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