USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1899 > Part 31
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By an order dated May 24, 1899, plans prepared by Prescott & Sidebottom, architects, were adopted for a six-room building, and under authority of orders dated June 14, contracts were made with Frank G. Coburn & Co. for construction, for the sum of $24,900, and with Isaac Coffin & Co. for heating and ventilating apparatus, for the sum of $3,436.
This building will be completed and ready for occupancy in the spring of 1900.
Schoolhouse, Highland, Sanitary Improvement.
During the past year the old sanitary building at the High- land Schoolhouse, which has been a source of annoyance to the school department for a number of years, has been removed, and an addition constructed containing sanitary apparatus of the most approved kind.
The new sanitary addition is two stories in height, with pass-
365
COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC PROPERTY.
ageways connecting with the stair landings of the first and second stories of the main building, and is heated by a separate system.
The plans were prepared by Loring & Phipps, architects, and under authority of orders dated June 21, 1899, contracts were made with E. T. Merrill & Co., for the sum of $6,000, for construc- tion, and with the Smith & Anthony Company, for the sum of $306, for heating apparatus.
The addition was completed and accepted by the committee October 12, 1899. The total cost was $6,485.
Miscellaneous Improvements.
At the Prescott Schoolhouse extensive repairs have been made. Owing to the changes necessitated by the introduction of new heating apparatus in 1898, the woodwork, walls, and ceilings were in bad condition, and these have been thoroughly repaired, walls painted, ceilings tinted, floors relaid, and alterations made on the third floor.
At the Pope Schoolhouse, in addition to the general neces- sary repairs, the walls have been painted and ceilings tinted throughout the building.
At the English High Schoolhouse it has been found neces- sary to use the large hall on the upper floor for class purposes, and, by special authority of the City Council, the sum of $1,000 has been expended for extra seatings.
The Harvard and Franklin school buildings, which were abandoned for school purposes, have been disposed of and re- moved, and the Franklin and Webster school lots turned over to the control of the Committee on Public Grounds for public play- grounds.
The usual repairs have been made at the several schoolhouses and public buildings, a detailed statement of which will be found . in the report of the Superintendent of Public Buildings.
, For the Committee,
SILAS L. CUMMINGS, Chairman. WILLIAM P. MITCHELL, Clerk.
REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
OFFICE OF SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS, December 30, 1899.
To the Honorable, the Mayor, and the Board of Aldermen :-
Gentlemen,-In compliance with City Ordinance No. 19, Section S, this report is respectfully submitted.
Repairs, alterations, and additions have been made during the past season at the several city buildings as follows :-
Luther V. Bell School .- Furniture and heating apparatus re- paired.
Bennett School .- Furniture and heating apparatus repaired ; blackboards reslated.
Bingham School .- New shades in four rooms, and such re- pairs as were needed.
Burns School .- An addition of four rooms was made to old building, improved ventilating and heating in old part, as well as new, and new method of sanitation, making one of the finest buildings in the city.
Martin W. Carr School .- Concreting and grading of lawns ; whitewashing basement, and such repairs as were needed.
Cedar Street School .- This school was discontinued at the opening of the term in September. The building is now used for storage of material from other buildings.
Cummings School .- Heating apparatus and plumbing re- paired ; new concrete walks laid; basement whitewashed; new conductors ; furniture varnished.
Davis School .- New storm windows were furnished ; ventilat- ing improved ; boys' basement painted and whitewashed ; heating apparatus repaired, and furniture varnished.
George W. Durell School .- Small repairs were needed.
Edgerly School .- Heating apparatus repaired; ventilating improved ; furniture scraped and varnished ; plumbing repaired, and office painted.
Forster School .- Heating apparatus, blackboards, and plumb- ing repaired ; picture mouldings placed in room; furniture scraped and varnished.
Franklin School .- The building has been sold and the land turned over to the Public Grounds Committee, who have made a fine park and children's playground.
Jacob T. Glines School .- Heating apparatus repaired ; furni- ture cleaned and varnished, and roof repaired.
Sanford Hanscom School .- Grounds graded; lawn seeded down. Few repairs were needed.
367
SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
Harvard School .- Old building discontinued and sold in Sep- tember.
English High School .- Roof repaired; furniture varnished ; lecture hall changed to schoolrooms; outside repairs on stone and brick.
Latin High School .- Roofs, heating apparatus, and furniture repaired.
Highland School .-- Heating apparatus and furniture repaired ; blackboards reslated ; walls painted and new sanitaries erected on rear of building ; new teachers' room and principal's office in new part ; new sanitaries of latest improved make.
William H. Hodgkins School .- Few repairs needed. New furniture in the room which was changed from kindergarten to higher grade.
Jackson School .- Roof shingled; new fence around lot; stoves and plumbing repaired; walls and ceilings painted and tinted ; new walks in yard.
O. S. Knapp School .- Heating apparatus, fence, and brick work repaired; furniture repaired and varnished; blackboards repaired, and some reslated.
Lincoln School .- Plumbing and steam heating repaired.
Morse School .- Furniture and heating apparatus repaired ; blackboards reslated; new closet in teachers' room; outside woodwork painted ; new conductors.
Charles G. Pope School .- Walls painted and ceilings whitened ; furniture scraped and varnished; heating apparatus repaired ; the old Smede system of ventilating has been changed by provid- ing separate ducts for the schoolrooms, which has improved the system very much.
Prescott School .- New floors and stairs throughout building ; walls painted and ceilings tinted ; all woodwork varnished; ven- tilators on roof repaired ; new office for principal and new room for teachers ; furniture varnished; blackboards, plastering, and plumbing repaired ; new shades at all the windows.
Prospect Hill School .- Furnaces and plumbing repaired ; blackboards reslated and inside woodwork varnished.
Albion A. Perry School .- This is a new building of six rooms, erected on Washington street, Ward Two, finely equipped with all modern furniture, steam heating apparatus, and the best known methods of ventilating. There are rooms in the basement for voting purposes when needed.
An annex to the Forster School is being constructed, which will be ready to use the first of February, 1900. This is a six- room building, with all modern improvements, steam heat, etc.
Respectfully submitted,
FREDERICK C. FULLER,
Superintendent of Public Buildings.
REPORT OF THE INSPECTOR OF BUILDINGS.
OFFICE OF INSPECTOR OF BUILDINGS, SOMERVILLE, MASS., January 25, 1900.
To His Honor, the Mayor, and the Board of Aldermen :-
Gentlemen,-In accordance with city ordinance, the follow- ing report of this department for the year ending December 31, 1899, is respectfully submitted.
The number of building permits issued during the year was 315, covering 358 buildings, classified as follows :-
WARDS.
TOTALS.
Single dwellings
9
15
50
119
193
Double dwelling blocks
Alterations and additions
27
11
20
28
86
Stores
5
6
12
7
30
Shops
1
2
2
B
8
Offices
1
· .
. .
1
2
Stores and tenements
1
2
1
1
5
Sheds
3
4
5
4
16
Storehouses
1
1
·
1
3
Manufactories
1
1
1
.
·
.
.
· ·
1
51
43
97
167
358
Families
38
38
95
119
290
1
2
3
4
Stables
2
1
1
2
6
1
1
1
1 3
Frequent examinations have been made of buildings in course of construction or alteration, and in all cases of faulty con- struction, violation of ordinance, or danger from fire, the owners and builders have, on notice, complied with the orders of the In- spector.
City buildings have been erected, or additions made thereto, as follows :-
New fire station finished on Holland street, Ward Four.
A four-room addition, with improved sanitaries, at the Burns School.
2
Brick buildings
2
3
Halls
1
369
INSPECTOR OF BUILDINGS.
A six-room annex, nearly completed, in yard of Forster School.
An addition to Public Library of reading and work rooms; also a stack room, without inside finish.
The buildings of the Russell estate on Broadway, near Ale- wife brook, bought and remodeled, and fitted with all modern im- provements, baths, laundry, etc., for almshouse.
Valuable assistance was rendered by the Chief of Police in having patrolmen call for permits, when on duty, from builders who start foundations before taking out same, giving the Inspec- tor opportunity to examine work while in process of construc- tion.
The number of plumbing permits issued during the year
was 457
Permits for plumbing in new buildings 190 .
Permits for plumbing in old buildings 251
Number of buildings in which pipes were tested with water
398
The Inspector has kept himself informed of the condition of the plumbing as the buildings have progressed, and, as necessity has required, has given directions how the work should be done.
The following is the number of licenses and renewals of li- censes issued to plumbers during the year, under the Acts of 1893 and 1894, and receipts for the same paid to the City Treasurer :-
Number of master plumbers' licenses issued, 7 . $14 00
Number of journeymen plumbers' licenses issued, 5 . 2 50
Number of master plumbers' licenses renewed, 22 11 00
Number of journeymen plumbers' licenses renewed, 24 12 00
Applications for master plumbers' licenses rejected, 2. $39 50
Respectfully submitted,
FREDERICK C. FULLER, Inspector of Buildings.
REPORT OF INSPECTOR OF MILK AND VINEGAR.
OFFICE OF INSPECTOR OF MILK AND VINEGAR, 50 MORRISON STREET, SOMERVILLE, December 29, 1899.
To His Honor, the Mayor, and the Board of Aldermen :-
Gentlemen,-I present herewith my report as Inspector of Milk and Vinegar for the year ending December 31, 1899.
Licenses have been issued to 145 dealers in milk, and the proprietors of 110 stores and markets have been registered to sell milk the past year. There are at the present time 260 stores and markets where milk is sold in this city. I have received $127.50 in license fees, and turned the same over to the City Treasurer.
I have spoken in former reports of the unsatisfactory manner of selling milk in stores, and the complaints that come from pur- chasers that they are being sold a poor article, which by no means follows. Often the best part of the cream goes with the first half of the can, and the next three or four customers believe they are buying skimmed milk, which fact is not far from correct in many cases, as no two get a fair average of the whole can. Some stores have adopted the only fair, as well as the only sanitary, method of keeping their milk in a separate tank refrigerator, where the milk is dipped out with a long-handled measure, the whole mass being thoroughly stirred at each sale, and it is kept, also, from absorb- ing noxious odors from ice chests that contain great varieties of provisions, from fish that is not so fresh to beef that is often too aged to be appetizing. From my experience, I am of the opinion that many cases of typhoid fever and diphtheria may be the result of the unsanitary conditions under which milk is often kept after leaving the producer. It is a well-known fact that no article of food will absorb impurities quicker than milk; and no article of food is more healthful in the family if kept under proper sanitary conditions.
The dealers licensed in this city dispense 15,798 gallons daily to their customers. While the number licensed was less than last year, the daily sales of each are thirteen gallons more. I have taken from different dealers in all parts of the city 525 samples of milk, testing each with the lactoscope, which shows the per cent. of fat or cream; also taking the specific gravity, which is sup- posed to detect any liquid adulteration. I have kept a record of each sample, and sent warning notices to those whose milk I con-
371
INSPECTOR OF MILK AND VINEGAR.
sidered below the standard. The tests for cream show a falling off from the average of last year, owing, doubtless, to the unpre- cedented dry season in this section of New England, necessitating the feeding of the cows on green crops, as corn fodder, millet, and Hungarian grass, which lack the rich nutrition of the natural pas- ture grasses. Milk, to be of standard quality, must show for seven months thirteen per cent. milk solids and for five months twelve per cent. solids, of which three per cent. should be fat. The State Board of Health classes milk that is not up to the standard in solids, or which has color added, or contains any pre- servative preparation, as adulterated.
As last year, I kept office hours in May at Union, Gilman, and Davis squares for the convenience of dealers in renewing their annual licenses, as the law requires them to take these out in that month ; but many neglect that important regulation, and linger through June and July before renewing their licenses.
As last year, I have had no complaint in regard to vinegar, and have had none analyzed, as I have reason to believe that most of that used in this city is of the standard quality.
This department will, under the new city charter, be under the management of the Board of Health, where it rightfully belongs, and I hope it will be given increased facilities for doing more fully what the law intended should be accomplished.
Respectfully submitted,
CHARLES S. PHILBRICK, Inspector.
REPORT OF THE SEALER OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.
1
OFFICE OF SEALER OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES, 42 SARGENT AVENUE, SOMERVILLE, January 1, 1900.
To His Honor, the Mayor, and the Board of Aldermen :-
The following report of the Sealer of Weights and Measures for the year ending December 31, 1899, is respectfully sub- mitted :-
Number of weights and measures tested and sealed :-
Scales
1,124
Weights
3,261
Dry measures
·
1,461
Liquid measures
40,491
Yardsticks
107
Coal baskets
64
Coal bins
2
46,510
Number of weights and measures adjusted and sealed :-
Scales
65
Weights
28
Dry measures .
3
Scales tagged
38
Scales tagged and removed .
24
Number condemned :-
Scales
20
Weights
5
Dry measures
48
Liquid measures
1,764
Coal baskets
3
1,840
.
·
·
·
15
Total 48,508
Notice was given through the Somerville papers for all parties using scales, weights, or measures for the purpose of buy- ing or selling to bring them to the office to be tested ; and in June, July. August, and September the Sealer visited all places in Som- erville where goods were bought or sold, and tested and sealed all found correct, and condemned all found beyond repair and use- less.
Three hundred and forty pedlers and junk collectors have
373
SEALER OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.
come to the office with their scales and measures to be tested, and get certificates, which they require to procure permits or licenses. This plan works well, as it gives the Sealer a record of these parties.
The permit business, I think, needs a change. The permit is now good for an indefinite time. A pedler can take out a permit this year, leave the business for two or three years, and then go peddling again on the old permit. I think it should run but one year, the same as the licenses. I have held up pedlers on the street with permits dated 1890; these men should be obliged to register every year.
I renew my recommendation of 1897, that a team should be furnished the Sealer for at least six months in the year, and a helper for three months of each year, as two men are required to do certain parts of the work. A proper office, also, should be provided. The present office is in a building of my own, 12x18 feet in size, which is too small, as frequently from 200 to 1,000 cans or bottles must be left outside.
The business of this department is increasing rapidly. In 1897, my first year as sealer, I made 9,722 tests ; in 1899 the num- ber of tests was 48,508, and I do not see why this number should not be doubled within the next two years. The salary, also, is in- adequate, and should be increased.
Expenses and receipts for the year 1899 are as follows :-
Printing notices in Somerville Journal and Citizen and 200 postal notices
$13 35
1.000 tags, 1.000 certificates 7 50
Postage, $1.00, can straightener, $.75, acid for marking glass, $4.15 5 90
Record books, street and office books
20 70
Testing scale and weights
72 68
Man and team
126 00
Salary
600 00
Fees received and paid to treasurer :-
Cash received for sealing
$317 49
Cash received for adjusting
4 63
Cash received for witness fees
1 20
Cash received for fines
25 00
Cash received for fines or due from police
court
25 00
Net expense to city .
472 81
$846 13
$846 13
JOHN H. DUSSEAULT, Sealer of Weights and Measures.
REPORT OF THE CITY SOLICITOR.
SOMERVILLE, February 8, 1900.
To His Honor, the Mayor, and the Board of Aldermen :-
Gentlemen,-The following is my report as City Solicitor for the year 1899 :-
Cases in Court .- There have been about forty-five cases in which the city was interested. One land damage case was settled for $815 ; another was tried and a finding rendered in favor of the city. Four suits for highway accidents were settled for $2,325; one was tried and a verdict rendered against the city for $325, for which the city will probably be indemnified ; two others were con- tested, and have been abandoned by the plaintiffs. Two suits for abatement of taxes were settled for $55; two others were con- tested, and will probably be abandoned. Two suits brought in behalf of the city, one for money expended in the relief of a pauper, and the other for the collection of taxes, have been dis- posed of favorably to the city.
Legislative Matters .- A bill drawn in consultation with the City Engineer was passed by the legislature, authorizing the construction of a drain by the city into Miller's river, subject to the approval of the state board of health and the board of har- bor and land commissioners. An adverse decision has been ren- dered by the state board of health, but the matter will probably be presented to it again in a modified form for approval. A bill was drawn for establishing a triangular lot of land on the top of Winter hill as a public park, and was passed by the legislature. In order to obviate defects in the title of certain land desired for almshouse purposes, a bill was drawn authorizing the city to take the same by right of eminent domain, and was passed by the leg- islature, and land was taken under the act by the City Council, and an agreement was made with the owners to protect the city from liability. A bill was drawn for establishing the West Som- erville parkway and passed by the legislature, land was taken by the City Council, releases from the owners of land taken were se- cured, and an examination made of their titles as far as seemed necessary. I consulted with those who were interested in secur- ing from the legislature the bill for the new city charter, and suggested several changes, which were adopted.
Having learned that a bill was pending before the legislature making it compulsory for the aldermen of cities to grant licenses
1
375
CITY SOLICITOR.
for blasting in ledges, I opposed the bill before the legislative committee having it in charge, and it was reported on unfavorably by the committee and was rejected. A year ago, when requested by the city government to take legal proceedings for enforcing the ordinance relating to the prevention of blasting in ledges by persons who had failed to receive a license from the Board of Aldermen, after an investigation of the law, I came to the conclu- sion that there was no effective method for securing such enforce- ment, and this year drew a bill providing for the enforcement of the ordinance by means of injunction, such as is provided in re- gard to regulations of the Board of Health. The bill was acted on favorably by a committee of the legislature, and has become a law.
During the year consultations have been held with various officers and boards of the city in regard to matters in which they were concerned, perhaps the most important being that of pro- viding for the construction of underground conduits for telephone wires. Various matters before the county commissioners have received attention, among them being the proposed alterations in the Beacon-street bridge over the Fitchburg Railroad Company's tracks, in regard to which an agreement was secured from the railroad company relieving the city from expense for the same.
An agreement was secured from Charles Eliot Norton and others for the removal of a stone wall on Beacon street.
Petitions have been brought for the abolition of five grade crossings in highways against the Fitchburg Railroad Company and the Boston & Albany Railroad Company, and are now pend- ing in court.
Your attention is called to the fact that the authority con- ferred by Chapter 253 of the Acts of the Legislature for the year 1898 to take land for a park on Prospect hill expires April 1, 1901, and that there is some doubt whether the authority to assess bet- terments does not expire during the coming year, so that an addi- tional act in the nature of an amendment seems desirable, if the park is to be laid out as originally intended.
Very respectfully, FRANK W. KAAN, City Solicitor.
REPORT OF THE CITY CLERK.
OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK, January 25, 1900.
To His Honor, the Mayor, and the Board of Aldermen :-
Gentlemen,-The following is respectfully submitted as the twenty-eighth annual report of the City Clerk of the city of Som- erville, and is for the year ending December 31, 1899 :-
The receipts and payments were as follows :-
Receipts.
Balance from year 1898, being for dog li- censes issued in December, 1898 :-
117 males at $2.00 .
$234 00
17 females at $5.00
85 00
$319 00
Less city clerk's fees paid to the city treas-
urer in December, 1898, 134 at $.20 26 80
$292 20
For dog licenses issued in 1899 :-
1,240 males at $2.00
$2,480 00
175 females at $5.00
875 00
11 spayed at $2.00 .
22 00
3,377 00
Recording mortgages, assignments, etc., 634 papers
$383 00
Certificates of marriage intentions, 600
at $.50
300 00
Furnishing copies of records
28 50
Licenses :-
To collect junk, 39 at $2.00
78 00
To keep junk store, 1 at $10.00
10 00
To keep second-hand store, 1 at $10.00 .
10 00
For intelligence offices, 10 at $2.00 . .
20 00
For billiard and pool tables and bowling alleys, 38 licenses, for 30 tables and 8 alleys, at $2.00 76 00
For recording and issuing liquor li- censes, 25 at $1.00 . ·
25 00
For night lunch wagon stand, 1 .
2 00
To private detectives, 3 at $10.00
30 00
To auctioneers, 25 at $2.00
50 00
To sell fireworks, 72 at $1.00
72 00
For amusements, 1 (tent show), $50.00, 45 at $1.00, $45.00 95 00
Amounts carried forward $1,179 50
$3,669 20
377
CITY CLERK.
Amounts brought forward .
$3,669 20
To street musicians, 59 persons at $.50
3 00
1,212 00
Total receipts
$4,881 20
Payments.
To Joseph O. Hayden, county treasurer, June 1 and December 1, receipts for dog licenses from December 1, 1898, to November 30, 1899, both inclusive :-
$2,696 00
190 females at $5.00
950 00
11 spayed at $2.00
22 00
Less city clerk's fees, 1,549 at $.20
309 80
$3,358 20
To John F. Cole, city treasurer, monthly :- City clerk's fees for issuing and recording dog licenses, 1,426 at $.20
$285 20
All the receipts above specified, except for dog licenses
1,212 00
1,497 20
Total payments
$4,855 40
Balance January 1, 1900, being for dog li- censes issued in December :-
9 males at $2.00
$18 00
2 females at $5.00 .
10 00
$28 00
Less city clerk's fees paid to city treasurer,
11 at $.20
2 20
$25 80
Births.
Number of births in Somerville in 1899 registered
1,509
Less than previous year
10
Males
796
Females
713
Born of American parents
481
Born of foreign parents
690
Born of American father and foreign mother .
163
Born of foreign father and American mother .
161
Born of American mother and father of unknown nationality
3
Born of foreign mother and father of unknown nationality .
8
Parents of unknown nationality
3
Number of cases of twins .
17
Marriages.
Number of intention certificates issued in 1899
600
More than previous year
33
Marriages registered
627
More than previous year
.
32
.
$1,179 50 29 50
To slaughter cattle, 3 at $1.00 .
1,348 males at $2.00
$3,668 00
378
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Both parties American
. 302
Both parties foreign
167
American groom and foreign bride
89
Foreign groom and American bride
69
First marriage of
1,130
Second marriage of
119
Third marriage of
4
Fourth marriage of
1
627 couples.
Deaths.
Number of deaths in Somerville in 1899
801
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