USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1899 > Part 30
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per Ton.
Egg Coal
per Ton.
Stove Coal
per Ton.
Cumberland
Coal per Ton.
Hard Wood
per Cord.
Soft Wood
per Cord.
I. L. Smith .
$4 00
$4 25
$4 50
$3 25
$6 50
$5 50
Wellington-Wild Coal Co.
3 95
4 15
4 35
3 15
6 25
5 25
The contract was awarded the Wellington-Wild Coal Com- pany, for one year from July 1, 1899, and all fuel required in the various buildings has been bought under said contract.
Electric Street Lights.
The contract which was made with the Somerville Electric Light Company November 1, 1898, will continue in force until November 1, 1900, and thereafter until a new contract shall be made. Under its provisions the city is paying $110 each per year for arc lights, less deductions of two and 87-100 cents per hour for each light not burning.
By authority of an order dated May 10, 1899, all the twenty- five-candle-power incandescent lights were removed, and lights of thirty-two-candle-power substituted; and all incandescent lights which have been added during the year are of thirty-two-candle- power. This change has proved to be very beneficial. The price for the thirty-two-candle-power lights is $30 each per year, less deductions for lights not burning at the rate of 78-100 cents each per hour. There are now 377 arc and 239 incandescent lights in the streets and public grounds of the city.
347
COMMITTEE ON FUEL AND STREET LIGHTS.
Welsbach Street Lights.
The contract made with the Welsbach Street Lighting Com- pany of America for three years from September 15, 1898, is still in force. The price per year paid for these lights is $30 each, the same as paid for the thirty-two-candle-power incandescent electric lights. There are at present 121 lamps in service, of which seventy-two burn gas and forty-nine naphtha. At the beginning of the year only 117 lamps were in use, but one gas and three naphtha lamps were added by the company early in the year, under an order passed by the City Council of 1898, too late in the season, to have the lamps erected that year.
For the Committee,
FRANCIS M. WILSON, Chairman. WILLIAM P. MITCHELL, Clerk.
1
-
REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF ELECTRIC LINES AND LIGHTS.
OFFICE OF SUPERINTENDENT OF ELECTRIC LINES AND LIGHTS, January 10, 1900.
To the Honorable, the Mayor, and the Board of Aldermen :-
Gentlemen,-I herewith submit my fourth annual report, for the year ending December 31, 1899 :-
Department of Electric Lines.
The fire alarm system has been kept in the best of order, all · alarms having been given correctly. Three new boxes have been added during the year and located as follows: No 427, Cutter square; 429, Kidder and Liberty avenues; and 431, Highland avenue and Gordonia road. An additional circuit has been pro- vided in the section west of Cedar street, which before had but one circuit; thus placing the boxes on alternate wires, and covering a large amount of new territory. The new engine house at Clarendon hill has been equipped with electrical appliances for opening stall doors, lighting, etc., on the first blow of the gong. During the year an emergency wagon has been placed in service .. This wagon, besides its regular work on repairs and construction, is used for what its name implies, that is, emergency calls. Whenever notice is received at the Central fire station of any pole or wire being down, this wagon is dispatched to the scene, and everything done to insure the safety of the public until the damage is repaired. I would recommend keyless doors for fire alarm boxes, and the replacing of the old boxes, which have been in service some twenty-five years, with more modern boxes, thus greatly decreasing the danger of two boxes being pulled in at the same time. This danger increases in proportion to the number of boxes in service. The tower strikers on the houses of Engine 4 and Hose 2 should have some parts of the machines re- placed. as they have been in service more than twenty years and are badly worn.
This department has the care of some 110 miles of wire, con- sisting of fire alarm, police signal, telephone service, and connec- tions with Cambridge, Medford, and Charlestown; also eighty- six fire alarm boxes, twenty-eight gongs, eight tower strikers, eight indicators, nineteen tappers, seven relays, thirty-four open circuit tappers, 362 jars of storage battery, 260 jars of open circuit
349
SUPERINTENDENT OF ELECTRIC LINES AND LIGHTS.
battery, forty-four police signal boxes, sixty-eight cells of gravity battery, and all electrical appliances connected with schools and public buildings. The police signal system has received its usual careful attention, and has been kept in good order.
I would again urge the necessity of placing wires under ground, as every year adds to the number of overhead wires, and thus increases the danger in case of storms and fires.
During the year 108 buildings have been inspected for elec- tric light and power service, and 309 visits made to the same. The new almshouse has been wired and equipped with electric lights by this department, and the usual repairs made in school- houses and public buildings.
New wire run, sixteen miles; old wire removed, nine and one-half miles.
Street Lighting.
During the year the service has been much improved by the addition of sixteen arc and twenty-eight incandescent lights, lo- cated as follows :-
Arc.
Broadway and Simpson avenue.
Broadway and Liberty avenue.
Broadway and Billingham street.
Highland avenue and Conwell street.
Holland and Moore streets.
Cedar and Hudson streets.
Kidder avenue and Powder-house terrace.
New Cross street.
Cross and Flint streets.
Morton street.
Powder-house Park.
Summer street, opposite Burnside avenue.
Craigie street, near Somerville avenue.
Temple street, opposite Sydney street.
School street, opposite Winter-hill Baptist church.
Mystic avenue, opposite Smith's coal wharf.
Incandescent.
Marshall street, opposite Hose 2. Kilby street.
Crown and Tower streets.
Robinson street.
Albion street, near Cedar street.
Howe street, opposite No. 14.
Hudson street, opposite No. 65.
Hudson street, opposite No. 157.
Electric avenue (2).
Oak and Houghton streets.
Lowell street, opposite No. 37. Greenwood terrace. Victoria street (2).
Clarendon avenue, near No. 68.
350
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Mystic avenue and Grant street.
Linden avenue and Linden place. Lawson terrace.
Bond and Jaques streets.
Chester avenue.
Everett avenue, near Dana street.
Pinckney street, near Washington street.
Garrison avenue.
Glover circle. Norwood avenue.
Park street, opposite No. 68. Gilman street, opposite No. 33.
This makes a total of 377 arc, 239 incandescent, and 121 Welsbach lights. Two of the arc lights are on Broadway Park, and one is on Nathan Tufts Park. Many arc lights have been moved from side streets to main thoroughfares, and incandescent lights erected in their former locations. All of the incandescent lights have been changed from twenty-five to thirty-two-candle- power and new deflectors placed on the same. They make a good light for residential streets, as three of them can be placed in service for less than the cost of one arc light, and cover more territory.
The Superintendent will gladly receive reports, from any citi- zens, of poor lamp service, and will take steps to have the trouble remedied at once.
I desire to extend my thanks to His Honor, the Mayor, and the Committee on Electric Lines and Lights for the consideration shown this department during the year.
Respectfully submitted, EDWARD BACKUS,
Supt. of Electric Lines and Lights.
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC PROPERTY.
IN COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC PROPERTY, December 30, 1899.
'To the City Council of Somerville :-
The Committee on Public Property presents the following re- port for the year 1899 :-
Police Station Incidentals Account.
CREDIT.
Appropriation
$2,000 00
Receipts :-
For rent of court room
600 00
Rent of armory for 1898
100 00
Rent of armory for 1899
50 00
Total credit
$2,750 00
DEBIT.
Expenditures :-
For janitors' salaries
$852 28
Gas
484 95
Water
48 30
Fuel
426 85
Insurance
300 00
Disinfectant
50 00
Supplies
23 77
Labor
28 00
Repairs and improvements of buildings and furniture
357 86
Repairing heating apparatus
66 66
New furniture
153 00
Total debit
$2,791 67
Amount overdrawn
$41 67
Schoolhouse Incidentals Account.
CREDIT.
Appropriation
$18,000 00
Receipts :-
For sale of Harvard school building . 65 00
Sale of old iron .
83 01
Sale of second-hand furnace
20 00
Sale of Highland school sanitary build- ing
40 00
Amount carried forward
$18,208 01
1
352
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Amount brought forward . .
$18,208 01
Unearned premium on insurance of Har- vard school building
5 91
Total credit
$18,213 92
DEBIT.
Expenditures :-
For repairs and improvements of build- ings .
$8,336 92
Furniture
1,401 05
Repairing furniture
249 86
Repairing heating and ventilating appa- ratus
1,739 36
Care of grounds
178 30
Teaming furniture
96 19
Blackboards
391 22
Maintenance of repair shop
169 30
Water
1,757 13
Gas
821 50
Electric lighting
224 18
Electric current for motor
225 15
Insurance
1,814 00
Gas regulator, use of
17 00
Covering pipes with asbestos
100 00
Building fence at O. S. Knapp school
15 00
Concrete walks
222 65
Grading at Martin W. Carr school
66 00
Sidewalk at O. S. Knapp school
46 51
Tools for manual training school .
132 74
Final payment 011 heating contract,
25 23
Removing materials school
33 20
School supplies
749 03
Carriage hire, etc.
22 00
Books
5 75
Total debit
$18,839 27
Amount overdrawn
$625 35
The expenditures at the various schoolhouses were as fol- lows :-
Luther V. Bell.
Repairs and improvements
$314 54
Repairing heating apparatus .
·
43 59
Teaming furniture
3 05
Blackboards
41 32
Water
124 83
Gas
121 55
Gas regulator, use of
17 00
Supplies
12 10
$677 98
Amount carried forward .
$677 98
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Prescott school
from Franklin
.
.
353
COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC PROPERTY.
Amount brought forward . $677 98
Bennett.
Repairs and improvements
$73 78
Repairing furniture
.
2 50
Repairing heating apparatus
55 93
Blackboards
28 16
Water
32 48
192 85
Bingham.
Repairs and improvements
· $76 40
Furniture
40 85
Repairing furniture
20 00
Repairing heating apparatus .
6 90
Teaming furniture
50
Water
15 26
Insurance
75 00
234 91
Burns.
Repairs and improvements
$199 58
Furniture
52 75
Repairing furniture
4 00
Care of grounds
5 00
Teaming furniture
2 75
Water
40 32
Gas
1 06
Supplies
3 20
308 66
Martin W. Carr.
Repairs and improvements
$180 78
Furniture
38 65
Repairing heating apparatus
15 45
Care of grounds
8 80
Teaming furniture
18 00
Grading
66 00
Concrete walks
126 75
Water
209 86
Gas
9 19
Supplies ·
8 91
682 89
Cedar Street.
Repairs and improvements
$3 55
Water
9 75
13 30
Amount carried forward .
.
$2,110 09
·
·
354
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Amount brought forward .
$2,110 09
Cummings.
Repairs and improvements
$98 34
Furniture
·
16 00
Repairing furniture .
8 00
Repairing heating apparatus
4 35
Concrete walks
65 90
Water
30 52
Insurance
.
.
425 61
Davis.
Repairs and improvements
.
.
$137 91
Repairing furniture
·
12 10
Repairing heating apparatus
36 90
Water
54 18
Gas
5 41
Insurance
202 50
Supplies
.
.
455 00
George W. Durell.
Repairs and improvements
$26 18
Repairing heating apparatus .
7 20
Water
34 16
Insurance
150 00
217 54
Edgerly.
Repairs and improvements
$255 34
Repairing furniture
22 75
Repairing heating apparatus
56 80
Teaming furniture
4 77
Water
14 58
Gas
50 36
404 60
Forster.
Repairs and improvements
$235 47
Furniture
31 00
Repairing heating apparatus .
20 40
Teaming furniture
15 70
Blackboards
71 68
Water
131 36
Gas
113 11
618 72
Amount carried forward
$4,231 56
.
.
.
.
.
6 00
.
202 50
COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC PROPERTY.
355
Amount brought forward .
$4,231. 56
Glines.
Repairs and improvements
$178 97
Furniture
30 68
Repairing furniture
13 00
Repairing heating apparatus
83 54
Care of grounds
16 25
Water
222 29
Gas
.
562 05
Hanscom.
Repairs and improvements
$31 80
Furniture
7 50
Repairing heating apparatus
14 15
Care of grounds
55 00
Water
31 08
Gas
3 06
Insurance
50 00
192 59
Harvard.
Repairs and improvements
·
$16 80 1 50
Water
9 75
28 05
English High.
Repairs and improvements
$424 13
Furniture
839 94
Repairing furniture
.
5 40
Repairing heating apparatus
39 35
Blackboards
27 55
Gas
100 40
Electric lighting
224 18
Electric motor current
225 15
Insurance
450 00
Manual training tools
132 74
Supplies
38 75
2,507 59
Latin High.
Repairs and improvements
$305 93
Furniture
17 98
Repairing furniture
5 75
Repairing heating apparatus
137 85
Water
350 30
Gas
142 70
Supplies
.
30 16
990 67
Amount carried forward
$8,512 51
.
17 32
·
Repairing heating apparatus
356
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Amount brought forward . $8,512 51
Highland.
Repairs and improvements
$192 87
Furniture
.
4 20
Repairing furniture .
20 00
Repairing heating apparatus
96 00
Care of grounds
12 50
Teaming furniture
1 50
Blackboards
71 04
Water
80 24
Gas
·
45 52
Supplies
.
.
.
540 98
Hodgkins.
Repairs and improvements
.
.
$127 21
Furniture
.
.
156 75
Repairing furniture
6 96
Repairing heating apparatus
16 33
Care of grounds
18 75
Teaming furniture
8 00
Water
98 26
Gas
10 98
Supplies
3 28
446 52
Jackson.
Repairs and improvements
(including new
fence around lot) .
$375 87
Repairing heating apparatus
66 85
Blackboards
15 60
Water
14 70
Supplies
9 81
482 83
O. S. Knapp.
Repairs and improvements
$270 93
Furniture
.
.
12 75
Repairing furniture
2 80
Repairing heating apparatus
286 64
Care of grounds
13 00
Teaming furniture
3 55
Blackboards
12 32
Water
35 14
Gas
44 94
Insurance
450 00
Building fence
15 00
Sidewalk
46 51
Supplies
31 57
1,225 15
Amount carried forward
.
$11,207 99
.
.
.
·
.
17 11
COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC PROPERTY.
357
Amount brought forward . .
$11,207 99
Lincoln.
Repairs and improvements
$78 52
Furniture
9 00
Repairing heating apparatus
25 23
Care of grounds
7 25
Teaming furniture
1 25
Water
20 02
Supplies
2 21
143 48
Morse.
Repairs and improvements
$489 13
Furniture
22 00
Repairing furniture
23 00
Repairing heating apparatus
109 60
Teaming furniture
13 30
Blackboards
24 32
Water
8 68
Gas
:23
Supplies
1 60
698 86
Charles G. Pope.
Repairs and improvements
$815 94
Repairing furniture
32 75
Repairing heating apparatus
106 40
Care of grounds
41 75
Teaming furniture
50
Water
32 34
Gas
11 85
Concrete walks
30 00
Supplies
20 01
1,091 54
Prescott.
Repairs and improvements
$3,088 96
Furniture
98 80
Repairing furniture
70 85
Repairing heating apparatus
391 14
Teaming furniture
14 82
Blackboards
72 97
Water
141 81
Gas
136 82
Covering pipes with asbestos .
100 00
Final payment heating contract
25 23
Supplies
13 30
4,154 70
Amount carried forward
$17,296 57
·
358
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Amount brought forward . $17,296 57
Prospect Hill.
Repairs and improvements
$134 49
Repairing heating apparatus
117 26
Teaming furniture
6 00
Blackboards
26 26
Water
12 00
Insurance
84 00
Supplies
1 46
381 47
Albion A. Perry.
Repairs and improvements
$203 70
Furniture
22 00
Teaming furniture
, 50
Water
3 22
Insurance
150 00
Supplies
21 82
403 24
Maintenance of repair shop
169 30
General school supplies
527 74
Removing materials from Franklin school
33 20
Carriage hire, etc.
22 00
Books
5 75
Total debit
$18,839 27
School Contingent, Janitors' Salaries, Account.
CREDIT.
Appropriation
$19,000 00
DEBIT.
Expenditures :-
For salaries of janitors of school buildings for the year 1899
$17,920 30
Balance unexpended
$1,079 70
Schoolhouse, Burns Addition, Account.
CREDIT.
Balance unexpended December 31, 1898
$12,000 00
Transferred from Armory account 7,500 00
Total credit
$19,500 00
DEBIT.
Expenditures :-
Fessenden & Libby, contract for construc- tion
$15,331 00
Fessenden & Libby, extra work 171 40
Amounts carried forward .
$15,502 40
$19,500 00
.
359
COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC PROPERTY.
Amounts brought forward ·
$15,502 40 $19,500 00
Alexander Duncan & Co., contract for
2,647 00
Extra plumbing
41 89
Furniture
510 63
Window shades
48 10
Labor cleaning
23 40
Total debit
19,680 87
Amount overdrawn
$180 87
Schoolhouse, Ward Two, Account.
CREDIT.
Balance unexpended December 31, 1898
$28,221 47
Transferred from Armory account 1,500 00
Total credit
$29,721 47
DEBIT.
Expenditures : ----
John A. Dodge, contract for construction . Isaac Coffin & Co., contract for heating and ventilating apparatus Prescott & Sidebottom, architects
2,765 00
Furniture
1,089 38
Window shades and fixtures
147 30
Gas service-pipe
16 50
Gas fixtures
32 77
Grading
224 13
Concrete walks
108 55
Labor cleaning
27 00
Total debit
$28,358 88
Balance unexpended
$1,362 59
Schoolhouse, Forster Improvement, Account.
CREDIT.
Appropriation
$35,000 00
DEBIT.
Transferred to Public Library account . $1,500 00
Transferred to Schoolhouse, Highland, Sani-
tary Improvement, account . 350 00
Expenditures :-
Heirs of Samuel M. Pennock, land
1,500 00
Frank G. Coburn & Co., on account of contract for construction · Isaac Coffin & Co., on account of contract for heating and ventilating apparatus .
13,925 00
1,836 00
Amounts carried forward .
$19,111 00
$35,000 00
heating and ventilating apparatus Loring & Phipps, architects' services
907 45
$23,227 50
720 75
360
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Amounts brought forward
·
$19,111 00
$35,000 00
Prescott & Sidebottom, on account of
architects' services
1,062 60
Water service
.
44 75
Furniture
365 61
Labor, cutting trees
20 00
Total debit
$20,603 96
Balance unexpended
$14,396 04
Schoolhouse, Highland, Sanitary Improvement, Account.
CREDIT.
Appropriation
$5,000 00
Transferred from Armory account
1,122 76
Transferred from Schoolhouse, Forster, Im- provement, account
350 00
Receipts :-
Ezra T. Merrill, water used during con- struction
12 25
Total credit
$6,485 01
DEBIT.
Expenditures :-
Ezra T. Merrill, contract for construc- tion ·
$6,000 00
Smith & Anthony Co., contract for heating apparatus .
306 00
Loring & Phipps, plans
157 65
Total debit
$6,463 65
Balance unexpended
$21 36
Schoolhouse, Prescott, Heating and Ventilating, Account.
CREDIT.
Appropriation
$2,483 77
DEBIT.
Expenditure :-
Alexander Duncan & Co., payment on account of con- tract for heating and ventilating apparatus $2,483 77
Armory Account.
CREDIT.
Balance unexpended December 31, 1898 $10,122 76
DEBIT.
Transferred to Schoolhouse, Burns, Addi- tion, account
$7,500 00
Amounts carried forward .
$7,500 00
$10,122 76
.
·
.
361
COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC PROPERTY.
Amounts brought forward
$7,500 00
$10,122 76
Transferred to Schoolhouse, Ward Two, ac- count Transferred to Schoolhouse, Highland, Sani- tary Improvement, account
1,500 00
1,122 76
Total debit
$10,122 76
Public Library Addition Account.
CREDIT.
Appropriation
$15,000 00
provement, account 1,500 00
Total credit
$16,500 00
DEBIT.
Expenditures :-
John J. Coon & Co., on account of con- tract for construction .
$9,000 00
Isaac Coffin & Co., on account of contract for heating and ventilating apparatus . Loring & Phipps, on account of architects' services
1,050 00
391 97
Total debit
$10,441 97
Balance unexpended
$6,058 03
Support of Poor, Almshouse, Account.
CREDIT.
Appropriation
$20,000 00
Transferred from Public Grounds account . 1,000 00
Total credit
DEBIT. $21,000 00
Expenditures :-
Heirs of Levi Russell, payment on account of land and buildings
$12,000 00
Arthur W. Berry, repairs and improve- ments of buildings
980 16
Lumber
314 48
Doors and window-frames
94 41
Lime and cement
18 70
Hardware
28 29
Furnace work
312 60
Plumbing
440 54
Moving building
60 00
Taxes for 1899
307 14
One-half cost of construction of sewer
442 93
Total debit
$14,999 25
Balance unexpended
$6,000 75
Transferred from Schoolhouse, Forster, Im- ·
362
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Expenditures, by This Committee, from Miscellaneous Account.
City Hall Expenses :-
For repairs and improvements of build- ing ·
$305 88
Furniture
96 79
Repairing furniture .
, 13 00
Repairing heating apparatus
36 95
Water
35 56
Fuel
376 63
Electric lighting
961 34
Telephones
343 89
Ice
125 00
Laundry
12 00
Papers
3 00
Supplies
43 70
Labor, cleaning
83 88
Expressing bundles
16 10
Teaming
4 00
City Hall Annex :-
For repairs and improvements of build-
ing
$71 00
Water
8 68
Fuel
132 19
Gas
84
Electric lighting
51 18
Janitors' salaries
455 00
Insurance
50 00
768 89.
Maintenance of city messenger's teams Election Expenses :-
659 80.
For fitting up polling places, repairs of boxes, fittings, etc. . .
$826 18
Care of rooms for registration, caucuses, and elections
139 52
Rent of rooms and halls for caucuses and elections
199 50
1,165 20.
Total expenditures
$5,051 61
.
.
.
Almshouse.
Under authority of Chapter 167 of the Acts of the Legislature of 1899, entitled "An Act to Authorize the City of Somerville to. Take Land for an Almshouse," the estate of the heirs of Levi Russell, situated on Broadway and North street, was acquired by the city for the sum of $18,000, together with the taxes for 1899, amounting to $307.14. This estate is one recommended by the committee of 1898, and its purchase was authorized by the City Council of that year, but was not consummated, owing to the fact that a satisfactory title could not be given.
The estate contains about ten acres of land, with the house, sheds, and barn. The buildings, which were in rather an old and neglected condition, have been thoroughly repaired and reno-
$2,457 72
.
.
363
COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC PROPERTY.
vated, furnished, provided with plumbing and heating apparatus, and fitted up so as to meet, so far as possible, the requirements of the Overseers of the Poor.
The property was formally opened by the Board of Overseers as the "City Home" on November 15, 1899.
The total cost, including land, buildings, improvements, and furnishing, was $23,034.89, of which amount $20,999.25 was cov- ered by a special appropriation by the City Council, the balance being expended from the appropriation for Support of Poor.
Public Library Addition.
Plans and specifications for an addition to the Public Library building, prepared by Loring & Phipps, architects, were adopted by the City Council May 10, and under authority of orders dated June 14, contracts were made with John J. Coon & Co. for con- struction, for the suni of $13,800, and with Isaac Coffin & Co. for heating and ventilating apparatus, for the sum of $1,789.
The addition is built on the rear of the original structure, and is in style and capacity similar to it. A stack room of the same size as the one first erected extends parallel to it from the main building, with an area between the two of sufficient size to permit of the loading and unloading of books and boxes from the sev -. eral branch libraries. In the basement of the new part a room is to be set apart and fitted for a children's room, and on the main floor much more space is to be given to desk room for receiving and delivering books. The same style of finish to to be continued throughout the new part as in the old.
It is anticipated that the building, with the exception of the new stack room, will be ready for occupancy early in the year.
Albion A. Perry School.
The work on this building, which was commenced in 1898, has been continued by John A. Dodge, the contractor for con- struction, and was completed and accepted by the city September 8, 1899. The contract for heating and ventilating apparatus was made with Isaac Coffin & Co. for the sum of $2,765.
As was stated in the report of last year, this building, al- though only a six-room building, is so constructed and located that an enlargement to twelve or even eighteen rooms can be made at any time, should the requirements of the district de- mand it.
The total cost of the land and building, heating and ventilat- ing apparatus. furniture, fittings, grading, etc., was $38,301.41.
Schoolhouse, Burns, Addition.
By an order dated March 8, 1899, plans prepared by Loring & Phipps, architects, were adopted for the addition of four rooms
364
ANNUAL REPORTS.
to the Burns Schoolhouse on Cherry street, and under authority of the City Council, contracts have been made with Fessenden & Libby for construction, for the sum of $15,331, and with Alex- ander Duncan & Co., for heating and ventilating apparatus, for the sum of $2,647.
In addition to the four extra schoolrooms afforded, an im- proved sanitary system has been introduced by the addition of a small separate building for toilet rooms, access to which is had by passageways from the corridors of each floor.
The heating apparatus of the old part of the building has been thoroughly repaired, old sanitary apparatus removed, and the building put in good condition to make it harmonize with the new addition.
The total cost of the addition, heating and ventilating appa- ratus, furniture etc., was $19,680.87.
Schoolhouse, Forster, Annex
In the annual report of the School Committee for 1898 a rec- ommendation was made for the erection of a six-room building on the Forster Schoolhouse lot, and the Committee on Public Property of 1899 took the matter under advisement. Under authority of the City Council, Prescott & Sidebottom, architects, were requested to submit sketches for such a building, but it was found, after careful consideration, to be inexpedient to attempt its erection unless additional land should be acquired. This being reported to the City Council, authority was granted for the pur- chase of additional land, and the lot adjoining the southwesterly side of the Forster School lot was secured. This lot, containing about 3.120 square feet, being the rear of the estate numbered 109 Sycamore street, was purchased of the heirs of Samuel M. Pen- nock, for the sum of $1,500.
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