Report of the city of Somerville 1901, Part 28

Author: Somerville (Mass.)
Publication date: 1901
Publisher: Somerville, Mass.
Number of Pages: 552


USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1901 > Part 28


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 | Part 39


Myrtle st.


Easterly


Private.


10


....


100


. .


280


Mortimer pl.


Marshall st.


Walter st.


Private.


20


40


350


Mountain ave.


Linden ave. .


Northerly


Private.


20


..


190


Morrison pl.


End of above


Harvard st.


Private.


35


Montrose ct.


Montrose st.


B. & L. R. R. .


Private.


12


..


255


Merriam


Somerville ave.


Charlestown st.


Private.


30


Private.


35


220


Miner


Vernon st.


Walnut st.


Private.


about 10


250


Meacham road


Summer st.


Northeasterly


Private.


30


Melburn pl.


Hawkins st.


Easterly


Private.


12


May pl.


* Proposed.


..


175


...


Public.


Monmouth


LENGTH.


343


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.


Myrtle pl.


Myrtle st.


Westerly .


Private.


20-+


120


Myrtle


Washington st. .


Perkins st.


Public.


40


1,400


....


Mystic ave.


Charlestown line


Union st.


Public.


60


350


....


Mystic ave.


Union st. .


Medford line


Public.


66


6,900


....


Mystic


Washington st.


Somerville ave.


Public.


40


360


. . ..


Mystic


Benedict st.


Mystic ave. .


Private.


40


..


..


330


Nashua


Richardson st.


B. & L. R. R. .


Private.


35


....


Nevada ave.


Village st.


Hanson st.


Private.


20


....


200


Newberne


Appleton st.


Morrison ave.


Public.


40


200


. .


Newberne


Morrison ave.


B. & L. R. R. :


Private.


40


...


173


Newbury


Holland st.


Cambridge line


Public.


40


1,250


100


Newton pl.


Newton st.


Easterly .


Private.


about 10


100


Newton .


Prospect st.


Webster ave.


Public.


25


470


. . ..


Newton


Webster ave.


Concord ave.


Public.


40-1


650


. . . .


Norfolk .


Webster ave.


Cambridge line


Public.


40


200


North


Broadway .


Medford line


Public.


40


2,550


North Union


Mystic ave.


Northeasterly


Private.


30


..


..


..


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


Olive ave.


Linden ave.


Southeasterly


Private.


25


....


155


Olive sq.


Lake st.


Southerly


Private.


about 15


100


Orchard .


Cambridge line


Meacham road .


Public.


40


1,625


...


Osgood


Granite st.


Easterly & west'ly


Private.


40


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


2,000


Palmer ave.


Franklin st.


Northwesterly


Private.


20


200


Park ave.


College ave.


Wallace st.


Public.


40


450


Park pl.


Laurel st.


Easterly


Private.


30


..


..


220


Park pl.


Park pl.


Northeasterly


Private.


20


150


Park .


Somerville


ave.


Beacon st.


Public.


50


1,300


Parker pl.


Porter st. .


Northwesterly


Private.


20


150


Parker


Washington st. .


Fremont ave.


Private.


35


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 Northerly


Private.


23


....


161


Pearson ave.


Morrison ave.


Boston ave.


Private.


45


....


1,300


Pearson road


Broadway .


Professors' row


Private.


40


25


....


....


200


Perkins .


Franklin st.


Charlestown line


Public.


40


1,350


. .


Perry


Washington st.


Lincoln parkway


Public.


40


606


Peterson ter.


Porter st.


Northwesterly


Private.


13+


155


Pinckney pl.


Pinckney st.


Southeasterly


Private.


24


125


Pinckney


Washington st.


Perkins st.


Public.


40


1,170


Pitman


Beech st.


Spring st.


Private.


30


Pitman


Spring st. .


Belmont st.


Private.


26


390


Pleasant ave.


Walnut st.


Vinal ave.


Public.


40


470


Poplar ct.


Poplar st.


Southeasterly


Private.


10


80


Poplar


Somerville ave.


Linwood st.


Private.


30


....


350


..


Newman pl.


Cedar st.


Southeasterly


Private.


10++


Norton


Nashua st.


Southeasterly


Private.


20


..


200


Oliver


Franklin st.


Cross st.


Public.


40)


1,050


Patten ct.


Cutter st. .


Southeasterly


Private.


8


..


1,654


Pembroke ct.


Pembroke st.


Southwesterly .


Private.


Pembroke


Central st.


Sycamore st.


Private.


40


440


Perkins pl.


Perkins st.


Northeasterly


Private.


20


Private.


20


....


200


Pearl ter.


Pearl st.


130


380


450


600


640


LENGTH.


344


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.


Poplar


Linwood st.


Joy st.


Private.


35


. .


..


300


Porter ave.


Porter st. .


Northwesterly .


Private.


20


. .


220


Porter pl.


Porter st.


Northwesterly .


Private.


20


..


..


Porter


Elm st.


Mountain ave.


Public.


45


1,530


....


Porter


Mountain ave.


Highland ave. . Northwesterly,


Public.


40


425


....


Powder house boulevard


square


Mystic river and Medford line .


Public.


80


7,200


Prescott


Summer st.


Highland ave.


Public.


50


1,050


....


Preston road


School st.


Summer st.


Public.


40


800


Pritchard ave.


Morrison ave.


Boston ave.


Private.


40


. .


1,145


Princeton


Alpine st.


Lowell st.


Public.


40


657


..


Princeton


Lowell st.


Centre st.


Private.


40


....


540


Professors' row


Boston ave.


College ave.


Private.


50


....


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


Raymond ave.


Curtis st.


North st.


Public.


40


1,345


....


Record's pl.


Broadway .


Southwesterly


Private.


10


110


Reed's ct. .


Oliver st ..


Southwesterly


Private.


20


....


105


Remick ct.


Cutter st.


Southeasterly


Private.


10


....


100


Richardson


Lowell st.


Lawrence st.


Private.


35


....


480


Richardson ter.


Richardson st.


Northeasterly


Private.


20


.. .


135


Richdale ave.


School st.


Sycamore st. Southerly


Private.


30


. .


170


Robinson


Central st.


Bartlett st.


Public.


40


582


1,700


Roland st.


Waverly st.


Boston line


Private.


40


100


Roseland


Beacon st.


Cambridge line


Public.


40


100


....


Rossmore


Somerville ave.


Washington st.


Public.


40


534


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


School


Somerville ave.


Highland ave.


Public.


40


1,870


....


School


Highland ave.


Broadway


Public.


50


2,500


....


Sellon pl.


Marshall st. .


Northwesterly


Private.


12


...


....


. .


190


Sewall


Grant st. .


Temple st.


Public.


40


615


200


Shawmut


Washington st.


Cross st.


Public.


40


550


Shedd


Somerville ave.


Merriam ave.


Private.


40


....


250


Sibley ct.


Cutter st. .


Northwesterly


Private.


10


. ..


100


Sibley pl.


Cutter st.


Northwesterly


Private.


10


....


100


Simpson ave


Broadway


Holland st.


Private.


40


....


825


Skehan


Dane st.


Durham st.


Private.


30


....


720


Smith ave.


Beacon st.


Line st.


Private.


25-1-


....


200


Snow pl.


Belmont st.


Easterly


Private.


30


....


75


Snow pl.


Snow pl.


N'th'ly and S'th'ly


Private.


20


....


222


....


Powder house ter.


Kidder ave.


Liberty ave.


Public.


40


585


....


460


Professors' row .


College ave.


Curtis st.


Private.


40


. .


..


. .


Public.


40


875


150


Roberts .


Lawrence st.


Northwesterly


Private.


20


....


Rogers ave.


Morrison ave.


Broadway


Private.


45


. .


. .


Royce pl.


Bonair st.


Northeasterly


Private.


15-+


Russell road


Broadway .


North st. .


Private.


40


Sartwell ave.


Cedar st.


Cherry st.


Private.


35


. .


..


690


Seven Pines ave


Cameron ave.


Cambridge line


Private.


40


80


Sewall ct.


Sewall st. .


Southwesterly


Private.


25


Shawmut pl.


Shawmut st.


Alston st.


Private.


30


....


310


Sherman ct.


Sargent ave. .


Marshall st.


Private.


10


....


270


Sherman


Somerville ave.


Frost ave.


Private.


35


....


120


Richmond hi'h'ds


Madison st.


244


195


Powder house


LENGTH.


345


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.


Snow ter.


Jaques st.


Southwesterly


Private.


16


Somerville ave.


E. Camb. line


Union sq.


Public.


75


4,300


Somerville ave.


Union sq.


N. Camb. line .


Public.


70


6,800


..


..


South


Medford st.


Water st.


Public.


30


989


....


Spencer ave.


Cedar st. .


Hancock st.


Public.


40


727


.


..


..


Springfield


Concord ave.


Cambridge line


Public.


40


800


670


Stanford ter.


Beacon st.


Northeasterly


Private.


'20


...


200


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


..


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


175


Sunnyside ave.


Walnut st.


Wigglesworth st.


Private.


35


250


Sycamore


Broadway


Medford st.


Public.


45


1,250


...


Sycamore


Medford st.


B. & L. R R.


Public.


40


582


Sycamore


B. & L. R. R.


Highland ave. .


Public.


35


660


....


Sydney


Grant st ..


Temple st.


Public.


40


679


....


Talbot ave.


Packard ave.


College ave. .


Private.


50


* Tannery (Ext'n)


Cambridge line .


Woodstock st. (Ext'n)


Private.


40


160


Taunton.


Wyatt st.


Easterly to angle .


Private.


30


....


95


Taylor pl.


Somerville


ave.


Southerly


Private.


15


....


310


Temple .


Broadway


Mystic ave.


Public.


66


1,540


..


Tennyson


Forster st.


Pembroke st.


Public.


40


869


..


Thorndike


Holland st.


Arl'ngt'n Br. R. R.


Public.


40


465


....


Thorndike


Arl'gt'n Br. R.R.


Kingston st.


Public.


40


115


450


Thurston


Broadway


Richdale ave.


Public.


40


1,660


....


Tower ct.


Tyler st.


Northeasterly


Private.


25


559


75


Tremont


Webster ave.


Cambridge line .


Public.


40


589


..


Trull


Vernon st.


Medford st.


Public.


40


1,050


200


Tube Works ct.


Somerville ave.


Southwesterly


Private.


20


....


150


Tufts parkway


College ave. .


College ave.


Public.


22


900


....


Tufts


Washington st.


Cross st.


Public.


40


940


....


Tyler


Vine st.


Dane st.


Public.


40


404


....


Unnamed st.


Ware st.


Powder h'se blvd.


Private.


20-40


283


Unnamed st.


( Highway and Water


Dept.


grounds) .


Broadway


Cedar st. .


Private.


45


980


Unnamed st.


Pearl st.


Pearl st.


Private.


40


540


Union


Broadway


Mystic ave.


Public.


40


330


..


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


Victoria


Broadway


Cambridge line


Private.


40


..


. .


....


200


Village


Dane st.


Vine st.


Private.


25


370


Vinal ave.


Summer st.


Highland ave.


Public.


45


1,400


....


Vinal . .


Richardson st.


Northeasterly


Private.


20


....


200


.


. .


150


Tower


Crown st.


Highland ave.


Public.


40


Tremont pl.


Tremont st.


Southeasterly


Private.


about 10


..


..


Trull lane


Highland ave.


Oxford st.


Private.


15


170


Taunton


Angle


Marion st.


Private.


20


. .


. .


200


Taylor


Mystic ave. .


Sydney st.


Private.


40


Tenney ct.


Mystic ave.


Northeasterly


Private.


30


400


Thorpe pl.


Highland ave.


Southwesterly


Private.


30


40


1,200


Spring Hill ter.


Highland ave.


Belmont st.


Private.


20


....


200


Spring ct.


Somerville ave.


Westerly .


Private.


20


Spring


Somerville ave.


Summer st.


Public.


Private.


30


Stone pl.


Stone ave.


Southeasterly


Sumner


Lawrence st.


Northwesterly


Private.


20


..


..


Villa ave.


Winslow ave.


Arlington B. R. R.


Private.


35


175


600


1,036


* Proposed.


LENGTH.


120


1,409


346


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.


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


465


....


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


..


%22


Walter


Walnut st.


( about 100 ft. N.


Public.


40


548


....


Ward


Medford st.


Earle st.


Private.


31


610


Ware .


Curtis st.


North westerly .


Private.


40


. .


700


Warner .


Powder House sq.


Medford line


Public.


60


500


....


Warren ave.


Union sq.


Columbus ave.


Public.


40


650


....


Warren .


Medford st.


Cambridge line


Private.


30


....


100


Warwick place


Warwick st.


Northeasterly


Private


15


...


150


Warwick


Cedar st. .


Warwick pl.


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


Waterhouse


Broadway


Cambridge line


Private.


40


....


986


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


1,000


....


Wellington ave.


Walnut st.


Montgomery


ave.


Public.


40


215


....


Wellington ave.


Montgomery ave.


Easterly .


Private.


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.


40)


495


....


Wheatland .


Jaques st. .


Mystic ave.


Private.


40


269


..


Whipple


Arlington B. R. R.


Private.


30


..


318


+ White


Elm st.


Cambridge line Southeasterly


Private.


20


Bonair st. .


Pearl st. .


Public.


40


740


....


William .


Chandler st.


College ave.


Public.


40


381


...


William .


Broadway .


Medford line


Private.


50


. .


45


Williams ct.


Porter st ..


Northwesterly


Private.


30


....


400


Willow ave.


Elm st.


Broadway


Public.


50


3,440


....


Willow pl.


Cambridge line


South st. .


Private.


25


. .


. .


470


Winchester


Broadway .


Medford line


Private.


40


. . .


65


Windham road


Washington st. . Elm st.


Summer st. .


Public.


40


300


....


Windsor road .


Willow ave.


Hancock st.


Public.


40


575


....


Winslow ave. .


College ave.


Clifton st.


Public.


40


1,086


....


Winter


College ave.


Holland st.


Private.


30


..


. .


Winter Hill cir.


Broadway .


Northeasterly


Private.


25


....


177


Winthrop ave. (Fellsway.)


Broadway .


Mystic ave.


Public.


50


1,170


..


Winthrop ave. (Extension.)


Mystic ave. .


Middlesex ave.


Private.


40


..


583


.


Private.


35


. .


..


85


Wesley pk.


Wesley sq.


Northeasterly


Public.


40


West .


Hawthorne st.


Arlington B. R. R.


Private.


30


855


Wheeler


Pinckney st.


Mt. Vernon st.


Public.


40


307


...


White St. pl.


White st.


200


Willoughby


Central st.


Sycamore st.


Private.


30


Wilson ave.


Broadway .


B. & L. R. R.


Private.


20


310


Wilton


Lowell st. .


Lawrence st.


Private.


35


Northeasterly


Private.


40


335


Windom


Public


60


2,380


....


Water


Waverly


Washington st.


Roland st.


200


of Bradley st.


.-


. .


+Sidewalk in Somerville.


LENGTH.


...


. .


150


Wigglesworth .


Highland ave.


Public.


150


430


250


Cambridge line


347


CITY ENGINEER.


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


STREET.


FROM.


To


Public or Private


Width in Feet.


Public.


Private.


Woodbine .


Centre st.


Lowell st.


Private. Private.


40


..


1,350


Woodstock .


Victoria st.


Alewife brook


Private,


40


.


...


415


*Woodstock


Victoria st.


Tannery st. (Ext'n.) Wyatt st. ·


Private.


20


315


Wyatt


Concord ave.


Lincoln parkway .


Public.


40


496


....


Yorktown


( 100 ft. north of } Malvern ave. §


Cambridge line


Private.


40


....


548


*Proposed.


Court


16 Craigie st.


Westerly


Private. Private.


25


126


Court


26 Craigie st.


Westerly


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


. .


156


Court


10 Stone ave.


Northwesterly


Private.


20


113


Court


21 Albion st. .


Northeasterly


Private.


10


100


Court


227 Columbia st.


Northwesterly .


Private.


10


. .


170


Court


20 Dimick st.


Southwesterly


Private.


39.25


..


136


Court


255 Wash'gt'n st.


Private.


30


176


Court


612 Broadway


Northwesterly . Southwesterly .


Private.


20


...


188


Total


333,104


152,300


. .


. .


117


Court


11 Albion st. .


Northeasterly


Private.


9


....


101


Court


Olive ave.


Porter st.


Private.


7.5


126


Court


36 Craigie st.


Westerly


Private.


25


. .


600


*Woods ave.


North st. .


Alewife brook


Private.


40


920


Wyatt circle


Wyatt st.


(Extension.)


30


LENGTH.


Public, 63.088 miles; private, 28.845 miles.


348


ANNUAL REPORTS.


NAMES AND LOCATIONS OF PUBLIC SQUARES.


NAME.


AREA IN ACRES.


JUNCTION OF


Central .


0.53


Medford st., Cross st., Shawmut st., Prospect Hill ave. Concord ave., Newton st.


Concord


0.50


Cutter


0.72


Elm st., Summer st., Cutter ave., Russell st.


Davis


1.00


Highland ave., College ave., Holland st., Elm st., Day st., Dover st.


Gilman


0.49


Medford st., Pearl st., Marshall st.


Magoun .


0.46


Broadway, Medford st., Dexter st.


Metropolitan


0.51


Bow st., Somerville ave., Carlton st.


Oak


0.64


Elm st., Somerville ave., Craigie st.


Powder House


1.34


Broadway, College ave., Warner st., Powder House boulevard.


Teele .


0.38


Broadway, Holland st., Curtis st., Newbury st.


Union


2.05


Somerville ave., Washington st., Webster ave., War ren ave., Bow st., Stone ave.


Wesley


0.03


Bow st., Summer st., Wesley park.


Total .


8.65


REMOVING BROWN TAIL MOTH.


REPORT OF THE STREET COMMISSIONER.


OFFICE OF THE STREET COMMISSIONER, January 1, 1902.


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


I have the honor to present herewith the twenty-sixth an- nual report of the Street Department, covering the operations of the year ending December 31, 1901.


The work of improving our streets and highways has re- ceived more careful attention than in any previous year, large sums of money having been expended for permanent pavements of brick, asphalt, and macadam.


Street Cleaning.


During the year two of the Mentzer street cleaners have been purchased from the Mentzer Street Cleaner Company, since the demands upon the department for cleaner streets are more and more urgent every year. The department has in service four street sweepers, one Barnard Castle scraper, and nine small hand carts, and to complete our sweeping equipment I would recommend the purchase of a gutter sweeper.


The patrol system has been continued, with good results. The city is districted, and to each district is assigned a man, sup- plied with a hand cart and the necessary implements for remov- ing waste paper and other rubbish, loose stones, etc. He is also required to fill depressions in the streets, replace loose bricks in sidewalks, and cut the grass on the borders of the walks.


Watering Streets.


Accepted streets have been watered under the law authoriz- ing the assessment of the cost upon the abutters, and such water- ing as has been done in private streets has been paid for by the abutters in advance. The city pays $80.00 a month for a driver and a pair of horses, and it owns twenty-six carts, each of which is thus equipped. The length of streets watered by each cart averages about two miles, and the streets are watered every day, including Sundays.


A capable assistant supervises the work and the fact that but very few complaints have been received during the year shows that it was well done.


Much better results might be obtained, however, if the Bos- ton Elevated Railway Company would co-operate with the city by watering its tracks with electric sprinklers.


I would recommend the purchase of one new watering cart for use during the coming year.


350


ANNUAL REPORTS.


Wide Tires.


The Legislature of 1900 passed an act to regulate the width of tires on draft wagons as follows :-


Section 1. On and after the first day of January in the year 1902, it shall be unlawful, except as provided in section four of this act, to use upon any road, street or way in this Common- wealth, a draft wagon or cart having tires of iron or steel, or of any substance equally hard, which are less in width than one and one-half times the diameter of the axle measured at the shoulder thereof ; but in no case shall a tire more than four inches in width be required, and wagons or carts built with wooden or hollow axles shall have tires not less in width than the diameter of the axle measured at the shoulder thereof.


Section 2. This act shall apply to all wagons and carts, the axles of which are two inches or more in diameter, measured as aforesaid, and to all stage coaches, tally-ho coaches, barges, and other passenger vehicles, not built to run on iron or steel rails, and constructed to carry eight or more persons.


Section 3. Whoever violates any provision of this act shall be punished by a fine not exceeding one hundred dollars.


Section 4. This act shall take effect on the first day of Jan- uary in the year 1902, but shall not apply to wagons or other ve- hicles owned and used in this state on that date. (Approved May 23, 1900.)


City Ledge.


The work of removing stone from the ledge between Broad- way and Holland street is progressing. A large amount has been used during the year on South and Columbia streets, Mid- dlesex and Mystic avenues, and a gang of men are kept con- stantly at work removing the softer stone for ballast and running the harder quality through the stone breaker. Considerable quantities have been sold during the year to the Boston Elevated Railway Company, Barber Asphalt Paving Company, Simpson Brothers, W. J. McCarty and others.


Bridges.


The bridge over the Mystic river at Middlesex avenue and the Fellsway boulevard is maintained by the city of Medford, which collects one-half of the cost from this city. Somerville's portion of the expense for the year 1901 was $446.377. A new bridge will probably be constructed during the coming year to replace this one, and I recommend that the approaches be made solid to the Harbor and Land Commissioners' line.


Boston aventie bridge over the Mystic river and Broadway bridge over Alewife Brook are both in excellent condition.


CROSS STREET, RESETTING EDGESTONES.


-


-


-


351


STREET COMMISSIONER.


Subways.


Considerable trouble has been experienced at the Kent and Sacramento streets subways during rain storms, and once, dur- ing the past year, they were entirely filled with water. An auto- matic pump, called the Universal Water Jet Eductor, has been purchased and will be used at the subway at Kent street.


Union Square.


This square was paved with granite blocks in 1892, and the subsequent relocating of street railway tracks and laying of water pipes and sewers disturbed the paving to such an extent that its relaying became a matter of necessity. This work has been done during the past year, and it involved the relaying of 3,625 square yards of paving blocks, and 210.7 square yards of granite flagging crosswalks, and the re-setting of 111.1 feet of edge- stones.


Cross Street.


The laying of double tracks in ('ross street, and the paving of the street with asphalt between Tufts street and Broadway-a length of 2,150 feet-as provided for last year, have been carried out by the street railway company and the city. The paving has been laid by the Barber Asphalt Paving Company, at $3.58 per square yard, and the work is guaranteed for ten years, with a bond in the sum of seven thousand dollars. The material re- moved from the roadway-some 2,500 cubic yards-was utilized on Mystic and Middlesex avenues. The edgestones, measuring 4,400 feet, were reset, the brick sidewalks-3,370 square yards- were relaid, and 217.4 square yards of vitrified brick crossings were laid at intersecting streets.


The land purchased by the Boston Elevated Railway Com- pany at the intersection of Cross and Medford streets has been deeded to the city and laid out as a portion of the public streets for the purpose of widening them at this point. By this means the railway company's location has been changed, and the curve in its tracks lengthened so that the cars round the curve much easier and without the noise and jar which had caused so much complaint.


There are now 29 1-3 miles of street railway track in the city.


Brown-tail Moth.


Strenuous efforts are being made to stop the ravages of this pest, and men are constantly employed in the streets of the city, cutting from the trees and burning the nests, which is the only way to effectually destroy them. The nests or tents contain from one hundred to one thousand caterpillars, and may be seen


352


ANNUAL REPORTS.


at the present time attached to the tip ends of the branches of the trees. This caterpillar is not only destructive to trees, flowers, and shrubs, but the hair of the insect, which is brittle and easily detached, floats in the air and comes in contact with the skin, producing intense irritation and sometimes suffering so severe as to require medical skill.


In England, not many years ago, these caterpillars became so numerous as to cause a panic, and prayers for their extermina- tion were offered in the churches of London.




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