USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1893 > Part 31
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tects' services)
$2,000.00
Advertising for proposals
18.00
Total debit
$2,018.00
Balance unexpended
$81,482.00
SCHOOL CONTINGENT ACCOUNT.
(Janitors' Salaries. )
CREDIT.
Appropriation .
$10,000.00
DEBIT.
Expenditures :-
For salaries paid janitors .
$10,160.63
Amount overdrawn
$160.63
554
ANNUAL REPORTS.
EXPENDITURES BY THIS COMMITTEE FROM MISCEL- LANEOUS ACCOUNT.
City Hall expenses :-
electric lighting
$300.00
gas
36.39
fuel
227.20
water
13.60
telephone connections
101.70
furniture .
69.25
repairing furniture
56.89
ice
35.00
labor on electric wires, &c
54.58
repairs of building . .
135.06
repairs of heating apparatus
58.68
labor
83.00
incidentals
110.11
$1,281.46
Rent of telephones in public buildings Preparing rooms for elections and
105.00
caucuses
$187.86
Care of rooms for
elections and
caucuses ·
105.00
Rent of rooms for elections and caucuses
25.00
Ballot boxes .
55.00
Repairing ballot boxes
7.85
Fuel
1.35
Building band stand
52.46
Moving band stand
18.45
Carriage hire
22.00
Ringing bells February 22, June
12.00
17, July 4, and election days Incidentals
180.04
Amount carried forward .
$2,053.47
.
·
555
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC PROPERTY.
Amount brought forward · $2,053.47
City Messenger's team :-
maintenance, (including one new buggy, $275.00) . 967.41 .
City Engineer's team :-
maintenance
273.00
Total .
$3,293.88
In pursuance of an order dated June 14, 13,883 feet of land situated at the corner of Beacon and Kent Streets, were purchased of the heirs of Samuel Knight for 23 cents per foot, amounting in the aggregate to $3,193.09.
By authority of orders dated June 14, and September 27, plans and estimates were received for the erection of a four-room brick schoolhouse on said lot, and the plans presented by Samuel D. Kelley, architect, were adopted. Proposals were also received, and the committee has recommended the awarding of contracts to Frank G. Coburn and Co., for the erection of the building for the sum of $12.065.00, and to A. A. Sanborn for the heating and ventilating apparatus for the sum of $1,934.00; but the contracts. have not yet been awarded.
In pursuance of an order dated September 27, contracts were made with John Kelley for the erection of a four-room addition to the Bingham schoolhouse, situated on Lowell Street, for the sum of $10,100.00, and with A. A. Sanborn for heating and ventilating apparatus for said building-both the original building and the addition-for the sum of $3,623.00. This addition is nearly completed, and will be ready for occupancy early in the spring.
In pursuance of an order dated November 22, a contract was made with Walter S. Sampson for the construction of an English High School building to be located on Central Hill, for the sum of $79,429.00, in accordance with plans made by Hartwell & Richardson. These figures do not include the cost of the heating and ventilating or the plumbing, for which bids have not, as yet, been received. The excavation has been made for the cellar, but.
556
ANNUAL REPORTS.
it was deemed inadvisable to begin work upon the foundation in the winter season. This building is designed to be one of the finest schoolhouses in the city.
In pursuance of an order, dated March 22, the property of the First Congregational Society of Somerville, consisting of the church and land situated on Highland Avenue, in front of the site for the English High Schoolhouse, was purchased by the city for the sum of $45,000.00.
A detailed statement of improvements of school and other public buildings, may be found in the report of the superintendent of public buildings.
For the Committee,
EDRIC ELDRIDGE, Chairman. WILLIAM P. MITCHELL, Clerk.
REPORT
OF THE
INSPECTOR OF BUILDINGS.
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
IN BOARD OF ALDERMEN, January 10, 1894.
Referred to the committee on printing, to be printed in the annual reports. Sent down for concurrence.
GEORGE I. VINCENT, Clerk.
IN COMMON COUNCIL, January 10, 1894.
Concurred in.
CHARLES S. ROBERTSON, Clerk.
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
OFFICE OF INSPECTOR OF BUILDINGS, January 1, 1894.
To his Honor the Mayor and the City Council :-
GENTLEMEN,-In accordance with city ordinance the follow- ing report of this department for the year ending December 31, 1893, is respectfully submitted.
The number of building permits issued during the year was 401, covering 482 buildings, classified as follows :-
WARDS.
1
2
3
4
Single dwellings
11
58
130
127
326
Dwellings in blocks
5
6
4
2
17
Additions and alterations to buildings
10
23
17
17
67
Stables .
7
13
15
13
48
Apartment houses
brick 1
1
·
. .
2
Dwellings with stores
1
2
1
4
Stores
1
·
1
3
5
Shops
2
. .
1
3
Club house
.
. .
1
1
Storage-shed for lumber
.
.
1
1
Wagon-shed
4
1
·
.
·2
7
Boiler-house
brick 1
. .
· .
1
39
106
169
168
482
.
.
Examinations have been made in all buildings in the course of construction or alteration for which permits were issued, and sugges- tions made as to strength of floor timbers, unsafe chimneys, fire-
TOTAL.
560
ANNUAL REPORTS.
places, etc. ; and special attention has been given to the following cases where violations of the ordinance occurred, or the public safety was endangered :-
Strength of floor timbers insufficient, (new building) 3
Cellar walls improperly laid, (new building) 13
Unsafe building, (new building)
1
Chimney unsafe . 6
Fire escape needed on dwelling, (new building)
1
Violation of ordinance, (new building)
3
Fire door ordered, (new building)
1
The total number of permits for plumbing was 285, covering 288 buildings. The soil-pipes in 210 buildings were tested with the water test.
The experience that your inspector of buildings has had in the erection of wooden buildings leads him to believe that they cannot or will not be properly fire-stopped when built with ledger boards for the support of floor beams ; and he would therefore respectfully recommend that the building ordinance be so amended as to compel the use of girts instead of ledger boards in the construction of wood- en buildings.
Respectfully submitted,
THOMAS R. ROULSTONE,
Inspector of Buildings.
1
0
REPORT
OF THE
SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
4
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
IN BOARD OF ALDERMEN, January 10, 1894. Referred to the committee on printing, to be printed in the annual reports. Sent down for concurrence.
GEORGE I. VINCENT, Clerk.
Concurred in.
IN COMMON COUNCIL, January 10, 1894. CHARLES S. ROBERTSON, Clerk.
CITY OF SOMERILLE.
OFFICE OF SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS, January 1, 1894.
To the Honorable the Mayor and City Council :-
GENTLEMEN,-In compliance with city ordinance No. 19, section 8, this report is respectfully submitted.
The number of public buildings receiving care and attention was twenty-seven ; being one less than in the year 1892.
The following is a brief statement of the work done at the various buildings :---
Police Station .- The halls above the first story have been painted and general repairs have been made throughout the build- ing.
City Hall .- General repairs have been made to roof, con- ductors, windows, etc.
Beach-street School .- Has had slight repairs.
Luther V. Bell School .- Repairs have been made to roof, floors, and plumbing, a new copper tank has been provided for hot water heater, and a portion of the yard has been concreted.
Bennett School .- New plumbing has been placed in the building, old tile drains discontinued, ceilings whitened, walls painted in halls and school rooms, and picture moulding put in school rooms.
Bingham School .- Four rooms are being added to north-east side of building, old boiler taken out and two new ones put in, and the ventilation in old part improved. The building will probably be completed about March 1.
Brastow School .- This building is now occupied by the Fire Department.
564
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Burns School .- The building has had but slight general re- pairs. Gas has been provided in the basement and in one room that is used for voting, the basement whitewashed and boiler re- paired.
Cedar-street School .- Has had but slight repairs, extensive repairs having been made to the building during the previous year.
Cummings School .- Repairs have been made to roof, tin roof painted, catch-basin for surface water constructed in yard, plumb- ing repaired, basement whitewashed, and grading done to yard.
Davis School .- Was painted on the outside, ceilings whitened and walls painted, ceiling of basement plastered, concrete laid in yard on Glen Street side, and picture moulding placed in all the rooms.
Edgerly School .- Was occupied last April as a twelve room school. It has the Smith system of heating and ventilating. The system is not satisfactory. The building has had besides the ad- dition of four rooms, a new toilet room, four closets, eleven book cases, all the seats re-arranged, six rooms of the old part re-lathed and plastered, gas piping in the two lower front rooms that are used for voting, picture moulding in all the rooms, the entire lot curbed, and about 1,000 feet of concrete placed in yard.
Forster School .- The outside wood work and tin roof have been painted, porch and fence repaired and painted, furniture of three rooms re-dressed and varnished, closets shelved, and other minor repairs made.
Franklin School .- General repairs were made to building, and new plank walks laid.
Glines School .- Extensive repairs were made to furnaces, the grounds were graded and partially fenced, stone curbing placed in front of building, two extra stone steps with two posts were set, one upper room was furnished with lid desks and adjustable stands for seat and desk, roll top desk for principal's office, plumbing al- tered and repaired.
Harvard School .- Building was painted on the outside and slight repairs made.
High School .- Tin roof painted, outside door changed so as to open outward, fire buckets placed in the halls, and general repairs to boilers, etc.
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS. 565
Highland School .- New floor in principal's office, air boxes enlarged, general repairs to furniture, etc.
Jackson School .- Slight general repairs were made to build- ing.
O. S. Knapp School .- A door put in from girls' basement to stairs, iron screens painted, division fence built, basement white- washed and painted, one small room fitted with adjustable school furniture, concrete walks made, gas put in basement and in the school room used for voting.
Lincoln School .- An office made for the principal with closet for books, basement whitewashed, storm windows repaired, and other slight repairs made.
Morse School .- Walls in four dressing rooms painted, base- ment whitewashed and wood work painted, tin roof painted.
Charles G. Pope School .- Snow guards put on roof and slight general repairs made to building.
Prescott School .- Outside wood work painted, iron core was taken out of boiler chimney and brick work carried up fifteen feet, for additional draft, walls painted and ceilings whitened, furniture in three of the rooms re-dressed and varnished, supply closet fitted up, a portion of the portico enclosed on the girls' side, picture mouldings put in two upper rooms, slate blackboard in principal's room.
Prospect Hill School .- The ceilings of all the rooms were whitened and walls painted, new floor laid in hall, two new fur- naces put in, the woodwork of one room painted, plank walks re- paired, platform and steps on easterly side rebuilt.
Spring Hill School .- Slight repairs have been made ; at pre- sent the building is not in use for school purposes, but was occu- pied during a part of the year.
Webster School .- General repairs were made to roof, walks, etc. The building is unfit for use having been badly damaged by fire.
In addition to the above, repairs have been made to fences, walks, steps, blackboards, stoves, plumbing, furnaces, furniture, electrical apparatus, sanitaries, roofs, drains, boilers, clocks, etc.
All of the buildings are in very fair condition, yet there will al- ways be repairs that must be made, and some of the older ones, if they are to be retained for school purposes should have new floors,
566
ANNUAL REPORTS.
and some simple mode of ventilation for the schoolrooms. There still remain buildings that should be painted in order to preserve them, although much has been done in that direction the past two years.
Furnaces for heating our eight and twelve-room schoolhouses should be discarded and steam substituted as fast as practicable. Furnaces require too much of the janitor's time, are expensive as regards consumption of fuel and are generally unsatisfactory for heating large schoolhouses.
I would recommend steam heating for all eight and twelve- room school buildings.
Respectfully submitted,
THOMAS R. ROULSTONE, Superintendent of Public Buildings.
REPORT
OF THE
COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC GROUNDS.
566
ANNUAL REPORTS.
and some simple mode of ventilation for the schoolrooms. There still remain buildings that should be painted in order to preserve them, although much has been done in that direction the past two years.
Furnaces for heating our eight and twelve-room schoolhouses should be discarded and steam substituted as fast as practicable. Furnaces require too much of the janitor's time, are expensive as regards consumption of fuel and are generally unsatisfactory for heating large schoolhouses.
I would recommend steam heating for all eight and twelve- room school buildings.
Respectfully submitted.
THOMAS R. ROULSTONE. Superintendent of Public Buildings.
REPORT
OF THE
COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC GROUNDS
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
IN BOARD OF ALDERMEN, February 14, 1894. Referred to the committee on printing, to be printed in the annual reports. Sent down for concurrence.
GEORGE I. VINCENT, Clerk.
Concurred in.
IN COMMON COUNCIL, February 15, 1894. CHARLES S. ROBERTSON, Clerk.
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
IN COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC GROUNDS January 1, 1894.
To the City Council of Somerville :-
The following is the final report of the Committee on Public Grounds for the year ending December 31, 1893.
PUBLIC GROUNDS ACCOUNT.
CREDIT.
Appropriation
$7,500.00
Receipts and credits :-
From Nathan Tufts Park ac-
count, labor
George H. Bishop, repairing
29.38
burial lot 10.00
E. H. Marsh, loam for burial lot 3.53
West End Street R. R. Co., grading &c.
536.39
Total credits $8,079.30 .
DEBIT.
Expenditures :-
For care of Broadway Park $2,425.85
for care of Broadway Parkway 1,078.43
Amounts brought forward .
$3,504.28
$8,079.30
570
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Amounts brought forward . $3,504.28 $8,079.30
for care of Central Hill Park 2,158.26
for care of City Hall and Public Library Grounds 235.68
for care of High School Lawn .
39.18
for care of Unitarian Church lot (recently purchased by the city) ,
18.50
for improvements and care of Somerville Avenue Cemetery 1,429.17
for tools and repairing same ·
277.02
carriage hire .
6.00
Total debit
$7,668.09
Balance unexpended .
$411.21
NATHAN TUFTS PARK ACCOUNT.
CREDIT.
Appropriation ,
$10,000.00
Balance unexpended in 1892
3,408.55
From Sewers account, removing
surplus earth
52.12
Total credit $13,460.67
DEBIT.
Expenditures :-
For labor, constructing roads &c. teaming, ballast, &c. 3,305.84
$7,689.70
Christopher Burke, on account contract .
836.35
550.00
cutting window in Powder House stone and mason work and teaming
447.54
Amounts carried forward . $12,829.43
$13,460.67
571
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC GROUNDS.
Amounts brought forward . $12,829.43
$13,460.67
window and door guards .
60.00
lumber and hardware
128.53
tools
187.79
blacksmithing
42.14
pipe
153.70
tablet
35.00
use of derrick .
81.86
Total debit
$13,518.45
Amount overdrawn
$57.78
BROADWAY PARK.
At the Broadway Park, the walks have received care and are in good condition ; the grass has been cut from time to time as re- quired, flowers have been set out in various places and the trees have received attention. The cost of maintaining the park the past year was $2,425.85.
BROADWAY PARKWAY.
The Broadway Parkway has also received attention that was necessary during the year at a cost of $1,078.43.
CENTRAL HILL PARK.
Much attention has been given to this park. Quite a number of men have been employed cutting grass, during the summer months, and cleaning the paths of snow during the winter season. No public place in the city is more enjoyed than this. Situated on high ground it commands a fine view of other cities and towns. A hand rail has been placed on the side of the walk leading from the battery to the steps at the Winter Hill depot, to aid pedestrians go- ing to and from the depot in the winter season. The sum expend- ed during the year was $2,158.26.
572
ANNUAL REPORTS.
NATHAN TUFTS PARK.
At this park much has been done by way of constructing walks, laying out driveways and grading the grounds, and a new door and window have been placed in the Old Powder House. A tablet has also been affixed to the building by the Society of the Sons of the Revolution, of Massachusetts. The Old Powder House with some 68,357 feet of land was given to the city by the heirs of Nathan Tufts, Sr., in the year 1892, and the city purchased of said heirs 129,497 feet of land adjoining, at 15 cents per foot, amounting to $19,424.55. During the year 1892 there was also expended above the amount paid for the land, $2,337.40, and in 1893 the city expended $13,518.45 ; making the entire cost to date $35,280. 40. We would earnestly urge the City Council of 1894 to make an appropriation sufficient to finish the park during the coming year.
SOMERVILLE AVENUE CEMETERY.
By an act of the Legislature of 1893, (chapter 104) the city was authorized by a vote of two-thirds of all the members of each branch of the City Council taken by yeas and nays and approved by the mayor, to grant and vote such . sums as they may judge necessary for the enclosing, care, and improvement of the burial ground on Somerville Avenue. By authority of this act the city has removed the old wooden fence and replaced it with a neat iron fence, the sunken graves have been repaired, the walks re-constructed, old shrubbery removed, and the grass cut. The cemetery now bears marks of receiving proper care, and the city has been relieved from what was once a neglected and disgrace- ful spot. The amount expended during the year was $1,429.17.
The committee recommends that the ordinance be so changed that a city forester shall be appointed, whose duty it shall be to care for the parks and public grounds of the city, together with all the trees on the highways.
For the committee,
CHAS. A. G. WINTHER, Chairman. WILLIAM P. MITCHELL, Clerk.
1
REPORT
OF THE
INSPECTOR OF MILK.
1
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
IN BOARD OF ALDERMEN. December 27. 1593. Referred to the next City Council. to be printed in the annual reports. Sent down for concurrence.
GEORGE I. VINCENT. Clerk.
IN COMMON COUNCIL. December 27. 1893.
Concurred in.
CHARLES S. ROBERTSON. Clerk.
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR OF MILK, ? December 27, 1893.
To his Honor the Mayor and the City Council :-
GENTLEMEN,-In accordance with the laws of the State, it is an important part of my duty to report to you in regard to my services the past year as milk inspector of this city.
Somerville numbers nearly or about 50,000 inhabitants. Hence the quantity of milk required for supply is very large. and it is obtained from many and various sources. The largest part is received from the country via railroad, through milk contractors, of whom there are quite a number.
These contractors furnish milk to the milkmen, of whom there are 231. These milkmen supply 330 stores by the can, also a large number of families at retail. We have also a supply of milk from 450 cows, kept by our own citizens and the citizens of surrounding towns. I am free to state that this large business, in my opinion, is conducted in an honorable and honest manner by those who have it in hand. It will compare favorably with any line of business in the city. Milk licenses have to be renewed annnally, and i have this year granted 231 licenses to milkmen and 43 registers to stores. Registers are only renewed in case of change of locality or of proprietor. I have also granted 15 licenses to sell oleomargarine, butterine, etc. The law also re-
576
ANNUAL REPORTS.
quires the inspector to examine milk as to quality, in any and all places, wherever or however sold, if in his judgment, or from infor- mation received from others, he has reason to fear that the milk sold is of poor quality. It is then his duty to get samples and have the same tested. During the past year I have had only six complaints. of poor milk. In every case I have followed the matter until I found the cause. In nearly every instance the fault has been distant from the party from whom the sample was obtained. The trouble has always been remedied, so that good milk has been afterwards kept. I have however, from time to time during the year, taken and tested 297 samples.
Hoping that this report will give you all the information you require, and that it may meet with your approval.
I remain respectfully your servant,
THOMAS CUNNINGHAM.
Milk Inspector.
REPORT
OF THE
INSPECTOR OF PROVISIONS
AND OF
ANIMALS INTENDED FOR SLAUGHTER OR
KEPT FOR THE PRODUCTION OF MILK.
1
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
IN BOARD OF ALDERMEN, December 27, 1893. Referred to the next City Council, to be printed in the annual reports. Sent down for concurrence.
GEORGE I. VINCENT, Clerk.
IN COMMON COUNCIL, December 27, 1893.
Concurred in.
CHARLES S. ROBERTSON, Clerk.
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR OF PROVISIONS AND OF ANI- MALS INTENDED FOR SLAUGHTER OR KEPT FOR THE PRODUCTION OF MILK.
December 27, 1893. 1
To His Honor, the Mayor, and the City Council :-
GENTLEMEN,-I herewith make my annual report as inspector of provisions and of animals intended for slaughter or kept for the production of milk. My last semi-annual report was submitted July 1. This report covers the intervening time. As usual, ac- cording to the instructions of the Cattle Commissioners of the Com- monwealth, in October, I sent to them the following return of in- spection to that date :-
Total number of cattle in the city
428
" cows in milk
411
66
'. cows dry .
6
66 " cows fatting
.
6
66
" bulls
3
" young stock
.
2
These cattle are owned by 119 different citizens of Somerville and were all, with one exception, in good healthy condition. The exception was an over-fed cow, and the trouble temporary. I have also examined 31 places where provisions of various kinds are kept for sale, and 11 places where fish of various kinds were sold. These places were all in good order, clean, and with no cause for complaint.
-
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
IN BOARD OF ALDERMEN, December 27, 1893. Referred to the next City Council, to be printed in the annual reports. Sent down for concurrence.
GEORGE I. VINCENT, Clerk.
IN COMMON COUNCIL, December 27, 1893.
Concurred in.
CHARLES S. ROBERTSON, Clerk.
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR OF PROVISIONS AND OF ANI- r MALS INTENDED FOR SLAUGHTER OR KEPT FOR THE PRODUCTION OF MILK.
December 27, 1893. 1
To His Honor, the Mayor, and the City Council :-
GENTLEMEN,-I herewith make my annual report as inspector of provisions and of animals intended for slaughter or kept for the production of milk. My last semi-annual report was submitted July 1. This report covers the intervening time. As usual, ac- cording to the instructions of the Cattle Commissioners of the Com- monwealth, in October, I sent to them the following return of in- spection to that date :-
Total number of cattle in the city
428
" cows in milk
·
411
66
'. cows dry .
.
6
66 66 " cows fatting
.
6
" bulls
.
3
" young stock
.
2
These cattle are owned by 119 different citizens of Somerville and were all, with one exception, in good healthy condition. The exception was an over-fed cow, and the trouble temporary. I have also examined 31 places where provisions of various kinds are kept for sale, and 11 places where fish of various kinds were sold. These places were all in good order, clean, and with no cause for complaint.
1
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
IN BOARD OF ALDERMEN, December 27, 1893. Referred to the next City Council, to be printed in the annual reports. Sent down for concurrence.
GEORGE I. VINCENT, Clerk.
IN COMMON COUNCIL, December 27, 1893.
Concurred in.
CHARLES S. ROBERTSON, Clerk.
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR OF PROVISIONS AND OF ANI- - MALS INTENDED FOR SLAUGHTER OR KEPT FOR THE PRODUCTION OF MILK.
December 27, 1893.
To His Honor, the Mayor, and the City Council :-
GENTLEMEN,-I herewith make my annual report as inspector of provisions and of animals intended for slaughter or kept for the production of milk. My last semi-annual report was submitted July 1. This report covers the intervening time. As usual, ac- cording to the instructions of the Cattle Commissioners of the Com- monwealth, in October, I sent to them the following return of in- spection to that date :-
Total number of cattle in the city 428
"' cows in milk 411
66 66 '. cows dry .
6
66 66 " cows fatting
6
66
" bulls ·
3
66
66
" young stock
2
These cattle are owned by 119 different citizens of Somerville and were all, with one exception, in good healthy condition. The exception was an over-fed cow, and the trouble temporary. I have also examined 31 places where provisions of various kinds are kept for sale, and 11 places where fish of various kinds were sold. These places were all in good order, clean, and with no cause for complaint.
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