USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1899 > Part 18
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1 1
Concord
1
Concord, N. H. .
1
Danvers ( Peabody Institute )
1
Dayton, Ohio
1
Detroit, Mich.
1
Everett
1
Fall River .
1
Fitchburg .
1
Jersey City, N. J.
1
Lancaster
1
Leicester
1
Littleton ( Reuben Hoar Library )
1 1
Lynn .
1
S
Malden
1 1
Medford
1
Melrose
1
Carried forward
340
61
390
4
9 4
Lawrence
1
Leominster
Lowell
1
Manchester, N. H.
52
Pennsylvania, University of
Clinton
Hartford, Conn.
2
215
PUBLIC LIBRARY.
List of Donations. - Concluded.
Vols.
Pamph.
Period.
Brought forward Public Libraries ( Continued ) :
340
61
390
Minneapolis, Minn.
New Bedford
New Haven, Conn.
1
1
8
New York, N. Y.
1
12
Newark, N. J.
1
8
Newton
1
North Adams
1
Northampton ·
1
Norwich, Conn. ( Otis Library )
1
Paterson, N. J.
1
Peabody
1
Philadelphia, Pa.
1
Plymouth, Eng. .
1
Poughkeepsie
1
Providence, R. I.
10
Quincy ( Thomas Crane )
1
Salem
1
1
10
Scranton, Pa.
1
2
Seattle, Wash.
3
Springfield
1
8
Syracuse, N. Y.
1
Taunton
1
Waltham
1
6
Watertown
1
Winthrop .
1
Woburn
1
2
Worcester
1
Public Opinion .
1
Pulsifer, W. E. .
1
Radiator
12
Red Cross Society
1
Rogers, E. H.
1
Sargent, Aaron
1
Somerville, Mass.
2
Somerville Journal
104
Taylor, C. F.
1
Tead, Mrs. E. L.
54
Tucker, Charlotte
1
Tufts College
2
Tuftonian
7
Tufts Weekly
33
United States
44
12
52
Wellington, J. F.
1
Willis, C. W.
6
Total
453
102
630
1
1
1
Northampton ( Forbes Library )
1
San Francisco
10
216
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Recommendations.
I respectfully submit a few recommendations for your future consideration :-
While there is a steady increase in our yearly circulation, our monthly figures show there is a steady decrease in our summer circulation. The number of people who spend the summer months, or part of the summer months, out of town is increas- ing, and increasing very rapidly, from year to year. These people are no less citizens and residents of Somerville while they are out of town than when they are at home; and their right to the use of the Library is not set aside by their temporary ab- sence. Besides, the vacation season is the especial time of year when they have the most leisure for reading. For these reasons, it seems to me, it would be well to have a special vacation card on which people could take out ten or perhaps a larger number of books for the period of one month, with the privilege of renewing by mail for a longer period. Such an arrangement, I think, would be greatly appreciated by the patrons of the Library, and would be entirely in line with our general policy of changing the regulations of the Library to suit the changing conditions of the people.
The Library's musical department, established last year, has been a popular innovation, and has already done something to foster the musical tastes of the community. This department should be increased by gradual purchases until it develops into a good working musical collection. In direct line with this depar- ture I would recommend another. An art department in the same way should be gradually built up, from which the rapidly- increasing number of people interested in art may obtain engrav- ings, prints, photographs, etc., on a regular reader's card as they now obtain books. The largely-increased attention given to such work in the public schools renders it desirable that the Library, as a helpful co-operator with the schools, should keep step in time with the new artistic activity.
It is to be hoped that the new annex will be completed early in the coming year. This, when entirely finished, will give the Library more than double its present capacity. In this annex I would suggest that there be established a good newspaper room, where the large dailies of the large cities and some of the repre- sentative weeklies can be consulted. Some paper, like the Lon- don Times, should also be on file, and possibly a representative French paper, and perhaps a Spanish paper, also.
In the reading room, on the first floor, I believe that the great representative books of the world, in all departments of human thought, should be arranged in shelves about the room, free of access to all who wish to consult them. Such a room should be organized on the same lines as Bates hall in the Boston Public Library, though necessarily, of course, on a much smaller scale.
217
PUBLIC LIBRARY.
In the art department of the new annex a sub-department devoted to art in the schools, I think, could be made a great in- centive to the pupils of Somerville. It would be, I think, an ex- cellent plan to have the prize pictures and drawings of the pupils of the public schools placed on exhibition in our art rooms. Let the pupils in each of the schools, or in each of the rooms, as the art teacher may decide, be told that the one whose drawing or pic- ture is adjudged the best will have his work on exhibition in the Library art room, and a powerful incentive to art development will be exerted. Such an exhibition would gratify the pride of a pupil in our schools as much as it would gratify the pride of a professional artist to have his picture on exhibition in the Paris Salon, or in any of the great galleries of the great capitals. I be- lieve, too, that the pictures of the professional Somerville artists (and there are some such that have attained distinction, and sev- eral of great promise) should be placed on exhibition from time to time. A loan exhibition of valuable paintings owned by resi- dents of Somerville it may be possible to arrange as soon as it is made apparent that we have means of exhibiting them to advan- tage. The art department of the new Library should be one of its prominent features.
When the new annex is completed, I earnestly recommend that the Library be kept open evenings, with the exception of the summer months of July and August, when a Saturday even- ing opening will be sufficient.
When this annex is completed the Library will have facili- ties, as far as room is concerned, to develop into an institution that will be abreast of most other institutions in cities of an equal size. As a consequence, the expenses of the Library will be largely increased. An increase in our salary fund for extra at- tendants, a large increase in light and fuel bills, and a large in- crease in insurance will be imperative. The present appropria- tion of the city is $9,000 a year. The appropriation for the main- tenance of a building twice as large as the present one should, on a conservative estimate, be at least $13,000. Even at this figure the Library would be run at a very much smaller outlay than other libraries of the Commonwealth that do a much smaller busi- ness than ours.
All the members of the Library staff still continue to per- form their work with faithfulness and enthusiasm. I thank the members of your board for your kindness and co-operation.
Respectfully submitted, SAM. WALTER Foss, Librarian.
218
ANNUAL REPORTS.
PUBLIC LIBRARY ACCOUNT. Receipts and Expenditures for 1899.
CREDIT.
Balance from 1898
$7 40
Dog tax
2,052 86
Appropriation
9,000 00
Fines and catalogues
560 17
Interest on Pitman fund
107 92
$11,728 35-
DEBIT.
Books and periodicals
. $3,380 10
Binding
791 64
Cards
62 50
Printing
244 80
Stationery
13 60
Salaries
5,400 17
Agencies
178 43
Furniture
101 98
Repairs
111 26
Express
282 55
Electric lights
412 80
Gas
31 52
Water
10 64
Fuel
188 30
Postage
55 57
Telephone
71 93
Insurance
46 94
Supplies
15 35
Pictures
84 50
Disbursements
Balance carried to 1900
02
$11,728 35-
·
51 25
Labor
192 50
WATER DEPARTMENT.
Board of Water Commissioners, 1899. GEORGE D. WEMYSS, President.
WILLIAM FRANKLIN HALL,
345 Broadway.
GEORGE D. WEMYSS, 29 Ames street.
GEORGE A. KIMBALL,
33 Warren avenue.
Superintendent of the Water Works and Clerk of the Board.
FRANK E. MERRILL.
Office of the Water Department. Room 10, City Hall.
Engineer at Pumping Station. SIDNEY E. HAYDEN.
Pumping Station, Storehouse, Repair Shop and Stable. Cedar street, near Broadway.
Bills against the department should be rendered to the Superintend- ent on or before the first day of each month, and are payable by the City Treasurer on the seventeenth of the month.
REPORT OF THE WATER COMMISSIONERS.
OFFICE OF THE BOARD OF WATER COMMISSIONERS, January 10, 1900.
To His Honor the Mayor and the City Council :-
The Board of Water Commissioners present herewith, for your consideration, the twenty-sixth annual report of this depart- ment, covering the operations of the year ending December 31, 1899.
The Board organized on the tenth day of February by the re-election of George D. Wemyss as president and Frank E. Mer- rill as clerk of the Board and superintendent.
The year has been a prosperous one. The work of the de- partment has become so well systematized that everything goes on in an orderly manner and to the satisfaction of those of our citizens who have had occasion to visit the office or works on busi- ness connected with the department. It is a great satisfaction to be able to make so creditable a statement as this, and to do so with confidence, when this department has such intimate rela- tions with all who reside in our city. The facts, however, are such as to warrant it, and the credit is largely due to the able and courteous manner in which the affairs of the department are ad- ministered by the superintendent and those whom he has to assist him in carrying on the work.
The new building referred to in the report last year has proved itself to be well adapted to the requirements of the depart- ment. During the past year improvements have been added in the way of conveniences for doing many kinds of work, for which no facilities existed before.
The meter-testing plant has served a good purpose during the past year. In some cases, where it had been thought by water takers that the meters were at fault, the matter has been adjusted by having meters tested in their presence, and in all cases the meters have been found to register correctly, and the parties were satisfied.
The repair shop has been equipped with new devices for bet- ter doing the work required, and the new features introduced are such as will result in greater utility and economy in connection with the affairs of the department.
High Service.
As was intimated in last year's report, our pumping plant has been an important feature to the Metropolitan Water Works, for
221
WATER DEPARTMENT.
it has been run during the year entirely under the direction of the Metropolitan Water Works, with no expense whatever to the city of Somerville.
It is very gratifying to be able to say that the pump has proved itself equal to the occasion, and has done even more than could reasonably be expected of it. It has been run almost con- tinuously day and night, supplying not only our own high service district, but pumping, also, into the Metropolitan reservoir in Middlesex Fells, which furnishes the high service for all the northern district of the Metropolitan Water Works.
The fact that the standpipe had been found in such condition that a considerable outlay would be required to make it service- able suggested the plan of abandoning it if this could be done without detriment to the high water service. It did not seem to the Board to be a wise policy to spend a large sum of money in restoring the standpipe to a proper condition for use, in view of the expected high-water service from the large reservoir in the Fells, which would render the standpipe of no use except in case of emergency, and in such a case its capacity would be limited to the amount of water it contained, whereas the demand might far exceed this. Therefore, the standpipe and the grounds adjacent thereto have been surrendered by this department, and have been placed by the City Council in charge of the committee on public grounds.
The pumping station at Spot pond is now nearly completed, and is expected to be ready by February to commence pumping into the Fells reservoir. When it gets into operation our pump will be no longer needed, and may be disposed of when a favorable opportunity appears. It is, however, desired by the Metro- politan Water Board that some means should be provided to guard against a possible interruption from any cause of the sup- ply from the Fells reservoir ; therefore, the Board have given the subject considerable attention, with a view of making some rec- ommendation as to the best way of accomplishing this. There will be only one line of pipe from the reservoir in the Fells to fur- nish the water for the entire high service of the northern district, and, should anything happen to this line of pipe, we should be without water in our high-service pipes, unless we are provided with an emergency pump of some sort which can be started up on short notice to supply the deficiency.
It has been difficult to fix upon any definite plan, however. although some progress has been made, but the final solution of the problem must be left to those who will have charge of the works after the present Board ceases to exist. It should receive early attention, in order that the necessary means may be pro- vided, and the pump now in use disposed of when the new pump- ing station in the Fells starts up. The present steam pump. would be undesirable as an emergency pump from the fact that it would be necessary to keep up steam all the time, night and
-
222
ANNUAL REPORTS.
day, in order to be prepared to start up, should occasion require its use.
Water Supply.
All that has been said in former reports relative to the Metro- politan supply has been fully realized. The water is giving sat- isfaction to our citizens, and, in view of the unusually dry weather during the fall, there is reason for congratulation that we were not dependent upon the Mystic water supply, as formerly.
Renewals, Extensions, etc.
The work of the past year has been productive of even greater results than the year 1898, although the latter year was considered to be very important as regarded the amount of work accomplished.
The department work for the year 1899 embraces the fol- lowing :--
Pipe laid of various sizes in extension of the works . 16,981 feet
Cast-iron pipe laid in replacing old cement mains 20,405
New hydrants set. making now 911 in the city . 48
Additional gates put in 99
Additional check valves put in
3
New service connections made
247
This shows an extension of the works equal to two and one- quarter miles. As to the old cement-lined pipe, it has been gradually replaced from year to year, until now only about six miles remain in our streets. One more year should see the end of these objectionable pipes, which have been so troublesome in former years.
Water Revenue.
Bills have been placed in the hands of the City Treasurer for collection as follows :-
$158,990 00
Additional water charges
15,145 32
Metered water charges
45,849 76
$219,985 08
Abatements on above
4,542 05
Leaving net amount of bills
$215,443 03
To this may be added an amount received from the Metro- politan Water Board, being the proportion due us for revenue received from the admission into the Metro- politan water system of the city of Quincy and the towns of Arlington and Nahant, and from the sale of water to other parties; this, in effect, being a reduction of the amount due from the city of Somerville to the Metropolitan Water Board for the year 1899 2,577 19
Making total revenue
$218,020 22
The Water Department was granted by the City Council appropriations as follows :-
Annual water charges
223
WATER DEPARTMENT.
For Water Maintenance
For Water Works Extension
$50,000 00 20,000 00
$70,000 00
The interest on Water Bonds for the year has been
10,882 50
Water Loan Bonds have been paid during the year amounting to
32,500 00
Assessment Metropolitan Water Works 20,975 58
Refunds made on water charges from appro- priation for Abatements ($6,000) . 119 18
Total amount of money expended for the Water Department
134,477 26
Profit to the city .
$83,542 96
The amount of bills uncollected for water charges of 1899 is $12,203 69 · The amount collected by the City Treasurer in 1899 on account of uncollected bills for water charges of 1898 is 11,041 49
Deduct this difference in order to arrive at the actual amount of water revenue available in 1899
1,162 20
This was used as follows :- Sewer Bonds
$8,000 00
Interest on Sewer Bonds
6,700 00
Maintenance of sewers .
8,500 00
Sewers construction, appro- priation
$19,722 75
Sewers construction, balance of appropriation for Abatements on water
5,880 82
25,603 57
Appropriated for Metro-
politan Sewer Assess- ment, but not used .
$31,000 00
Amount received from Met-
ropolitan Water Board,
as noted above, and not used
2,577 19
33,577 19
$82,380 76
It is rather remarkable that the profit from this department practically agrees with the amount estimated in our report of last year, viz., $83,000.
This estimate was made in connection with an exhibit show- ing that a reduction of the water charges to our citizens of ten per cent. could be made without any difficulty; this, however, not meeting with the approval of the Mayor, could not be effected. In this connection it may not be amiss to state that our sister cities Chelsea and Everett, whose rates were uniform with ours, have made material reductions in their rates, the former twenty- five per cent. and the latter ten per cent.
$82,380 76
charges ($6,000)
.
224
ANNUAL REPORTS.
The profits from this department will probably not be any less than they are for the year just closed, and the feeling is that they will be even more than in the year 1899, if the same rates of charges are adhered to, for the expenses will not increase, but are likely to decrease, as the works are put into better shape by the substitution of cast-iron pipe for the cement-lined pipe, and by the improved methods of carrying on the work of the depart- ment, aided materially by the conveniences which the new build -. ing provides.
The future policy of the city may be either to give our citi- zens the benefit of this profit by a reduction of water charges, or by expending the money in the same way that taxes are ex- pended, for the general good of the city. But it would seem to the Board that the first course would be the better one, and would give the citizens the most satisfaction, and they therefore com- mend this to the consideration of those who shall be in authority the coming year.
Statements as to the financial condition of the department are now submitted, together with the report of the superintendent of the works, to which your attention is requested.
GEORGE D. WEMYSS. GEORGE A. KIMBALL. WILLIAM FRANKLIN HALL, Board of Water Commissioners.
FINANCES.
Cost of Water Works.
The total cost of the water works on December 31, 1898, . was $721,578 98
Expended during the year 1899 on construction account 19,978 59
Total cost December 31, 1899 . $741,557 57
Water Debt.
The indebtedness of the city on account of the water works on December 31, 1898, was $272,000; this debt has been reduced during 1899 by the payments of bonds, maturing July 1 and Octo- ber 1, to the amount of $32,500 ; the indebtedness being now rep- resented by bonds drawing interest as follows :-
$217,000.00 at 4 per cent. per annum. 12,500.00 at 5 per cent. per annum. 10,000.00 at 51/2 per cent. per annum.
Total . $239,500.00
The following table, exhibiting the financial condition of the department from its first movements, is presented for reference and comparison :-
225
WATER DEPARTMENT.
YEAR.
Water Loan Bonds Issued on Funded Debt Account.
Reduction of Funded Debt by Payments of Water Loan Bonds.
Expenditures for Construction of Water Works.
*Revenue from Water Works.
1869
$80,000 00
$92,203 27
$911 39
1870
60,000 00
66,546 50
1,907 63
1871
60,000 00
43,648 66
3,151 30
1872
90,000 00
$50,000 00
43,288 33
3,719 91
1873
60,000 00
20,000 00
27,691 26
5,084 97
1874
15,000 00
34,294 06
6,818 20
1875
20,000 00
13,375 76
9,652 37
1876
70,000 00
60,000 00
6,409 49
10,268 06.
1877
10,000 00
30,000 00
514 13
11,584 89
1879
791 56
12,341 60.
1880
60,000 00
60,000 00
12,999 79
1881
40,000 00
40,000 00
14,697 37
1882
90,000 00
90,000 00
19,354 28:
1883
7,500 00
7,500 00
19,661 67
1884
20,000 00
20,000 00
20,085 95
1885
20,000 00
20,000 00
21,542 28
1886
55,500 00
55,500 00
21,444 91
1887
9,000 00
9,000 00
42,650 57
1888
25,000 00
96,500 00
19,338 89
50,419 07
1889
90,000 00
19,000 00
81,117 43
51,470 91
1890
55,000 00
13,000 00
53,411 79
55,879 72
1891
10,000 00
+11,000 00
40,708 48
60,150 80
1892
28,000 00
28,000 00
34,863 17
77,640 91
1893
17,000 00
35,545 30
78,459 73
1894
18,000 00
28,375 67
83,401 30
1895
19,000 00
32,007 44
89,431 46
1896
$12,000 00
18,500 00
16,631 83
95,719 69
1897
21,000 00
10,000 00
99,688 57
1898
22,000 00
26,970 22
200,735 03
1899
32,500 00
19,978 59
214,280 83
$1,017,000 00
$777,500 00
$741,557 57
$1,405,891 06
Total issue
$1,017,000 00
Total payments
777,500.00
Present water debt
$239.500 00
* From 1869 to 1886, inclusive, the basis of Somerville's water revenue was as follows : - The entire revenue from sale of water in Somerville was collected by the city of Boston and payments were made to this city on the following sliding scale : -
On annual receipts up to $20,000.00, Somerville's proportion was 15 per cent.
On annual receipts
$20,000.00 to $30,000.00, Somerville's proportion was 20 per cent.
$30,000.00 to $40,000.00, "
25
$40,000.00 to $50,000.00,
30
exceeding $50,000.00, Somerville's proportion was 40 per cent.
In 1887 the contract was changed so that Somerville should receive 50 per cent. of the revenue, and this contract existed until January 1, 1898, on which date it was annulled, the revenue since that time being collected by the city of Somerville.
t In 1891 $5,000.00 of Water Loan Bonds were cancelled, City Loan Bonds being substituted for them.
# Renewal.
13,845 74
10,735 90
1878
30,000 00
REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF THE WATER WORKS.
OFFICE OF SUPERINTENDENT OF THE WATER WORKS, 2 January 2, 1900. S
To the Board of Water Commissioners :-
The customary annual statement of the work performed by the Water Department is herewith respectfully submitted for the year 1899.
The following table shows the
Receipts and Disbursements for the Year 1899.
WATER MAINTENANCE ACCOUNT.
DR.
CR.
Amount appropriated by City Council from water revenue
$50,000 00
Collections from sundry accounts for labor and materials
16,765 96
Collections from other sources . Balance from water service assessments Materials furnished service department
46 00
114 48
Materials furnished construction depart- ment
6,541 50
Labor and materials furnished sundry per- sons
8,294 52
Labor and materials used in maintenance of the water works . 49,740 88
Balance to credit of water debt
149 62
$66,926 44
$66,926 44
WATER WORKS EXTENSION ACCOUNT.
DR.
CR.
Amount appropriated by City Council from water revenue
$20,000 00
Labor and materials used in extension of the water works $19,978 59
Balance to credit of water debt
21 41
.
$20,000 00
$20,000 00
WATER SERVICE ACCOUNT.
DR
CR. $4,293 15
245 water service assessments
Collections for extra labor and material on above services . Labor and materials used in water service construction · Balance transferred to water maintenance account
2 80
$4,181 47
114 48
$4,295 95
$4,295 95
$2,199 92
227
WATER DEPARTMENT.
Accounting Department.
During the year there have been issued 9,930 "annual" water bills, 1,535 "additional" bills, and 764 "meter" bills. Herewith is given a summary of the work of the income department to De- cember 31, 1899 :-
Total amount of all water bills rendered consumers in 1899 account .
$219,985 08
Total amount abated consumers in 1899 account 4,542 05 .
Apparent earnings of Water Department, 1899 $215,443 03 Total amount collected by City Treasurer, December 31, 1899, on 1899 account 203,239 34
Uncollected water bills December 31, 1899
$12,203 69
Uncollected bills are apportioned as follows :-
Metered water charges due January 1, 1900
$12,157 69
Annual water charges
46 00
$12,203 69 11,739 01
Total amount of all bills uncollected January 1, 1899 . Total abatements on above bills made in 1899 697 52
Total amount collected by City Treasurer in 1899 on above bills
11,041 49
Abatements were apportioned as follows :-
Water used for fire purposes . $687 52
Premises condemned · 10 00
$697 52
Inspection Department.
The routine work laid out for this department in 1898 has been followed this year, and all premises in the city not supplied by meter have been carefully inspected. Four hundred and sixty-two defective fixtures have been discovered, divided as fol- lows :-
Tanks and water closets .
325
Faucets
109
Pipes
28
It has been the continued policy of the department to main- tain a close watch for all waste of water, and to require defective pipes and fixtures to be properly repaired. Three hundred and ninety-six "waste notices" were sent out, and forty premises re- quired a second notification before the waste was stopped.
Renewal of Street Mains.
This department of the work has been vigorously prosecuted during the year; 20,405 feet of the old cement-lined mains have been relaid with cast-iron pipe, leaving about 28,000 feet still in our streets. But few breaks have occurred during the year, as the old pipes were early removed from those streets where their weakness was suspected.
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