Report of the city of Somerville 1900, Part 26

Author: Somerville (Mass.)
Publication date: 1900
Publisher: Somerville, Mass.
Number of Pages: 546


USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1900 > Part 26


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38


Wellington ave.


Public.


40


110


Mountain ave.


Porter st.


Private.


22


.


* Proposed.


LENGTH.


. .


Medford


314


ANNUAL REPORTS.


Table Showing the Location, Length, and Width of Public and Private Streets .- Continued.


STREET.


FROM


To


Public or Private.


Width in Feet.


Public.


Priv e


Nashua .


Richardson st.


B. & L. R. R. .


Private.


35


....


Nevada ave.


Village st.


Hanson st. .


Private.


20


....


Newberne .


Appleton st.


Morrison ave.


Public.


40


200


Newbury


Holland st.


Cambridge line


Public.


40


1,250


Newman pl.


Cedar st. .


Southeasterly


Private.


10+


100


Newton pl.


Newton st.


Easterly .


Private.


about 10


100


Newton .


Prospect st.


Webster ave.


Public.


25


470


..


Newton .


Webster ave.


Concord ave.


Public.


40++


650


. .


Norfolk .


Webster ave.


Cambridge line


Public.


40


200


....


North


Broadway .


Medford line


Public.


40


2,550


North Union


Mystic ave.


Northeasterly


Private.


30


....


600


Norton


Nashua st.


Southeasterly


Private.


20


200


Norwood ave.


Broadway .


Medford st. .


Public.


40


350


..


..


Oak


Prospect st.


Angle .


Public.


40


670


..


..


Oak


Angle


Cambridge line


Public.


30


563


....


Oak St. pl. .


Oak st.


Northerly


Private.


4


..


85


Oakland ave.


Marshall st.


School st.


Public.


40


440


155


Olive sq.


Lake st.


Southerly


Private.


about 15


100


Oliver


Franklin st.


Cross st.


Public.


40)


1,050


. .


Orchard .


Cambridge line


Meacham st.


Public.


40


1,625


Osgood


Granite st.


Easterly & west'ly


Private.


40


450


Otis


Cross st.


Wigglesworth st.


Public.


40


1,200


..


..


Oxford


School st.


Central st.


Public.


35


1,361


. ..


Oxford


Beacon st.


Cambridge line


Public.


50


100


....


Packard ave.


Broadway .


Medford line


Private.


60


Palmer ave.


Franklin st.


Northwesterly


Private.


20


..


200


Park ave.


College ave.


Wallace st.


Public.


40


450


..


Park pl.


Laurel st.


Easterly


Private.


30


Park pl.


Park pl. .


Northeasterly


Private.


20


150


Park .


Somerville ave.


Beacon st.


Public.


50


1,300


....


Parker pl.


Porter st. .


Northwesterly


Private.


20


. .


..


200


Partridge ave.


Vernon st.


Broadway


Public.


40


1,457


100


Paulina


Broadway .


Holland st.


Private.


40


...


775.


Pearl .


Crescent st.


Mt. Vernon st.


Public.


40


300


Pearl .


Mt. Vernon st.


Franklin st.


Public.


50


950


....


Pearl .


Franklin st.


Cross st.


Public.


40


1,025


. .


Pearl .


Cross st.


Medford st.


Public.


50


2,475


Pearl St. pl.


Pearl st.


Northeasterly


Private.


20


200


Pearl ter.


Pearl st.


Northerly


Private.


23


161


Pearson ave.


Morrison ave.


Boston ave.


Private.


45


1,300


Pearson road


Broadway .


Professors' row


Private.


40


..


. .


. .


....


440


Perkins pl.


Perkins st.


Northeasterly


Private.


20


200


Perkins .


Franklin st.


Charlestown line .


Public.


40


1,350


Perry


Washington st


Lincoln parkway .


Public.


40


606


Peterson ter.


Porter


Northwesterly Southeasterly


Private.


13++


....


125


Pinckney


Washington st.


Perkins st.


Public.


40


1,170


Pitman


Beech st.


Spring st.


Private.


30


380


Pitman


Spring st.


Belmont st.


Private.


26


390:


Pleasant ave.


Walnut st.


Vinal ave.


Public.


40


470


Poplar ct.


Poplar st.


Southeasterly


Private.


10


..


Poplar


Somerville ave.


Linwood st.


Private.


30


. .


350


Poplar


Linwood st.


Joy st.


Private.


35


. .


220


Porter pl.


Porter st. .


Northwesterly .


Private.


20


Porter


Elm st.


Mountain ave.


Public.


45


1,530


..


Porter


Mountain ave.


Highland ave. .


Public.


40


425


..


Powder house


Powder house


Northwesterly,


Mystic river and Medford line .


Public


80


7,200


..


..


. .


. .


1,654


Pembroke ct.


Pembroke st.


Southwesterly


Private.


25


..


130


Pembroke


Central st.


Sycamore st.


Private.


40


155


Pinckney pl.


Pinckney st.


Private.


24


80


Porter ave.


Porter st. .


Northwesterly


Private.


20


. .


195


Parker


Washington st. .


Fremont ave.


Private.


35


Patten ct.


Cutter st. .


Southeasterly


Private.


8


..


..


220


Olive ave.


Linden ave.


Southeasterly


Private.


25


....


640


200


....


....


300


boulevard


square


LENGTH.


2,000


150


315


CITY ENGINEER.


Table Showing the Location, Length, and Width of Public and Private Streets .- Continued.


STREET.


FROM


To


Public or Private.


Width in Feet.


Public. Private.


Prescott


Summer st.


Highland ave. .


Public.


50


1,050


Preston


School st.


Summer st.


Public.


40


800


Pritchard ave.


Morrison ave.


Boston ave.


Private.


40


Princeton


Alpine st.


Lowell st.


Public.


40


657


Princeton


Lowell st.


Centre st.


Private.


40


....


460


Professors' row


College ave.


Curtis st.


Private.


40


1,900


Prospect


Washington st.


Cambridge line


Public.


50


2,050


Prospect Hill av.


Medford st.


Munroe st.


Public.


40


450


. .


Prospect pl.


Prospect st.


E. Newton st.


Private.


20


130


Putnam .


Summer st.


Highland ave.


Public.


50


1,240


..


..


Quincy


Somerville ave.


Summer st.


Public.


40


700


....


Randolph pl. .


Cross st.


Westerly .


Private.


15


244


Raymond ave.


Curtis st.


North st.


Public.


40


1,345


Record's pl.


Broadway


Southwesterly


Private.


10


Reed's ct. .


Oliver st.


Southwesterly


Private.


20


... .


...


....


480


Richardson ter.


Richardson st.


Northeasterly


Private.


20


135


Richdale ave.


School st.


Sycamore st.


Public.


40


875


Richmond hi'h'ds


Madison st.


Southerly


Private.


30


...


150


Roberts .


Lawrence st.


Northwesterly


Private.


20


....


170


Robinson


Central st.


Bartlett st.


Public.


40


582


Rogers ave.


Morrison ave.


Broadway


Private.


45


Roseland


Beacon st.


Cambridge line


Public.


40


100 -


Rossmore


Somerville ave.


Washington st.


Public.


40


534


...


Royce pl.


Bonair st.


Northeasterly


Private.


15+


175


Rush .


Broadway .


Flint st.


Public.


40


1,400


1,193


Russell .


Elm st.


Cambridge line


Public.


40


700


..


Sacramento


Somerville ave.


Fitchburg R. R.


Public.


40


80


....


Sacramento


Fitchburg R. R.


Beacon st.


Public.


40


290


Sacramento


Beacon st.


Cambridge line


Private.


40


156


Sanborn ave.


Warren ave.


Walnut st.


Public.


40


280


....


Sargent ave.


Broadway .


Walnut st.


Public.


40


1,082


400


Sawyer ave.


Packard ave.


Curtis st.


Private.


40


1,870


. .


School


Highland ave.


Broadway


Public.


50


2,500


120


Seven Pines ave


Cameron ave.


Cambridge line


Private.


40


80


Sewall ct.


Sewall st. .


Southwesterly .


Private.


25


..


190


Sewall


Grant st.


Temple st.


Public.


40


615


Shawmut pl.


Shawmut st.


Alston St.


Private.


30


....


200


Shawmut


Washington st.


Cross st.


Public.


40


550


310


Sherman pl.


Sargent ave. .


Marshall st.


Private.


10


250


Sherman


Somerville ave.


Frost ave.


Private.


35


..


..


270


Sibley ct.


Cutter st. .


Northwesterly .


Private.


10


.


..


..


100


Simpson ave.


Broadway .


Holland st.


Private.


40


825


Skehan


Dane st.


Durham st.


Private.


30


..


. .


200


Snow pl.


Belmont st.


Easterly


Private.


30


75


Snow pl.


Snow pl.


N'th'ly and S'th'y.


Private.


20


222


Snow ter.


Jaques st.


Southwesterly


Private.


16


120


Somerville ave.


Union sq.


N. Camb. line


Public.


70


6,800


..


..


South


Medford st.


Water st.


Public.


30


989


Spencer ave.


Cedar st.


Fanning ave.


Private.


40


....


Spring ct.


Somerville ave.


Westerly .


Private.


20


..


200


Spring


Somerville ave.


Summer st.


Public.


40


1,200


. .


. .


Springfield


Concord ave.


Cambridge line


Public.


40


800


Spring Hill ter.


Highland ave.


Belmont st.


Private.


20


670


Stanford ter. .


Beacon st.


Northeasterly


Private.


20


.. ..


200


..


540


Professors' row


Boston ave.


College ave.


Private.


50


...


. .


Sartwell ave.


Cedar st.


Cherry st.


Private.


35


690


School


Somerville ave.


Highland ave.


Public.


40


Sellon pl.


Marshall st.


Northwesterly .


Private.


12


Shedd


Somerville ave.


Merriam ave


Private.


40


..


..


100


Sibley pl.


Cutter st.


Northwesterly


Private.


10


720


Smith ave.


Beacon st.


Line st.


Private.


25-+


4,300


..


..


Somerville ave.


E. Camb. line


Union sq.


Public.


75


105


Remick ct.


Cutter st.


Southeasterly


Private.


10


100


Richardson


Lowell st.


Lawrence st.


Private.


35


Russell road


Broadway .


North st. .


Private.


40


LENGTH.


...


1,145


727


110


1,700


316


ANNUAL REPORTS.


Table Showing the Location, Length, and Width of Public and Private Streets .- Continued.


STREET.


FROM


To


Public or Private.


Width in Feet.


Public.


Private.


Stickney ave. .


Marshall st.


School st.


Public.


40


458


. . . .


St. James ave.


Elm st.


Summer st.


Public.


40


488


..


Stone ave.


Union sq.


Columbus ave. .


Public.


40


676


Stone pl.


Stone ave.


Southeasterly


Private.


30


145


Summer


Bow st.


Elm st.


Public.


45


7,700


Summit ave.


Walnut st.


Vinal ave.


Public.


45


470


Summit .


College ave.


Billingham st.


Public.


40


262


Sumner


Lawrence st.


Northwesterly


Private.


20


175


Sunnyside ave.


Walnut st.


Wigglesworth st. Medford st.


Public.


45


1,250


..


Sycamore


Medford st.


B. & L. R R. .


Public.


40


582


Sycamore


B. & L. R. R.


Highland ave. .


Private


33


720


Sydney .


Wheatland st.


Temple st.


Private.


40


925


Talbot ave.


Packard ave.


College ave. .


Private.


50


1,409


Taunton.


Wyatt st.


Easterly to angle


Private.


30


170


Taunton


Angle


Marion st.


Private.


20


....


200


Taylor


Mystic ave.


Sydney st.


Private.


40


310


Temple .


Broadway


Mystic ave.


Public.


66


1,540


400


Tennyson


Forster st.


Pembroke st,


Public.


40


864


Thorndike


Holland st.


Arl'ngt'n Br. R. R.


Public.


40


465


115


Thorpe pl.


Highland ave.


Southwesterly


Private.


30


1,660


150


Tower


Crown st.


Highland ave.


Public.


40


559


75


Tremont


Webster ave.


Cambridge line .


Public.


40


589


Trull


Vernon st.


Medford st.


Public.


40


1,050


200


Trull lane


Highland ave.


Oxford st.


Private.


15


...


150


Tufts


Washington st. .


Cross st. .


Public.


40


940


Tyler


Vine st.


Dane st.


Public.


40


404


Unnamed st.


P'wd'r h'se blvd.


Southwesterly


Private.


40


. .


Unnamed st.


Mystic ave


Middlesex ave.


Private.


40


....


433


Unnamed st.


Mystic ave.


Middlesex ave.


Private.


40


. ..


...


706


Union


Broadway


Mystic ave.


Public. .


40


33 |


Union pl.


Linwood st.


Southwesterly


Private.


10


100


Upland Park


Main st. .


Southwesterly


Private.


20


. .


Veazie


Walnut st.


Bradley st.


Private.


40


650


Vernon


Central st.


Jenny Lind ave.


Public.


40


740


Vernon


Jenny Lind ave.


Lowell st.


Private.


30


600


Victoria


Broadway


Cambridge line


Private.


40


..


1,036


Villa ave.


Winslow ave.


Arlington B. R. R.


Private.


35


...


..


370


Vinal ave.


Summer st.


Highland ave.


Public.


45


1,400


200


Vine ct.


Vine st.


Northwesterly .


Private.


25


....


140


Vine .


Somerville ave.


Hanson st.


Private.


40


....


780


Vine


Hanson st.


Beacon st.


Private.


25


650


Virginia


Aldrich st.


Jasper st.


Public.


40


405


. .


Wade ct.


Cedar st. .


Westerly .


Private.


20


....


180


Waldo ave.


Beacon st.


Dimick st.


Private.


40


277


Waldo


Highland ave.


Hudson st.


Public.


40


287


..


. .


Wallace .


Holland st.


Broadway


Public.


40


1,350


Walnut


Bow st.


Broadway


Public.


40


3,830


. .


Walter pl.


Walter st.


Southwesterly


Private.


40


. .


Walter


Walnut st.


of Bradley st.


Ward


Medford st.


Earl st.


Private.


30


....


Ware .


Curtis st.


Northwesterly


Private.


40


....


700


. .


95


Taylor pl.


Somerville ave.


Southerly


Private.


15


..


Tenney ct.


Mystic ave.


Northeasterly


Private.


30


Thorndike


Arl'gt'n Br. R.R.


Kingston st.


Private.


40


450


Thurston


Broadway


Richdale ave.


Public.


40


Tower ct.


Tyler st.


Northeasterly


Private.


25


Tremont pl.


Tremont st.


Southeasterly


Private.


about 10


..


Tube Works ct.


Somerville ave.


Southwesterly


Private.


20


583


Unnamed st.


Mystic ave.


Middlesex ave.


Private.


40


200


Village


Dane st.


Vine st.


Private.


25


Vinal .


Richardson st.


Northeasterly


Private.


20


. .


. .


..


§ about 100 ft. N.


Public.


40


548


..


Private.


35


250


Sycamore


Broadway


. .


. .


183


175


. .


222


610


LENGTH.


317


CITY ENGINEER.


Table Showing the Location, Length, and Width of Public and Private Streets. - Continued.


STREET.


FROM


To


Public or Private.


Width in Feet.


Public.


Private.


Warner .


Powder House sq.


Medford line


Public. Public.


60


500


Warren ave.


Union sq.


Columbus ave.


Warren .


Medford st.


Cambridge line


Private.


30


....


100


Warwick place


Warwick st. .


Northeasterly


Private


15


..


150


Warwick


Cedar st. .


Warwick ave.


Public.


40


655


.. ..


Washington ave.


Washington st.


Northerly


Private.


18


350


Washington


Charlest'n line .


Franklin ave.


Public.


75


1,060


Washington


Franklin ave.


Fitchburg R. R.


Public.


60 to 100


3,870


..


..


Washington


Fitchburg R. R. South st.


Northerly


Private.


25


250


Watson .


Broadway


Fairmount ave.


Private.


40


....


236


Webster ave.


Union sq.


Cambridge line


Public.


49.5


1,950


....


Webster


Franklin st.


Cross st.


Public.


40


1,' 00


. .


Wellington ave.


Walnut st.


Montgomery


ave.


Public.


40


215


Wellington ave.


Montgomery ave.


Easterly


Private.


40


Wesley pk.


Wesley sq.


Northeasterly


Public.


40


405


Wesley .


Pearl st.


Otis st.


Public:


40


515


West .


Broadway .


Heath st.


Private.


30


..


..


460


Westminster


Broadway .


Electric ave.


Public.


40


376


..


Weston ave.


Clarendon ave.


Broadway


Private.


40


525


Westwood road


Central st.


Benton road


Public.


40


489


....


Wheatland


Broadway .


Jaques st.


Public.


4


495


855


Whipple


Hawthorne st.


Arlington B. R. R.


Private.


30


307


..


White St. pl.


White st.


Southeasterly


Private.


20


200


Wigglesworth


Bonair st. .


Pearl st. .


Public.


40


740


William .


Chandler st.


College ave.


Public.


40


381


Williams ct.


Porter st. .


Northwesterly .


Private.


30


. .


..


400


Willow ave.


Elm st.


Broadway


Public.


50


3,440


150


Wilson ave.


Broadway .


B. & L. R. R.


Private.


20


210


Wilton


Lowell st. .


Lawrence st.


Private.


35


..


..


..


65


Windham road


Washington st.


Northeasterly


Private.


40


..


335


Windom


Elm st.


Summer st.


Public.


40


300


..


. .


Windsor road .


Willow ave.


Gordonia road


Public.


40


575


. . ..


Winslow ave. .


College ave. .


Clifton st.


Public.


40


1,086


...


Winter


College ave. .


Holland st.


Private.


30


430


Winter Hill cir.


Broadway .


Northeasterly


Private.


'25


....


177


Winthrop ave.


(Fellsway.)


Broadway .


Mystic ave.


Public.


50


1,170


Woodbine .


Centre st. .


Lowell st.


Private.


30


600


*Woods ave


North st.


Alewife brook


Private.


40


. .


1,350


Woodstock .


Victoria st.


Alewife brook


Private.


40


415


Wyatt ct.


Wyatt st.


Westerly .


Private.


13


. .


..


200


Wyatt pl.


Wyatt st.


Westerly


Private.


10


....


70


Wyatt


Concord ave.


Lincoln parkway


Public.


40


496


....


Yorktown


( 100 ft. north of } Malvern ave. 3


Cambridge line


Private.


49


..


548


..


Wheatland .


Jaques st. .


Mystic ave.


Private.


40


Wheeler .


Pinckney st.


Mt. Vernon st.


Public.


40


269


575


+White


Elm st.


Cambridge line


Public.


William .


Broadway .


Medford line


Private.


50


45


Willoughby


Central st.


Sycamore st.


Private.


30


Willow pl. .


Cambridge line


South st. .


Private.


25


..


470


Winchester


Broadway .


Medford line


Private.


40


2,380


.. ...


Waterhouse


Broadway


Cambridge line


Private.


4 1


....


986


Waverley


Washington st.


Southerly


Private.


35


200


..


....


. .


West


Hawthorne st.


Arlington B. R. R. Private.


30


Cambridge line


Public


60


Water


. .


..


..


....


*Proposed.


+Sidewalk in Somerville.


LENGTH.


650


..


85


250


150


318


ANNUAL REPORTS.


Table Showing the Location, Length, and Width of Public and Private Streets .- Concluded.


UNNAMED STREETS.


STREET.


FROM


To


Public or Private.


Width in Feet.


Public.


Private.


Court


16 Craigie st.


Westerly


Private.


25


..


. .


Court


26 Craigie st.


Westerly


Private.


: 25


126


Court


36 Craigie st. .


Westerly


Private.


25


126


Court


292 Broadway


Southwesterly


Private.


15


96


Court


58 Dane st.


Easterly .


Private.


10


70


Court


66 Lowell st.


Westerly


Private.


25


101


Court


78 Lowell st.


Westerly


Private.


25


101


Court


Olive ave.


Porter st.


Private.


7.5


156


Court


10 Stone ave.


Northwesterly


Private.


20


113


Court


21 Albion st. .


Northeasterly


Private.


10


. .


100


Court


227 Columbia st.


Northwesterly .


Private.


10


117


Court


11 Albion st.


.


Northeasterly


Private.


9


170


Court


20 Dimick st.


Southwesterly


Private.


39.25


. .


136


Court


255 Wash'gt'n st.


Northwesterly .


Private.


30


..


. .


176


Court


11 Cedar st. .


Southeasterly


Private.


15


....


145


Total


326,021


154,408


. .


. .


..


Public, 61.74 miles; private, 29.24 miles.


-


..


. .


126


...


LENGTH.


REPORT OF THE STREET COMMISSIONER.


OFFICE OF THE STREET COMMISSIONER, January 1, 1901.


To His Honor, the Mayor, and the Board of Aldermen :--


Gentlemen,-In compliance with the requirements of the city charter, I most respectfully submit to you my annual report of the Highway department for the year 1900. Appended to this report is a tabulated statement of work performed on streets, bridges, curbing, sidewalks, crosswalks, paved gutters, stone breaker, and street watering.


The question of how to make and how to maintain good streets is one that is steadily pressing to the front as one of the most important concerns of the Highway department. During the past four years miles of streets have been dug up by the Water department, the Sewer department, gas companies, the Metropolitan Water and Sewer commissions, and the Massachu- setts Pipe Line Gas Company for the purpose of laying pipes of various kinds. In the matter of house connections, the practice of tunneling under paved driveways and streets, where the tunnel is more than six inches in diameter, ought never to be allowed, and when borings are made for pipes the bore should be made only as large as will allow the pipe to be put into position. From iny experience it can be safely said that it is impossible to refill a horizontal tunnel so that the pavement over the trench will not sooner or later settle and require repairs.


Street Cleaning.


One new steel side sweeping machine has been purchased from William C. Oastler, making two two-horse and two one- horse machines in the department, all of which are in good con- dition. To complete our sweeping equipment, I would recom- mend the purchase of a gutter sweeper and pick-up machine, which will facilitate the work of cleaning our squares and paved streets. The latter machine will sweep a space seven feet wide, taking up the dirt as it goes along the street until the receptacle is filled, when it may be dumped and carted away. The gutter machine goes ahead of the pick-up machine, and will leave the street as clean as a house floor. When the streets are very muddy, the Barnard Castle scraper is used. This is one of the most valuable machines in the department, since one man with a pair of good horses can scrape twelve miles of forty-foot streets in a day.


320


ANNUAL REPORTS.


The patrol system of keeping the streets clear of rubbish, waste paper, tin cans, etc., has, during the past year, been demon- strated as the only solution of the street-cleaning problem. One man, supplied with a cart, broom, shovel, pick, and rake, is as- signed to a certain district, to which he is required to give his constant attention. He is instructed to watch for careless per- sons who throw paper and other rubbish on the sidewalks, cross- walks, and streets, to fill and patch all depressions, to replace loose bricks in the sidewalks, and to cut the grass and weeds on the borders of the streets within his district. Professor Morse says :- -


"I would compel every one who is guilty of throwing banana skins, apple cores, papers, and strings into the public streets to eat and swal- low then."


while Ross Turner savs :-


"It should be made a crime for a person to throw rubbish into the streets, or even litter the alleyways and back yards. A love of public orderliness is the soil in which a love of the beautiful grows."


City Ledge.


At the ledge between Broadway and Holland street a gang of men work constantly removing stone for ballast, and, by means of the stone crusher, preparing the harder stone for concrete and street work. During the year a large amount has been sold to the Boston Elevated Railway Company, John Turner & Co., Tufts College, Somerville Electric Light Company, William J. McCarty, and others.


Watering Streets.


Under the legislative act authorizing cities to water streets and to assess abutters a portion of the cost, only accepted streets · are watered. On private streets the entire cost must be paid in advance before any watering is done. The work of watering the streets is let out by contract, a uniform price of $75 per month per cart being paid to each contractor who furnishes a pair of horses and a driver. There are twenty-five watering carts be- longing to the department, and the city has been divided into a corresponding number of districts, each averaging about two miles of streets. Each contractor is required to keep the streets within his districts properly watered at all times, Sundays in- cluded.


This force is under the direction of an efficient assistant, and the service has been performed in a most satisfactory manner. The season has been the dryest one known for years, there hav- ing been but thirty-four rainy days during the seven months in which the streets were watered.


1


LAITURE JO. S.


DAVIS SQUARE BRICK PAVEMENT.


321


STREET COMMISSIONER.


All repairs to carts are made in our own shop. I would rec- ommend the purchase of one new cart for use during the coming season.


Oiled Streets.


The State Highway Commission has made some experi- inents with oil at Cottage City, but with rather unsatisfactory re- sults. For a section of road 800 feet long and 15 feet wide, 50 gallons of oil were used for each 100 linear feet, and the cost averaged $4.35 per 100 feet. The oil was applied in June, and was thought at first to be a great success, as no dust blew from the section treated, while in other parts of the road it blew in clouds. The good effect was not lasting, however, for a month later the stone began to unravel, and it was necessary to spread binding material. There was also complaint that, on the oil- treated section of the road, the material thrown into carriages by the wheels injured robes and clothing.


Notwithstanding the failure of this experiment, oiling streets has been successful in some parts of California, where about the same conditions exist as at Cottage City. O. W. Longden says, in a paper read before the Good Roads Association of Southern California, where people have become accustomed to traveling on dusty roads :-


"Whether water-sprinkled or oiled, the dustless condition must be maintained. There is no doubt as to the efficiency of oil on roads. It is superior to water in that, when properly applied, it is lasting, costs less, and makes a desirable road. It coats the road with a wearing sur- face that needs but slight attention to keep it in good condition. We apply the oil hot by means of the DeCamp machine, and the hotter the oil, the quicker it unites with the dust, and the more readily it is ab- sorbed by the road surface. Two or three applications during the season are sufficient, forty to fifty barrels to the mile, at a cost of $75 per mile."


It is claimed by some that the sprinkling of oil on roads is destructive to rubber tires, and that the odor is intolerable; yet a short section of street might be treated in this way as a test of its efficiency.


Vitrified Brick Pavement.


The advantages claimed for brick pavement are many. It is both inexpensive and durable, clean, healthful, and free from dust, is not slippery, does not glaze when worn, as do granite and asphalt, is easily repaired, is easily taken up when water or gas pipes must be laid, and is comparatively noiseless. The use of brick pavement is by no means a new and untried experiment, having been in use in Holland for over one hundred years, in parts of England for over thirty years, at Charlestown, W. Va., for twenty years, and in many other places, with satisfactory results.


Davis square has been paved with vitrified brick. These


322


ANNUAL REPORTS.


bricks differ greatly from those used for ordinary building pur- poses. They are made from a combination of shale and clay. Shale is found largely in the Middle West, and is a hard, partially- formed slate-rock, which, being pulverized and softened with water, has the appearance of common clay. At Canton, O., shale and clay are found in the same bank, clay near the surface, and shale beneath.


At Catskill, N. Y., the materials are taken from different banks and mixed at the works, as much of the value of a paving brick depends on a proper mixing of materials in the best pro- portions. Bricks made from shale and clay are dark brown or red in color, hard in texture, and tend to be brittle if over burned or vitrified. In paving Davis square, bricks of both the Canton and Catskill varieties were used. The bricks are laid on a con- crete foundation six inches thick, with a bed of sand two inches thick between concrete and bricks; the joints are filled with Portland cement provided with an expansion joint of pitch at in- tervals of every thirty feet. Before this pavement is laid all sewer, gas, and water pipes should be required to be laid to the curbstone line, and in case it becomes necessary at any time to open a street paved with brick, the entire work of making such openings should be done under the supervision of the Street Commissioner.


Wide Tires.


General Roy Stone says he regards it of special importance, in maintenance of public highways, that the vehicles used on them shall have tires of greater width than are now in general use. An order passed by the Board of Aldermen in relation to wide tires is being complied with. In making repairs and in constructing new carts and wagons, we put 5-inch tires on the rear wheels of the four-wheeled carts, and 4-inch tires on the front wheels, and the front axle is shortened 8 inches, so that the wheels will not track those of another vehicle, while on the two-wheeled carts and watering carts we put 4-inch tires. Great injury is done by narrow-tired wheels. Wide-tired wheels, with the axles of un- equal length, so that the wheels will not track under heavy loads, act as road rollers, and keep the streets hard and well packed, and always free from ruts. No man has a right to destroy good roads that are built for the benefit of the public, and narrow tires should be abolished. If wide tires will not make good streets, they will keep good streets in good condition.




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