USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1901 > Part 31
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The storage battery at present in use, now on its sixth year of service, has proved itself a great saving to the city, in com- parison with the old gravity battery, as the total cost of running the storage battery for the five years has been less than fifty dol- lars, against four hundred fifty dollars a year to maintain the old gravity battery. During the year new plates will have to be pur- chased for the storage battery, which will make it serviceable for the next five or six years.
381
COMMISSIONER OF ELECTRIC LINES AND LIGHTS.
A new fuse board made from special plans prepared by the Commissioner has been installed in the operating room, thus adding greatly to the safety of the delicate instruments of the central station.
Would recommend the placing of two or more whistles in connection with the fire alarm service, which will be a great bene- fit to call-men in case of fire, and to teachers and pupils in stormy weather. Under the present circumstances, the latter cannot al- ways hear the bells.
A notice has been placed on every fire alarm box in the city giving the penalty under the new ordinance for tampering with the fire alarm, which is five hundred dollars, or two years' im- prisonment, or both. This has had a beneficial effect in keeping down the number of false alarms.
The police signal system, which comprises some forty-eight boxes, has received its usual careful attention, and is now in good condition.
Street Lighting.
During the year there have been installed forty-four arc lights and one hundred thirty-one incandescent lights, making a total of four hundred forty-nine arc lights and four hundred and ten incandescent lights. All the arc lights are of the latest im- proved pattern enclosed lamps, which are a great improvement over the old open arc lamp of last year.
The contract with the Welsbach Street Lighting Company having expired, their lights, with the exception of three in West- wood road, were replaced by incandescent lamps. The city at the present time I consider one of the best lighted cities in the state, and should think, with the exception of the new territory now being built up, very few lights will be needed during the en- suing year.
During the year several changes have been made in the lo- cation of lamps. By moving arc lights from some of the side streets to main thoroughfares, and replacing them with incan- descent lights, quite an improvement has been made in the light- ing system.
The electric lights are furnished by the Somerville Electric Light Company, under a contract made December 1, 1900, for a period of six years.
The arcs are alternating enclosed arc lamps, requiring an electrical energy of not less than 422 watts on the average, and not less than 410 watts in any case.
The incandescents are the so-called 32-candle power lights.
The lights burn every night and all night, the time not to exceed, however, an aggregate of 3,828 hours a year for each light.
All poles, fixtures and lamps are furnished at the company's expense ; but when the locations of lights and poles are changed,
382
ANNUAL REPORT.
the city pays therefor five dollars for moving each arc light, and three dollars for moving an incandescent.
The contract prices per year for arc lights are as follows :-
When the number is less than 475, the price shall be $110 each; when the number exceeds 474, but is less than 550, the price shall be $105 each; and when the number is 550 or more, it shall be $100 each.
The price for incandescents is $30 each per year.
For each arc light out when it should be burning, the rebate to the city is as follows :-
When the price is $110, two and 87-100 cents per hour ; when it is $105, two and 74-100 cents per hour ; and when it is $100, two and 61-100 cents per hour.
The rebate on each incandescent light not burning is 78-100 cents per hour.
ELECTRICAL DEPARTMENT ACCOUNT.
CREDIT.
Appropriation
$7.500 00
Receipts :-
Allowance on bill of Murphy Varnish
9 60
Total credit
$7,509 60
DEBIT.
Expenditures :-
For labor on wires, etc.
9
$3.350 68
Salary of commissioner
1,300 00
Fire alarm boxes (3)
375 00
Wires, insulators, etc.
1,447 24
Protector board
392 05
Board of two horses
312 00
Wagon repairs
53 10
Harness, and repairs to same
55 10
Printing, expressing, and postage .
59 13
Incidentals
91 35
Total debit
$7,435 65
Balance unexpended
$73 95
STREET LIGHTS ACCOUNT.
CREDIT.
Appropriation
$59,042 98
DEBIT.
Expenditures :-
Somerville Electric Light Co., lighting $55,015 00
Somerville Electric Light Co., moving lamps
145 00
Amounts carried forward
$55,160 00
$59,042 98
Co.
383
COMMISSIONER OF ELECTRIC LINES AND LIGHTS.
Amounts brought forward
$55,160 00
$59,042 98
Welsbach Street Lighting Company of
America, lighting
3,061 17
Incidentals
68 59
Total debit
$58,289 76
Balance unexpended
$753 22
ELECTRICAL DEPARTMENT-Bell for Engine Two House -Account.
CREDIT.
Appropriation
$500 00
DEBIT.
Expenditures :-
For removing bell from car, cartage, and hoisting same at house
$46 00
Carpentering and stock
67 22
Hardware
3 10
Bell
360 00
Total debit
$476 32
Balance unexpended
$23 68
EDWARD BACKUS, Commissioner of Electric Lines and Lights.
SOMERVILLE WATER WORKS.
SOMERVILLE, MIDDLESEX CO., MASSACHUSETTS.
Area of city, including land and water, about 4.22 square miles. Population, 1900 (census), 61,643. Entire population on line of pipe and supplied with water.
Water works owned by City of Somerville. Construction commenced in 1868. Source of supply : Metropolitan system, taking water of the Nashua river at Clinton, Mass.
Mayor HON. EDWARD GLINES.
Water Commissioner
FRANK E. MERRILL.
Office of the Water Department,
Room 10, City Hall.
Department Buildings and Yard,
Cedar street, near Broadway.
REPORT OF THE WATER COMMISSIONER.
OFFICE OF THE WATER COMMISSIONER, January 6, 1902.
To His Honor, the Mayor, and the Board of Aldermen :-
I have the honor to present herewith the twenty-eighth an- nual report of the Water Department, covering the operations of the year ending December 31, 1901.
It is a pleasure to be able to say that our eighty-seven miles of street mains, carrying water under pressure varying from thirty to one hundred pounds per square inch, have caused very little trouble from bursts and leaks during the past year, and that the condition of our water distribution system was never better than at the present time. The troubles from bursting pipes will not be entirely eliminated, however, until all the old cement-lined mains are removed.
As all the expenses of the department for operation, main- tenance, and construction (except house services), including in- terest and payment of maturing bonds, are paid from the revenue . from water rates, the statement of primary interest is naturally that of
Water Income.
Water bills have been issued as follows :-
10,428 "Annual" water bills, amounting to . $155,359 75
2,079 "Additional" water bills, amounting to
8,711 23
753 "Metered" water bills, amounting to
51,116 54
$215,187 52
Abatements made on the above charges
2,845 99
Leaving net amount of bills rendered
$212,341 53
This amount includes :-
Uncollected "Metered" water bills, due
January 1, 1902
$13,366 25
Uncollected "Annual" water bills
276 85
Uncollected "Additional" water bills
17 17
$13,660 27
and should be reduced by the amount of abatements on water charges of previous years as follows :-
On "Annual" water bills, 1899 account
$6 65
On "Annual" water bills, 1900 account .
12 65
On "Metered" water bills, 1900 account
4 64
23 94
Amount carried forward
$212,317 59
386
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Amount brought forward $212,317 59
The account has credit for the amount received from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, distribution of entrance fees, water supplied outside of district, and water furnished water companies, 1901, under Section 3, Chapter 488, Acts 1895 1,815 77
Total amount credited to Water Income account $214,133 36
This amount was applied under provisions of the appropria- tion order of the Board of Aldermen as follows :--
For water works purposes :-
Appropriation for Mainte-
nance
$30,000 00
Appropriation for Exten-
25,000 00 sion
Appropriation for Abate-
ments 500 00
Interest on Water .
Loan
Bonds
8,270 00
Maturing Water Loan Bonds, 32,000 00
Metropolitan Water Works
Assessment 56,816 76
$152,586 76
For other municipal purposes :-
Appropriation for Sewers,
Maintenance $10,350 00
Interest on Sewer Loan
Bonds . 6,440 00
Maturing Sewer Loan Bonds, 8,000 00
24,790 00
Reduction of Funded Debt (balance) . 36,756 60
$214,133 36
Amount to reduction of Funded Debt from Water Department :- Balance of Water Income $36,756 60
Balance of Water Mainte- nance Appropriation 3,120 47 Balance of Water Works Extension Appropria- tion
107 93
Balance of Appropriation for
·
Abatement
264 97
$40,249 97
Water has been furnished without charge for all municipal purposes, the same as during the year 1900. The reduction in water income resulting from this policy is about $12,000 based on the charges of the year 1899.
There is a further reduction in the water income of 1901 of about $6,000 resulting from the lowering of the rate for use of hose from $5.00 to $3.00. In 1901 there were 3,171 hose assess- ments paid, in 1900, 2,838, and in 1899, 2,607.
387
WATER DEPARTMENT.
Department Receipts and Disbursements.
WATER MAINTENANCE ACCOUNT.
DR.
CR.
Amount appropriated by City Council from water income
$30,000 00
Amount transferred from Water Works
Extension account .
6,000 00
· Collections from sundry accounts for labor and materials
14,365 01
Collections from other sources
162 00
Materials furnished service department
$2,682 30
Materials furnished construction depart- ment
10,133 06
Labor and materials furnished sundry per- sons
1,213 45
Amount expended for labor and materials to be used in maintenance of the water works and renewals of pipe
33,237 49
Applied to Water Service account
140 24
Unexpended balance of appropriation
3,120 47
$50,527 01
$50,527 01
WATER WORKS EXTENSION ACCOUNT.
DR.
CR.
Amount appropriated by City Council from water income
$25,000 00
. Collections from sundry accounts for labor and materials
313 52
Amount transferred to Water Maintenance account
$6,000 00
Labor and materials used in extension of the water works .
19,205 59
Unexpended balance of appropriation
107 93
$25,313 52
$25,313 52
WATER SERVICE ACCOUNT.
DR.
CR. $4,041 39
Balance from Water Maintenance account,
140 24
Labor and materials used in water service construction
$4,181 63
$4,181 63
$4,181 63
REFUND ACCOUNT.
DR.
CR.
Amount appropriated by City Council from water income
$500 00
Amount refunded to Water Consumers .
$235 03
Unexpended balance of appropriation . .
264 97
$500 00
$500 00
229 water service assessments
388
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Cost of Water Works.
The total cost of the water works on December 31, 1900, as represented by the expenditures from appropria- tions for water works extension, was $766,484 63
Expended during the year 1901, on extension account 19,205 59
Total expenditures, December 31, 1901 . $785,690 22
Water Debt.
The indebtedness of the city on account of the water works. on December 31, 1900, was $207,000 ; this debt has been reduced. during the year 1901 by the payments of bonds, maturing July 1 and October 1, to the amount of $32,000 ; the indebtedness being now represented by bonds drawing interest as follows :-
$165,000.00 at 4 per cent. per annum. 10,000.00 at 51/2 per cent. per annum.
Total
$175,000.00
These bonds become due as follows :-
YEAR.
AMOUNT.
YEAR.
AMOUNT.
1902
$29,000
1912
$6,000
1903
23,000
1913
6,000
1904
15,000
1914
6,000
1905
6,000
1915
5,000
1906
16,000
1916
5,000
1907
17,000
1917
5,000
1908
7,000
1918
5,000
1909
6,000
1919
4,000
1910
6,000
1920
2,000
1911
6,000
The following table, exhibiting the financial condition of the department from its first movements, is presented for reference. and comparison :-
*
389
WATER DEPARTMENT.
YEAR.
Water Loan Bonds Issued on Funded Debt Account.
Reduction of Funded Debt by Payments of Water Loan Bonds.
Expenditures for Construction of Water Works.
*Revenue from Water Works.
1869
$80,000 00
$92,203 27
$911 39
1870
60,000 00
66,546 50
1,907 63
1871
60,000 00
43,648 66
3,151 30
1872
90,000 00
$50,000 00
43,288 33
3,719 91
1873
60,000 00
20,000 00
27,691 26
5,084 97
1874
15,000 00
34,294 06
6,818 20
1875
20,000 00
13,375 76
9,652 37
1876
70,000 00
60,000 00
6,409 49
10,268 06
1877
10,000 00
13,845 74
10,735 90
1878
30,000 00
30,000 00
791 56
12,341 60
1880
60,000 00
60,000 00
12,999 79
1881
40,000 00
40,000 00
14,697 37
1882
90,000 00
90,000 00
19,354 28
1883
7,500 00
7,500 00
19,661 67
1884
20,000 00
20,000 00
20,085 95
1885
20,000 00
20,000 00
21,542 28
1886
55,500 00
55,500 00
21,444 91
1887
9,000 00
9,000 00
42,650 57
1888
25,000 00
96,500 00
19,338 89
50,419 07
1889
90,000 00
19,000 00
81,117 43
51,470 91
1890
55,000 00
13,000 00
53,411 79
55,879 72
1891
10,000 00
+11,000 00
40,708 48
60,150 80
1892
28,000 00
28,000 00
34,863 17
77,640 91
1893
17,000 00
35,545 30
78,459 73
1894
18,000 00
28,375 67
83,401 30
1896
¥12,000 00
18,500 00
16,631 83
95,719 69
1897
21,000 00
10,000 00
99,688 57
1898
22,000 00
26,970 22
a 200,735 03
1899
32,500 00
19,978 59
b 214,280 83
1900
32,500 00
24,927 06
c 222,322 15
1901
32,000 00
19,205 59
d 212,072 56
$1,017,000 00
$842,000 00
$785,690 22
$1,840,285 77
Total issue
Total payments
842,000 00
Present water debt
$175,000 00
* From 1869 to 1886, inclusive, the basis of Somerville's water revenue was as follows : - The entire revenue from sale of water in Somerville was collected by the city of Boston and payments were made to this city on the following sliding scale : -
On annual receipts up to $20,000.00, Somerville's proportion was 15 per cent.
On annual receipts
$20,000.00 to $30,000.00, Somerville's proportion was 20 per cent.
$30,000.00 to $40,000.00,
25
66
$40,000.00 to $50,000.00, exceeding $50,000.00, Somerville's proportion was 40 per cent.
30
In 1887 the contract was changed so that Somerville should receive 50 per cent. of the revenue, and this contract existed until January 1, 1898, on which date it was annulled, the revenue since that time being collected by the city of Somerville.
+ In 1891 $5 000.00 of Water Loan Bonds were cancelled, City Loan Bonds being substituted for them,
# Renewal.
a. Includes amount received from city of Boston for collections of metered water charges for 4th quarter of 1897, but does not include Somerville metered water charges for 4th quarter of 1898.
b. Includes collections of metered water charges for 4th quarter of 1898, but does not include charges for 4th quarter of 1899.
c. Includes collections of metered water charges for 4th quarter of 1899, also amount of charges for 4th quarter of 1900. Does not include credit for water supplied to city departments.
d. Includes metered water charges for 1901 only.
514 13
11,584 89
1879
19,000 00
32,007 44
89,431 46
1895
$1,017,000 00
390
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Inspection and Waste.
Ten thousand eight hundred and forty-eight inspections have been made in the annual canvass for water assessments. In- creased attention has been given to the subject of waste of water, and the number of defective water fixtures reported indicates an opportunity for householders to perform valuable service in the matter of conserving our present water supply. Two thousand, seven hundred and fifty six defective water fixtures have been dis- covered, viz. :-
Tanks and water closets 1,944
Faucets
740
Pipes
72
The Metropolitan Water Board calls attention to the fact that the per capita consumption of water in the Metropolitan dis- trict has increased forty-nine per cent within the last decade, and the Board is now considering the advisability of metering the water supplied to the several municipalities, hoping thereby to produce a direct incentive for a prevention of the waste.
There is no desire to restrict the legitimate use of water, but on the other hand to furnish an abundance for all domestic and sanitary purposes. It is only the careless and ofttimes wilful waste of water that calls for restriction ; such waste as occurs from defective plumbing fixtures, from constant running of water to prevent freezing, and from other causes, all of which could be remedied by the expenditure of a little care and money on the part of the tenant or owner. For those who are persistently neglectful of their duties in such matters the best remedy seems to be the installation of water meters, and the consequent charge for the actual quantity of water consumed and wasted.
Hydrants, Gates, etc.
It is cause for congratulation that our firemen have not been hampered in their work of extinguishing fires by defective or frozen hydrants.
Great care is exercised, especially throughout the winter sea- son, to keep all fire hydrants in proper working order, and there have been no complaints of improper or insufficient service. All the city fire hydrants receive a careful inspection annually, and are left in proper condition. The hydrant formerly standing in what was called the "island" in Union square has been removed and set in the sidewalk in front of Hill building ; it has also been connected with the high service system.
Old hydrants have been replaced with new ones, and addi- tional hydrants have been set where conditions called for them as well as in several localities suggested by the Chief of the Fire Department.
The tables which follow give details of this work, and show that seventeen hydrants have been moved or abandoned, and
391
WATER DEPARTMENT.
forty-six have been set, making the net increase twenty-nine, and the total number now in the city 926, or one to about every 500 feet of main pipe throughout the city, or, approximately, one to each sixty-seven inhabitants.
In connection with the construction and renewal of pipe lines, sixty-two main gates have been set, and seventeen have been removed, making a net increase of forty-five. The total number in the city is now 1,248. One eight-inch check valve has been set between the high and low service systems in Mt. Vernon avenue.
Eleven blow-offs have been added to the system during the year, making the total number 119.
Seven new waterposts have been set at the request of the Highway Department for street-watering purposes, in the follow- ing locations :-
Adams street, near Broadway.
Bonair street, near Wigglesworth street.
Dana street, near Pearl street.
Medford street, near Ward street.
Mt. Vernon street, near Broadway.
Somerville avenue, near Oak square.
Temple street, near Heath street.
The total number of waterposts in the city is sixty-six. The waterpost on Beacon street, formerly standing 160 feet west from Buckingham street, has been moved to thirty-three feet west from Concord avenue.
Renewal of Street Mains.
The removal of the old cement-lined water pipes has made further progress during the year. Between two and three miles of this pipe now remain in use, the oldest being that in portions of Central street which was laid in 1868. There is also cement- lined pipe of considerable age in several other streets which is- liable at any time to give out and cause damage.
There has been some hesitation in entering upon certain of these streets to relay the pipes before the danger became actually apparent, on account of the present excellent condition of their roadways, but it is probably better to make the necessary disturbance of the street surface now than to take further chances with the old water mains.
The total number of feet of iron pipe laid during the year in place of the cement-lined pipe was 6,549.
The number of bursts and leaks on the system of distribu- tion mains was fourteen, none of which caused any property damage.
Extension of Street Mains.
No extensive demands have been made during the past year for water mains in undeveloped territory. A large portion of the work on construction account has therefore been in perfecting the
392
ANNUAL REPORTS.
water circulation system of the city. One of the most important portions of this work was the laying of a 12-inch high-service main in Central street, from Highland avenue to Monmouth street, and connecting thereto the water mains in Gibbens street, Cambria street, Westwood road, Monmouth street, Oxford street, Berkeley street, and Avon street, all of which had previously been "dead ends." The old cement-lined main on the easterly side of the street, laid in 1868, is still in service as a circulation pipe on the low-service system, but can, if necessary, be cut off without causing any deprivation of water to houses or fire hy- drants. This line of pipe should be retained in service as a cross connection between the southern and northern low-service sys- tems, and should, as soon as practicable, be replaced with an iron main.
The 12-inch high-service pipe line in Highland avenue has been extended from Grove street to Cedar street, and connected there with the Spring-hill high-service system. Davis square now enjoys a high-pressure fire supply, the water pressure at the outlets of the hydrants attached to this line in and near the square being about ninety-five pounds per square inch. In all, nine fire hydrants are connected to this line, four in the immedi- ate vicinity of Davis square and five on Highland avenue.
On account of peculiar difficulties and dangers connected with the construction of the Highland-avenue pipe line, the trench being of considerable depth and but eighteen inches from the rails of an electric car line carrying a heavy traffic, it was deemed advisable to have the excavation and back-filling per- formed by contract and it was so awarded to Mr. Charles A. Kelley. One of the stipulations of the contract was that only citizens of Somerville should be employed on the work.
Other streets in which new pipe lines have been laid during the year are East Albion street, Evergreen avenue, Heath street, Holyoke road, Josephine avenue, Lowell street, Meacham street, Miller street, Mt. Vernon avenue, Mystic street, Pearson road, Powder House terrace, Pritchard avenue, Rogers avenue, Win- dom road, and Wyatt circle.
The tables which follow give further details of this work.
The total number of feet of new mains laid in 1901 is 11,652.
The total main pipe mileage of the city is now about eighty- six miles, 2,919 feet.
Drinking Fountains and Troughs.
A new ice-water drinking fountain of ornamental design has been set in front of the Masonic building in Gilman square, and was well patronized and appreciated during the heated term. Three drinking fountains of the bubbling type have also been set, one each in Lincoln park, Franklin park, and Belmont park.
The ornamental horse trough in Gilman square has received some heavy blows from passing teams, and has been considerably
393
WATER DEPARTMENT.
damaged thereby ; its light structure is hardly fitted for a location on a main thoroughfare where it stands as a butt for the poles of heavy teams handled by careless drivers.
The old drinking fountain on Highland avenue, in front of City Hall annex, was removed on account of its defective condi- tion.
There are now in the city six drinking fountains, four horse troughs, and one combination fountain.
Service Department.
Two hundred and twenty-nine new service pipes were laid in 1901, of a total length of 8,733 feet. The total mileage of ser- vice pipes in the city is about 66 miles 4,121 feet, and the number of house connections 10,520.
A prominent feature of the service department work is found in the repair and renewal of old service pipes which are gradually becoming corroded and filled up, in setting stop gates and gate boxes, and in the renewal and re-adjustment to grade of old boxes.
Two cases of electrolytic injury to service pipes have oc- curred during the year, one in Webster avenue opposite number 79, the other in Willow avenue opposite number 130. Both these cases have been brought to the attention of our Commis- sioner of Electric Lines and Lights and of the officers of the Boston Elevated Railway Company.
Meter Department.
But few new meters have been set during the year.
At the beginning of the year the number of meters in operation was 202
The number of operating meters added during the year was 30 .
Meters removed during the year 8
Total number of meters in operation December 31, 1901
224
Motor and elevator clocks in operation December
31, 1901
8
METERS IN USE DECEMBER 31, 1901.
3/.11
1"
11/2"
3ª
4'
Total.
Empire
1
1
Crown .
6
6
4
1
1
1
1
1
21
Gem
1
Hersey
1
1
3
12
Hersey Disc
1
10
Torrent
41
41
20
5
6
1
1
115
Union
6
8
9
2
5
1
2
33
Union Special
11
6
17
Lambert . .
13
13
Totals
68
66
52
10
15
6
5
2
224
1
1-0
1
2
1
1
Trident
394
ANNUAL REPORTS.
There was consumed in 1901, 47,918,011 feet, or about 359,385,082 gallons of metered water for which the city received $51,116.54.
Summary of Pipes and Fixtures.
Following is a general summary of the pipes and fixtures of the water system, December 31, 1901 :-
Number of feet of main pipe (approximately) . 456,999
Number of feet of service pipe (approximately), 352,601
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