurst


675 1889


Nellie F. Sheridan .


Somerville High School . 400 1888


66


.


Annie L. Savage


Salem Normal School


600 1873


.


·


.


George M. Wadsworth, Florence A. Chaney


Brown University


1,750 1891


1892


66


Frances A. Wilder .


High Sch'l and Academy . Gloucester High and


600 1874


Gorham (Me.) Nor'l Sch'l Westfield Normal School Framingham Normal Sch'l Somerville High School . High School, No. Attle- boro'


600 18SS


66


66


Emily G. Arnold Maizie E. Blaikie Helen Tincker


800 1872


300 -


Jackson


675 1880


Annie E. McCarty Fannie L. Gwynn Annie E. Crimmings Lena B. Blaikie . Harry N. Andrews Abbie C. Hunt . Emma Frye


Somerville High School . Bridgewater Nor'l School Bridgewater Normal Sch'l Ipswich Female Seminary R. I. Normal School


600 1884 300 -


1,200 1890


675 1873


600 1891


Dorcas C. Higgins


Quincy Training School .


600 1891


.


.


600:1876


.


.


.


.


.


Lydia J. Page


Somerville High School


675 1869


66


600 1890


675 1885


194


ANNUAL REPORTS.


SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS. - Continued.


SCHOOLS.


TEACHERS.


WHERE EDUCATED.


Sala- ries.


When


Elected.


Forster


John S. Hayes


66


.


Mary E. Northup


66


.


Mary E. Stiles


Phillips Exeter Academy, High School, Centreville, Farmington Nor'l School, High School, Salmon


$1,800 1878 675 1878 600 1883


600 1885


.


Blanche E. Heard


School


600 1890


66


Lizzie A. Page


N. H. State Normal Sch'l, Eliot Academy


600 1890


66


Frances M. Guptill


600|1869


66


Addie S. Winnek


Tilton (N. H.) Seminary, Salem Normal School .


600 1883


66


Alice A. Batchelor .


Northboro' High School .


600 1877


66


Martha H. Pennock


Somerville High School . Somerville High School Westfield Normal School, Boston University


600 1890 800 1890


J. T. Glines


66


.


Annie J. Reed


400|1891


·


Margaret A. Orr


400 1891


.


.


Florence E. Baxter


300 1891


66


Emma Burckes


350 1890


66


*Mary A. Joyce


66


*Grace M. White .


Somerville High School . Boston Normal School .


600 1884


6


Laura C. Duddy


500 1889


Cedar-street


Elizabeth G. Boardman


625 1891


Morse


Mina J. Wendell


66


Sarah S. Waterman


Bridgewater Nor'l School Salem Normal School


600


Pauline S. Downs


Cooper Union, New York City


600 1872


Ella F. Gould


Lowell High School


600|1882


Amy C. Hudson


600 1885


Anna E. Sawyer


600 1873


Emma L. Nason


600


-


66


Lizzie E. Hill


600 1891


66


Mary E. Bosworth


650 1882


66


Ella P. McLeod .


600 188S


tAnna Pushee .


Bridgewater Nor'l School


600 1888


·


.


.


600 1873


66


Annie S. Gage


600|1883


Harriet A. Brown


Mrs. Cora E. Dimpsey Nellie A. Boynton


600 1891


Boston Normal School Bridgewater Normal Sch'l Somerville High School Somerville High School Albany ( N. Y.) Normal School


200 -


Bingham


Hattie L. Devereux


Ruby A. Johnson


Nora F. Byard


Somerville High School Salem Normal School . Salem Normal School . Salem Normal School . High and Training Sch'ls, Woburn


600 1880


1,600 1882 675 1887 1884


66


Stella Hall


Ella G. Worden .


Somerville High School Somerville High School Bridgewater Normal Sch'l Somerville High School and Bristol Academy .


600 1890


N. H. State Normal Sch'l N. H. State Normal Sch'l, Boston High School


* Assistant


t On leave of absence.


.


Minna L. Wentworth .


Falls, N. H. Waltham New Church


600|1884


Lizzie F. Clement


200 - 675|1891


6


Alice M. Porter .


195


REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE.


SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS. - Concluded.


SCHOOLS.


TEACHERS.


WHERE EDUCATED.


Sala- ries.


When Elected.


Morse


Annabel M. Perry (sub- stitute )


Somerville High School .


$300


-


6


*Grace B. Tibbitts


Cambridge High School .


-


Beech-street


Emma T. Tower


Somerville High School .


600 1890


Florence B. Ashley


Somerville High School


600 1887


Franklin


Hattie A. Hills


675 1874


66


Anna C. Damon


Somerville High School . High School, Nantucket . Worcester State Normal School


600 1876


66


Harvard


Caroline S. Plimpton Mary E. Lacy .


Somerville High School ! . Woburn Training School. Providence .


300 -


Burns


Laura J. Brooks


Somerville High School .


600 1885


¥


Annie L. Brown


600 1885


66


Florence M. Hamlin *Alice M. Lavers .


Dartmouth College


1,800 1877


66


George .E. Nichols . M. Alice Paul Harriet B. Sargent M. A. Jepson


Somerville High School


675 1879


600 1887


600 1891


600 1882


.


S. Adelaide Blood Annie R. Cox


State Nor'l School, N. H. Gorham Normal School . Boston Normal School


600 1883


.


Mary H. Knight


600 1891


Jennie C. Frazier Sarah E. Pray


Somerville High School . Somerville High School. Somerville High School . Boston High School


500 1887


66


Lucretia C. Sanborn


N. H. Normal School and Kindergarten


600 18SS


Lincoln


H. F. Hathaway


Bridgewater Nor'l School


S00 1890


Carrie E. Fay


600 1889


Charlotte F. Mott


Private School, Wadding- ton, N. Y.


600:1886


Music


S. Henry Hadley


1,333 1868


Drawing


Augusta L. Balch Mrs. C. M. Coffin Mary L. Boyd


Concord High School . Somerville High School . Mass. Normal Art School Nantucket High School


700 1892


Sewing


500 1888


500 1888


.


.


Hallie M. Hood .


Jennie M. Horner


500 1888


Mary Winslow


Cambridge High School . Somerville High School . Somerville High School


400 1889 200 -


6


E. C. Summerhayes


600 1879


Southbridge, Mass.


600|1859


300 -


*Carrie E. Fowle


675 1883


Minnie S. Turner


Worcester Normal School Farmingham Normal Sch'l Salem Normal School


600 1887


600 1878


Eliza H. Lunt


600 1890


Highland


* Assistant.


196


ANNUAL REPORTS.


PUPILS.


Number of persons in the city on the first day of May last, between five and fifteen years of age


. 6,800


Number between eight and fourteen years of age


· 4,249


High School.


Grammar and Prim. Schools.


Total.


Whole number registered during the year


507


8,003


8,510


Average whole number


467


6,035


6,502


Average attendance


450


5,641


6,091


Per cent. of attendance


96.3


93.3


93.7


Number cases of tardiness .


277


2,905


3,182


Number cases of dismissal .


2,597


2,597


Number cases of punishment


658


658


Number pupils in attendance in January


465


6,047


6,512


Number pupils in attendance in December


524


6,561


7,085


Average number of pupils to a teacher


44


46.8


Number pupils over fifteen years of age


473


332


805


Number pupils between 8 and 14 years of age


4,480


-


TABLE OF PUPILS BY GRADES. (Number registered in December.)


Grades.


Class.


No. of


Teachers.


Boys.


Girls.


Total.


Average Age.


No. Promoted


Grade in June.


No. Double Promotion.


High .


Fourth year


20


62


82


-


-


-


66


.


·


Second


First


78


130


208


Grammar


Ninth


9


168


218


386


14


10%


298


-


66


Eighth


10


236


224


460


14


394


8


66


.


Seventh


11


273


243


516


13


2


459


14


Sixth


*16


384


306


690


12


3


486


36


66


|Fifth


15


384


330


714


11


3


563


7


66


Fourth


18


414


363


777


10


33


709


16


79


1,859


1,684


3,543


2,909


81


Primary .


Third


16


448


372


820


9


66


Second


34


504


434


938


7


9


761


First


25


706


554


1,260


6


5


795


6


·


175


1,658


1,360


3,018


2,249


17


Total


** 166


3,699


3,386


7,085


5,158


98


.


.


66


.


·


Third


36


57


93


12


48


93


141


1


182


342


524


·


.


.


.


* Including one assistant. t Including twelve assistants.


** Besides eight principals of buildings.


693


4


·


1


Yrs.


Mos.


to Higher


-


1


197


REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE.


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-


ance in January.


ance in December.


Average Number of Pupils


to a Teacher in December.


Number of Pupils Over 15


Years of Age.


Number of Pupils between 8 and 14 Years of Age.


High .


507


467.


450.


96 3


277


86


42


560


620


51.7


31


429


Edgerly


601


453.8


426.7


94.


75


120


15


473


4×2


48.2


44


312


Davis


285


200.6


187.5


93.7


39


45


31


193


217


54.2


1


113


Forster


864


739.


695.


94.


62


242


16


714


59


46.


51


515


J. T. Glines


69


210.


191.


91.


116


83


11


231


206


51.5


131


Cedar-street


44


42.


38.


90.


62


10


16


30


62


31.


7


L. V. Bell


745


644.


602.


93.


205


402


38


649


579


44.5


65


519


Cummings


253


197.


182.


92.


80


75


28


197


195


48 7


100


Charles G. Pope


31


285.


264.6


93.


85


40


15


308


*85


42.5


3


254


Brastow


114


84.


79.


94.


74


12


2


91


-


-


57


Bennett


295


198.


180.


90.9


235


81


90


200


169


42.2


146


Jackson


319


185.


167.


93.


141


60


56


206


181


45 2


104


O. S. Knapp


562


430.


409.


92.


300


227


35


404


445


44.5


30


302


Webster .


179


113.


105.2


93.


339


139


66


113


132


44.


1


99


Morse


662


557.


523.


94.3


239


315


71


556


573


47.8


42


423


Beech-street


91


59


53.


90.


87


13


8


51


78


39.


29


Franklin


230


167.


157.


94.4


60


42


25


164


179


44.7


1


181


Harvard .


92


57.


54.


94.7


81


9


18


53


60


30.


2


Burns .


231


186.


171.


92.1


173


86


15


193


210


52.5


146


Highland


645


506.


475.


93.8


231


414


47


482


546


45.5


58


451


Lincoln


212


162.


154.


95.


67


47


10


179


169


42 2


2


145


Total


8,510


6,502.


6,091.


93.7


3,182


2,597


658


6,512


7,083 +46.5


805


4,480


-


465


524


44


473


-


Prescott


742


559 6|


526.5


94.1


66


29


13


3


0


228


45 6


1


Bingham


548


45.7


2


15


59


36


Prospect Hill


411


1


-


* Besides two classes accommodated in Prospect Hill, but belonging at the Knapp.


+ Not including High School.


ness.


missal.


ment.


Number Pupils in Attend-


326


198


ANNUAL REPORTS.


ADDITIONAL STATISTICS OF THE HIGH SCHOOL.


Whole number of different pupils during the year 706


Largest number at one time 535


Number admitted during the year 240


from our Grammar Schools .


199


from other schools .


41


66 graduated 68


of graduates who entered college


17


of graduates who entered Institute of Technology and Scientific Schools 5


who have left during the year exclusive of graduates 114


Whole number at the present time, December, 1891 524


Average number to a teacher 44


Number over fifteen years of age


473


66 in course preparatory to college 175


pursuing the regular course


269


66 pursuing the English course .


80


66 in the first class when it entered the school 175


in the first class at the present time 82 .


66 in the second class when it entered the school 187


66 in the second class at the present time . 93


66 in the third class when it entered the school 196


66 in the third class at the present time 141


66 in the fourth class when it entered the school ·


218


in the fourth class at the present time 208


REPORT OF TRUANT OFFICER.


Number of visits to schools


absences investigated


.


· 418


66 cases of truancy 85 ·


truants arrested


2


sent to House of Reformation


. 522


·


.


.


.


1


199


REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE.


STATISTICS OF EVENING SCHOOLS. (SEASON OF 1891-2.)


No. Enrolled.


Average


Attendance.


No. of


Teachers.


No. of


Sessions.


Cost of


Instruction.


Cost of


Janitors'


Services.


Prescott School


111


40


*5


42


$317 00


$44 00


L. V. Bell


212


62


9


40


332 50


42 00


Burns


49


21


3


42


219 00


44 00


Drawing School ( Mechanical )


61


38


3


32


320 00


33 00


Total


433


161


20


-


$1,188 50


$163 00


* Including sewing teacher.


Cost of instruction


$1,188 50


Cost of supplies and lights


497 86


Cost of janitors' services


163 00


Total cost


$1,849 36


PROGRAMMES OF SEWING TEACHERS.


MRS. COFFIN.


MISS BOYD.


Monday


L. V. Bell School


Tuesday 5 A. M.


P. M.


Burns School .


Wednesday


Morse School


Thursday


P. M. .


S A. M.


Friday 3 P. M.


Franklin and Cummings Schools Lincoln School


Prescott School. Prospect Hill School. J. T. Glines School. Charles G. Pope School. Charles G. Pope and Bing- ham Schools.


MR. HADLEY, SUPERVISOR OF MUSIC.


SCHOOLS.


Monday A. M.


Edgerly, J. T. Glines, Burns.


Tuesday A. M.


P. M.


Wednesday - A. M.


P. M.


A. M. . .


Friday 12 to 1.30


P. M.


O. S. Knapp School


Forster School. Davis and Edgerly Sch'ls Edgerly School.


A. M. .


Highland School


L. V. Bell, Prospect Hill. Morse, Franklin.


O. S. Knapp, Webster, Charles G. Pope. Highland, Lincoln. Prescott, Edgerly. High. Forster.


REPORT


OF THE


SOMERVILLE MYSTIC. WATER BOARD.


CITY OF SOMERVILLE.


IN BOARD OF ALDERMEN, January 27, 1892. Referred to the committee on printing, to be printed in the annual reports. Sent down for concurrence.


GEO. I. VINCENT, Clerk.


IN COMMON COUNCIL, January 27, 1892.


Referred to the committee on printing, to be printed in the annual reports, in concurrence.


CHAS. S. ROBERTSON, Clerk.


SOMERVILLE MYSTIC WATER BOARD, 1891.


ALBION A. PERRY, President.


GEORGE D. WEMYSS, term expires 1893.


ALBION A. PERRY, term expires 1892. GEORGE A. KIMBALL, term expires 1891.


CLERK OF THE WATER BOARD. FRANK E. MERRILL.


SUPERINTENDENT OF WATER WORKS. NATHANIEL DENNETT.


ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT. FRANK E. MERRILL.


ENGINEER AT PUMPING STATION. SIDNEY E. HAYDEN.


OFFICE OF THE WATER BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT. Prospect Street, corner of Somerville Avenue.


PUMPING STATION. Cedar Street, near Broadway.


Bills against the department should be rendered to the clerk on or before the first day of each month, and are payable by the city treasurer on the seventeenth of the month.


CITY OF SOMERVILLE.


OFFICE OF THE WATER BOARD, January 8, 1892. To His Honor the Mayor and the City Council : -


The Somerville Mystic Water Board herewith presents for your information the report of its superintendent, together with a brief re- port by the engineer at the pumping station, and to those two docu- ments you are respectfully referred for a detailed statement of all the work done under the direction of the board during the year 1891. While it is not deemed necessary to repeat any of the facts and figures contained in the aforesaid reports, the board considers it proper to make the following brief statement as to the condition and needs of the department whose interests it has had in charge during the year now drawing to a close.


AMENDMENT OF CHARTER.


The Legislature, in the year 1890, authorized an amendment of the city charter, by which the membership of the board was reduced in numbers from five to three, while the manner of appointing mem- bers was radically changed. The proposed amendment having been ratified by popular vote at last year's municipal election, the members of this year's board were appointed in conformity to the provisions of the amended charter. We cannot doubt that the changes so au- thorized and adopted will, in the end, prove beneficial to the interests of the public. An executive board composed of three members is likely to act more harmoniously and expeditiously than one having a larger membership, and the sense of personal responsibility is apt to be stronger with the members of a body which is too small to be di- vided into sub-committees. But the most salutary feature of the new law is, in our opinion, to be found in the manner of appointing mem- bers and fixing their terms of service. Under the original charter the entire water board was annually elected by a convention of both


205


REPORT OF THE WATER BOARD. ·


branches of the city council, and vacancies were filled in like manner. Such a method not only deprived the chief magistrate of the city of all authority in the selection of one of the most important municipal boards, but it also rendered it possible for the city council to elect each year a water board no member of which had had the slightest experi- ence in the work of the department intrusted to his care. Under the present system, except in case of vacancies occurring during the year, the mayor can only appoint one member annually, thereby making it reasonably certain that the board will be so constituted as always to have a majority of experienced members.


EXTENSION OF WORKS.


As will be seen by the superintendent's report, a large amount of work has been done during the year in the way of supplying water to new streets which have been opened up for building purposes. This work has called for heavy expenditures of money, but no part of it could well be postponed at a time when the growth of the city was so rapid. In fact, the extension of the water pipes is a tolerably correct index of the city's prosperity, and nothing would so quickly retard the sale and improvement of our vacant lands as a niggardly policy in the extension of the water supply. In every instance, except one, where pipes have been laid in new streets, the board has been satis- fied that an immediate annual income of not less than five per cent. would accrue to the city from water rates, and in the one excepted case, where the demand for the water was very urgent for houses already erected, a bond was taken from the abutters guaranteeing a fixed annual revenue. It is probable that the demands for extension will continue unabated for several years yet to come, and liberal ap- propriations should be made therefor. The regular appropriation for water-works extension the present year was thirty-five thousand dollars. Early in the year, however, and before the appointment of the present water board, it having been found that last year's appro- priation was considerably overdrawn, a loan on funded debt account for ten thousand dollars was authorized to provide for the deficiency. Only a part of the loan having been required for that purpose, the balance has been drawn upon, so far as necessary, for the general work of the department. A balance of $4,111.19 still remains unex- pended.


206


ANNUAL REPORTS.


RELAYING WATER PIPES.


The deteriorating condition of the wrought iron and cement water mains has made it necessary to continue the work of relaying with cast-iron, and in laying out this work the board has endeavored to provide for the future needs of the city by laying larger pipes in all cases, and also providing mains of large capacity in some sections of the city.


The two mains of the Charlestown Mystic Water Works pass through the city, and are connected with the Somerville pipes at different points, thereby furnishing an ample supply of water for Winter Hill and East Somerville.


West Somerville, in addition to other connections, is supplied by a twelve-inch pipe direct from the reservoir; but the section along Somerville avenue, from its junction with Elm street through to the East Cambridge line, is not at present provided with main pipes of sufficient size to furnish an adequate quantity of water.


In order to provide for this district, the board has arranged to lay a main, twenty inches in diameter, from the thirty-inch Charles- town main in East Somerville, through to Union square. From the twenty-inch main a sixteen-inch and fourteen-inch are to extend toward East Cambridge.


A portion of this twenty-inch has been laid during the year, viz. : on Washington street, from Tufts street to Medford street, in place of the old eight-inch cement pipe; a fourteen-inch pipe in place of an eight-inch has been laid in Medford street, from Somerville avenue to the East Cambridge line.


We recommend that next season the twenty-inch pipe be ex- tended through Tufts and Cross streets, to connect with a thirty-inch pipe at the junction of Cross and Pearl streets, and that a sixteen- inch pipe be laid in Mansfield street. During the year a twelve-inch pipe was laid in Cedar street, from Highland avenue to Elm street, where it has been connected with a twelve-inch pipe running through Mossland street, making a continuous line of twelve-inch pipe from the thirty-inch main on Broadway through Cedar street to Somerville avenue.




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.