Report of the city of Somerville 1903, Part 22

Author: Somerville (Mass.)
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: Somerville, Mass.
Number of Pages: 492


USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1903 > Part 22


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There are also six grade crossings on the line of the Lexing- ton and Arlington branch of the Boston and Maine railroad in Somerville, where any contemplated change in grade would necessitate the treatment of all these crossings at one time and require the co-operation of the city of Cambridge.


The past year an act was passed by the Legislature authoriz- ing the cities of Somerville and Cambridge and the towns of Arlington and Belmont to improve the condition of Alewife brook and streams above.


After a number of conferences with the representatives of these cities and towns, Somerville's engineer was selected to present a plan for this proposed improvement and surveys. Plans and estimates and considerable engineering work has been done and data presented to the Metropolitan park commission to be used in preparing plans and estimates for the proposed im- provement of a large district adjacent to Mystic river and Alewife brook, to be treated in a manner similar to the Charles river dam scheme. A report and plan will probably be presented early the coming year.


Streets Accepted as Public Highways in 1903 under the Betterment Act.


NAME OF STREET.


WARD.


FROM


To


Width in Feet.


Length in Feet.


Date of Acceptance.


Clarendon ave.


7


Broadway .


Cambridge line . Leland st. .


40


1,217


June 29


Dane ave. .


2


Dane st.


Nov. 13


Durham st.


2


Beacon st.


Hanson st.


40


423


Sept. 25


Eastman ter.


6


Highland ave.


Southwesterly


40


296


Nov. 25


Hillside park .


3


Walnut st.


Westerly


40


196


Dec. 30


Knowlton st.


1


Tufts st.


Northerly .


40


461


Aug. 17


Packard ave.


Broadway .


Professors row .


60


1,758


Nov. 13


Pearl st ..


1


Crescent st.


Mt. Vernon st. .


37


341


Dec. 30


Total .


(0.996 miles)


.


5,261


·


30


569


Table Showing Sidewalks Constructed (not exceeding one-half cost assessed on abutters) and Paved Gutters Laid in Connection Therewith in 1903.


STREET.


WARD.


SIDE.


FROM


Tc


WIDTH OF SIDEWALK IN FEET.


Gravel and Edgestones. Lineal Feet.


Bricks. Sq. Yards.


Sq. Yards.


Cost.


Adrian .


2


Southerly .


Marion st. .


Joseph st. .


6.67


402.6


$380 21


Bolton


.


2


Both .


Houghton st.


Oak st.


7.67


783.4


702 99


261


$500 98


Burnside avenue


6


Southeasterly


Elm st.


Summer st. Lake st.


6.67


630.3


417.4


812 43


210


340 12


Cedar


6


North westerly


Highland ave.


Spencer ave.


6.67


199.6


.


180 13


67


111 35


Church (south)


2


Both .


Somerville ave. .


Lake st.


6.67


649.7


514 26


54


103 52


Clifton .


7


Both .


Appleton st.


Morrison ave.


6.67


292.1


265 47


397 59


...


Crocker


6


Northwesterly


Highland ave.


Crown st.


6.67


746.6


343.4


317 86


204


413 95


Houghton


Both .


Springfield st.


Cambridge line .


6.67


974.7


795 56


325


662 30


Hudson


15


Southwesterly Both .


Somerville ave. .


Lowell st. .


6.67


877.1


782,51


341


672 87


Jay


7


South easterly


Holland st.


Howard st.


6.67


536.5


416 81


179


364 73


Kidder avenue


Northeasterly


College ave.


Powder House ter.


6.67


330.2


239.2


495 34


110


223 67


Kingston


7


Both .


Meacham road .


Cambridge line .


6.67


841.4


683 49


280


534 79


Lincoln avenue


Northeasterly


Lincoln st. .


Mt. Vernon st. .


5.00


252.4


161.4


322 80


70 }


335 82


Line


2


Easterly


Washington st.


Cambridge line .


5.50


1,751.4


1,442 66


1,128 69


Lowell


6


Southeasterly


Highland ave.


Opposite Crown st.


6.67


398.1


334 00


.


Maple


1


Both .


Poplar st. .


Medford st.


5.00


1,096.8


895 43


304


823 87


Partridge avenue .


Both


Medford st.


Vernon st. .


7.67


1,984.4


1,577 96


772


1,195 00


Pembroke


5


Both .


Central st.


Sycamore st.


6.67


842.5


713 30


281


369 27


Porter


6


Southeasterly


Highland ave.


Crown st. .


7.50


385.2


361 88


Robinson


5


Southerly .


Ames st.


Bartlett st.


6.67


360.0


289 83


290 75


65


138 80


Tennyson


5


Southeasterly


Pembroke st.


Medford st.


6.67


386.2


314 11


129 }


335 59


Thorndike


7


Both .


Arlington Branch R. R.


Kingston st.


6.67


189.9


141 40


63


174 85


Thurston


5


Southerly .


Medford st.


Richdale ave.


6.67


211.5


187 96


Tower .


6


§ Westerly


Highland ave.


Hospital lot


6.67


537.5


486 07


...


Tower .


6


Westerly .


In front Somerville Hospital Medford st.


Vernon st. .


6.67


1,037.4


868 19


346


669 11


Veazie .


4


Both .


Walnut st. .


Bradley st.


5.83


723.9


565 16


241


436 22


Waldo .


5


Both .


Highland ave. Pearl st.


N'E'ly line estate No. 20 .


6.67


218.1


183 85


William .


South westerly


College ave.


Estate No. 20


6.67


.


124.3


125 38


.


Willoughby


5


Both .


Central st. .


Sycamore st.


6.67


846.4


647 38


282


362 07


Totals. ( Gravel sidewalk, 3.096 miles. Brick sidewalk, 2.081 miles. ) . Amount of edgestone and brick sidewalk, including granolithic and paved gutters, laid at intersecting streets and in front of private estates


17,593.3 680.2


6,951.1 882.0


$20,591 32


5,778


$10,643 63


210


·


Mead st.


6.67


388.4


340 60


College avenue


7


North westerly


Kenwood st.


Broadway .


10.00


358.6


322 67


249


469 30


Grant


4


Northwesterly


Broadway .


Jaques st. .


6.67


6.67


612.8


Henry avenue


6


Both .


Highland ave.


Lowell st. .


To and including estate 136


6.67


468.7


462 66


Ibbetson


6


7


1


Southwesterly


Lincoln st ..


Mt. Vernon st. .


5.00


423.7


.. .


347 70


118


School .


3


North westerly


Somerville ave. .


Landers st.


6.67


195.6


Tennyson


5


Northwesterly


Pembroke st.


Medford st.


6.67


398.1


300 38


133


Easterly


Highland ave.


Crown st.


Crown st.


6.67


282.3


155.0


450 92


110


276 76


Trull


5


Southeasterly


Hudson st.


6.67


389.8


332 18


Wesley .


4


Westerly


Somerville ave. .


6.67


500.3


464 68


Carlton .


2


Both .


Northwesterly


Holland st.


Holland st.


Howard st.


6.67


Gorham


7


Southeasterly


572 11


Lexington ave.


504 66


2


1


Lincoln avenue


Claremon


450.6


TOTAL COST.


MATERIALS.


PAVED GUTTERS.


Total assessment, $10,295.66.


Net cost to city, $10,295.66.


148.9


584


1


293


CITY ENGINEER.


Length of Public Streets in Each Ward.


Miles.


Ward one


9.033


Ward two


.


.


7.591


Ward three


.


Ward four


8.808


Ward five


10.083


Ward six


10.755


Ward seven


13.913


Total length of public streets in the city


67.09


Miles of Edgestone, Brick Sidewalk, and Gravel Each Ward.


Edge- stone.


Brick sidewalk.


Gravel sidewalk.


Ward one


15.424


11.594


3.830


Ward two


11.102


4.197


6.905


Ward three


12.784


11.226


1.558


Ward four


12.395


8.463


3.932


Ward five


15.153


9.688


5.465


Ward six


18.207


9.726


8.481


Ward seven


15.490


7.430


8.060


Total miles in the city


100.555


*62.324


38.231


*Includes 1.66 miles granolithic and tar concrete walk.


Table of Street Construction.


*Streets paved with granite blocks


2.75


Streets paved with asphalt


.66


Streets paved with vitrified brick (Davis square)


.14


** Streets macadamized


63.25


Streets graveled


17.43


Streets unimproved


8.56


Total


92.79


*Also 29 miles (single track) electric railway, granite paved.


** Includes 2.84 miles boulevard.


6.907


Sidewalk in


Miles.


294


ANNUAL REPORTS.


SEWER DEPARTMENT. Sewers Construction Account. STATEMENT OF EXPENSES, 1903.


Constructing "separate system" sewers (as- .


sessments levied) petitioned for .


$276 87


Constructing "separate system" sewers (no assessments) · .


3,342 23


Constructing combined system sewers (as-


sessments levied) petitioned for


2,770 57


Constructing storm drains .


22,375 19


Constructing 38 catch basins, street drainage


1,887 41


Final payment on sewers constructed in 1902


1,189 18


Work and materials furnished other depart- ments


63 38


Sundry expenses and abatements


52 00


Materials on hand December 31, 1903


686 29


Total


$32,643 12


CREDIT.


Balance unexpended December 31, 1902


$4,288 29


Appropriation, 1903


25,000 00


Sewers constructed in 1903, assessments


levied .


2,850 49


Amounts received from other departments


133 62


Reserves on contracts, due in 1904


1,060 66


Materials on hand December 31, 1902


684 64


$34,017 70


Balance unexpended


$1,374 58


In the construction of sewers the past year a portion of the work has been done by the city, employing day labor, and the remainder by contractors. The "separate system" sewers (those built for house drainage only) have been extended during the past year in various streets in different sections of the city, and this work should continue yearly, as the appropriation will allow, until all flooded areas in the city have a new sewerage system ; all house drains in these districts should be re-connected with the new sewers as soon as built.


One of the main lines has been extended on the southwest- erly side of Beacon street, from Museum street to Harris street, about 1,403 feet of ten-inch pipe being laid. Another main has been extended on the southerly side of Somerville avenue, from the Fitchburg railroad crossing easterly, about 346 feet of twelve- inch pipe being laid to take the drainage from one of the slaugh- tering houses. Separate system sewers have also been laid in College avenue and Elmwood terrace. In Maple street the old sewer has been converted into a separate system sewer.


Sewers on the "combined system" have been built and ex- tended in Highland road, Lexington avenue, Munroe street, Os- sipee road, Packard avenue, and Teele street, Powder House boulevard, and Winslow avenue.


VIEWS-STORM DRAIN OUTLET, MIDDLESEX AVENUE, 10 FEET X 7.5 FEET.


295


CITY ENGINEER.


An agreement has been executed with the owners of the marsh land lying between Mystic and Middlesex avenues, near Winthrop avenue, whereby the city has obtained a permanent right of way for drainage purposes.


For many years the city has paid an annual rental for the use of an old water course across this private property, and by the construction during the year of a permanent drain in the right of way obtained, the main drainage outlet for the eastern district of the city has been completed.


The new structure built extends from the tide-gate chamber constructed in Middlesex avenue the previous year, southwesterly in Middlesex avenue and across the marsh land in the proposed location of a new street to the junction of Mystic and Winthrop avenues, where it connects with the bell-mouth chamber pre- viously built and takes the drainage from an area of over 400 acres discharging through three large structures at this point.


The new drain is constructed principally of Portland cement concrete re-enforced with expanded metal and I beams in the roof construction, and is ten feet wide, seven and one-half feet high and about 880 feet long, being the largest structure in the city's drainage system.


In connection with this work and on either end of the new structure the tide-gate and bell-mouth chambers have been com- pleted.


A short section of storm drain has been constructed in Ver- non street between Glenwood road and Partridge avenue, and a new drain for storm water laid in Maple street.


Drainage has been completed for the Thorndike-street sub- way, the pond and fountain on Central Hill park, the tower on Prospect Hill park, the Broadway athletic field, the Morse school yard and brick masonry gate chambers constructed for the water department.


Metropolitan Sewer Connections. The city's assessment for the metropolitan system for the past year was $28,438.09 on con- struction, and $18,150.28 for maintenance.


There are ten connections with the north metropolitan sewerage system within the city's limits and four connections through other cities, taking the discharge of the city's entire house drainage system.


The cost of making these main sewer connections has been $17,870.76 and the amount paid the state to January 1, 1904, on construction account has been $299,371.93, and for maintenance $120.860.24, making a total cost to the city to date on account of the construction of the metropolitan sewerage system $138,- 102.93.


296


ANNUAL REPORTS.


At the Somerville-avenue and Poplar-street connection with the metropolitan sewer, records compiled from an automatic re- cording clock placed in the regulator chamber on the combined system, show this outlet to have been cut off as follows :-


Year 1900 completely closed 353 hours, partly closed 114 hours.


66 1901 66


6


386


66


66


66


377 66


66


1903


66


66


180 66


66


66 167


Summary of Work. Fourteen new sewers and drains have been constructed during the year, a total length of 6,527.6 feet (1.24 miles) and plans made and assessments levied amounting to $2,850.49. (See table of sewers.)


The total length of the city's drainage system is 88.36 miles, 17.38 miles being on the "separate system" and 4.68 miles of storm drains, and the entire cost of construction has been about $1,131,211.00 exclusive of the amount paid the state for the construction and maintenance of the north metropolitan system.


Thirty-eight new catch basins have been constructed on the highways during the year at an average cost of $49.67 per basin, making a total of 1,266 catch basins in the city for street drain- age purposes.


Sewers Maintenance Account. STATEMENT OF EXPENSES, 1903.


Maintenance of sewers, including cleaning and flushing


$4,165 50


Maintenance of catch basins, cleaning and flushing


4,447 01


Changing line and grade and repairing man- holes 122 75


Changing line and grade and repairing catch basins


843 47


Inspection and location of house drains


329 70


Rent of water course, between Mystic and Middlesex avenues


300 00


Rebuilding sewers


332 44


New tools and supplies


359 43


Repairs of tools and property


73 70


12 00 Cleaning cellars flooded in times of storms, Sundry expenses, car fares, telephone, etc. 52 33 Maintenance of sewer department yards and buildings 357 93


Work and materials furnished other depart- ments 212 69


Dredging and flushing Bridge-street sewer outlet at Charles river in Cambridge (4-9 of cost, by an act of the legisla- ture),


1,585 60


Total


$13,194 55


225 66


1902


66 376


TABULAR STATEMENT OF SEWERS AND DRAINS BUILT IN 1903.


LOCATION.


ITEMS OF CONSTRUCTION AND COST.


SEWER.


SUB-DRAIN.


PIPE SEWER, COST PER LINEAL FOOT.


FROM


To


CONTRACTOR.


MATERIAL EXCAVATED.


Average Cut.


Size in inches.


Length in feet.


Size in inches.


Length in feet.


Cubic yards Rock


Price per cubic


Manholes.


Average Cost Manholes


Inlets


Excavating, Re- filling, and Pipe Laying.


Sub-drain


where laid.


Inspection.


Miscellaneous.


Average cost per


Total cost.


Assessment.


Cost to City.


*Beacon st.


Kent st.


Harris st.


Charles A. Kelley .


Sand and gravel


8.3


10


1403.3


5


932.7


5


$38.50


51


$0.58


$0.15


$0.36


$0.07


$0.03


$ 43


$1.63


$2,413.52


82,413.52


*College ave.


End of old sewer


Near Warner st.


Bartholomew Burke


Hardpan


5.7


115,1


6


117.5


...


0,39


0.15


0.33


0.04


0.12


1.03


119.05


$84 38


34,67


*Elmwood ter.


Elmwood st. .


Easterly .


Maurice Buttimer .


Sand


5.2


8


201.4


24.0


1


35.00


10


0.35


0.15


0.20


0.04


0.01


0 01


0.78


157,82


142.16


15,6G


Highland road


End of old sewer


Near Frederick ave.


Bartholomew Burke


Clay


7.7


12


71.0


.....


...


6


Built


at peti tioners'


expense


...


1,06


700.66


699.73


0.93


Angle


Near Cedar st.


Richard Falvey


Filling and clay


7.8


10


547.8


2


38,08


14


Maple st. (storm drain)


Poplar st.


Angle


Charles A. Kelley .


Filling and sand


7.0


12


519.6


1


40.75


24


0.48 )


0.45


0.05


0.01


1.05


625.64


625.64


Angle


Near Medford st.


Charles A. Kelley


Filling and sand


G.G


10


78.2


*Maple st. .


Old sewer changed to


separate system sewer.


Winthrop ave. extension


Timothy F. Crimmings .


Filling and peat


12,0


crete 10 ft.


Stone and pipe


I beams and expanded metal $2,118.15


29.21


2


.10


0,04


0.44


0.57


1.60


19.99


17,596.35


Concrete 7,771.29


Brickwork 1,065.80


Winthrop ave. Ext'n (storm drain)


Middlesex ave.


Mystic ave.


Timothy F. Crimmings .


Filling and peat


12.0


x


7.5 ft. J


8


114.8


2


0,65


0 23


0.23


0,02


1.14


131.56


43.85


87.71


Ossipee road


Packard ave ..


Westerly


Patrick Burke


Sand and gravel


7.3


10


280.0


128.5


2.0


$4.56


2


33.75


18


0.28


0.15 )


0.32


0.02


0.87


529.75


528.79


0,9€


End of above .


Near Curtis st.


Patrick Burke


Sand and gravel


6.3


00


327.8


1


33.75


28


0.34


Packard ave. and


Powder-house boulevard


Teele st.


William J. McCarthy


Hardpan


9,0


12


208.0


1


42.25


11


0.50


0.37


0.03


1.09


Teele st. .


Packard ave. .


Westerly


William J. McCarthy


Hardpan and rock


65


10


330.0


5


150 0


2.40


1


42.25


24


0.37


0.15 }


0.29


0.02


1.57


End of above


Near Curtis st.


William J. McCarthy


Hardpan and rock


8.2


8


279.5


1


42.25


22


0.37


Powder-house boulevard


Curtis st.


Westerly


Charles A . Kelley .


Sand and gravel


5.5


299.5


1.9.1


2,50


1


25.60


8


0.30


0.21


0.05


0.01


0.73


219.06


183.17


35,89


*Somerville ave.


Fitchburg R. R.


Easterly


Daniel A. Dorey


Sand and clay


12.6


12


346.0


255.0


30.0


2.00


1


54.60


11


1.45


0,15


0.50


0.21


0.08


2.68


928.71


928.71


Vernon st. (storm drain) .


Glenwood road


Trull st ..


Day labor


Hardpan


6.4


15


372.0


531.42


Winslow ave.


Extension in Clifton st.


Daniel W. Perry .


Filling .


3.7


10


30.0


Total length and cost of new sewers aud drains built in 1903


$25,143.08


$2,850,49


$22,292.59


* Separate system sewers.


Total length of sewers built by the city, January 1, 1904 Total length of private sewers in the city, January 1, 1904


Total length of sewers in the city, January 1, 1904 Total length of storm drains in the city, January 1, 1904


441,825.3 feet, or 83.679 miles. 24,731.3 feet, or 4.84 miles.


Total length of the city drainage system, January 1, 1904


88.363 miles.


Lexington ave.


Hancock st.


Angle


Richard Falvey


Filling and clay


9,6


12


123.2


1 1


38.08


3


0.49


0.36


0.04


Sub- drain


Main


Sewer.


Pipe, including


Lumber.


lineal foot.


Excavation.


yard, Rock.


6,527.6 ( 1.24 miles. ) .


.


0.90


0.50


...


0.03


1.43


€31.42


1


Built


at peti tioners'


expense


1,189,54


1,168,41


21.13


Munroe st.


Greenville st.


Westerly


Day labor


Hardpan


7.4


880.4


1760.8


3


$.80and $.60 per yard.


G


0.45 )


Middlesex ave. and


Tide-gate chamber


Con-


180.0


8


4


408,578.3 feet. 33,247.0 feet.


NAME OF STREET.


297


CITY ENGINEER.


CREDIT.


Appropriation


$12,300 00


Boston Elevated Railway Company, chang-


ing line and grade manholes, labor and materials


213 03


Sale of old hose, rope, iron, etc. .


37 55


Amount received from other city depart-


ments, labor and materials


641 69,


Materials on hand December 31, 1902,-


12 00


$13,204 27


Balance unexpended


$9 72


Value of tools and property used in mainte-


nance of sewers


$809 86


The work and cost of maintaining the city's drainage sys- tem increases yearly as new lengths of sewers and storm drains are built and more catch basins added, requiring continuous labor in cleaning, flushing, repairing, etc., to be kept in working order, that the sanitary condition of the city may be maintained at its best.


Over 6,000 cubic yards of material have been removed from catch basins and sewers during the past year, and many blow-off connections from the water mains opened and the sewers flushed. Ninety-seven catch basins have been repaired, grade changed or re-built ; twenty-nine manholes, line or grade changed, and ten sewers or storm drains repaired. About one hundred feet of sewer has been re-laid and three new manholes built on old sewers.


During the year 259 permits have been issued to licensed drain layers for connecting buildings with the main sewers, thirty-five being for repairs; all of the work being done under the supervision of the city's inspector. There are about 12,525 private drain connections with the city's drainage system.


The automatic recorder in the regulator chamber at the Somerville-avenue and Poplar-street connection with the metro- politan sewer shows this outlet to have been completely closed for 167 hours and partially closed 180 hours during the year.


Two of the city's largest outlets for storm drainage are through the city of Cambridge into tide water; the one for the southeasterly section of the city, extending through East Cam- bridge and discharging into Charles river, was constructed many years ago, Somerville paying five-ninths of the cost of construc- tion and has paid five-ninths of the cost of maintenance of this outlet for nearly thirty years, under an act of the legislature. This matter should be considered and re-adjusted on a more equitable basis, the prevailing conditions being far different from what existed many years ago, when the present act was passed and would require the passage of a new act by the legislature authorizing a change.


lumber


.


1


298


ANNUAL REPORTS.


PUBLIC GROUNDS DEPARTMENT.


The department covers a varied line of work, including the designing, laying out, and constructing of new parks, boulevards and drives, athletic fields and smaller playgrounds, the care and maintenance of all the grounds after completion, the control of all the various athletic games on the different playgrounds, the purchasing of all supplies and a general supervision, at present, over sixteen separate parcels of land located in all parts of the city, amounting to about fifty-eight acres, and a boulevard one and one-third miles in length.


New Work. The land previously purchased for park pur- poses on Prospect Hill and partially laid out has been practically completed during the year. The roadway has been finished, walks graded, steps built, and beds of shrubbery and trees planted.


An observation tower has been constructed on top of a por- tion of the old original hill, left at its highest elevation, opposite Greenville street. This tower is built of rock-faced, Deer Isle granite laid in broken-ashlar masonry, the elevation of the top floor being 161.8 feet above mean low tide. The corner stone was laid July 2, 1903, and the park was dedicated with appropri- ate exercises on October 29, 1903.


This park will always be of historical interest on account of the encampment of soldiers on this hill both in the revolutionary and civil wars, and bronze tablets with inscriptions of historical events (prepared by the Somerville Historical Society) have been erected.


The inscription on the tablet placed in the tower is as follows :-


THIS TABLET IS ERECTED IN MEMORY OF THE SOLDIERS OF THE REVOLUTION AND OF THE CIVIL WAR WHO ENCAMPED ON PROSPECT HILL AND OF THE BANNERS UNDER WHICH THEY VALIANTLY FOUGHT.


THIS TOWER AND PARK DEDICATED OCTOBER 29, 1903.


Another tablet placed on the face of the granite retaining wall at the base of the tower has five inscriptions, as follows :-


299


CITY ENGINEER.


THE AMERICAN ARMY UNDER GENERAL PUTNAM ON JUNE 17, 1775 WITHDREW FROM BUNKER HILL TO THIS HEIGHT AND HERE ERECTED THE CITADEL THE STRONGEST WORK IN THE BESIEGING LINES OF BOSTON AND WHICH FOR NINE MONTHS WITHSTOOD THE BRITISH BOMBARDMENT JUNE 17, 1775, TO MARCH 17, 1776.


HERE ON JULY 18, 1775 WAS RAISED AMID GREAT REJOICING THE FLAG PRESENTED TO GENERAL ISRAEL PUTNAM AND HIS HEROIC SOLDIERS, BEARING THE MOTTO OF CONNECTICUT "QUI TRANSTULIT SUSTINET" AND OF MASSACHUSETTS, "AN APPEAL TO HEAVEN."


FROM THIS EMINENCE ON JANUARY 1, 1776 THE FLAG OF THE UNITED COLONIES, BEARING THIRTEEN STRIPES AND THE CROSSES OF SAINT GEORGE AND SAINT ANDREW, FIRST WAVED DEFIANCE TO A FOE.


"THE FLOWER OF THE BRITISH ARMY" PRISONERS OF WAR WHO SURRENDERED AT SARATOGA WERE QUARTERED ON THIS HILL FROM NOVEMBER 7, 1777, TO OCTOBER 15, 1778 GUARDED BY AMERICAN TROOPS UNDER GENERAL WILLIAM HEATH.


ON THIS HISTORIC HILL ANSWERING THEIR COUNTRY'S CALL IN 1862 ENCAMPED THE SOLDIERS OF SOMERVILLE WHOSE RECORD OF PATRIOTISM AND FORTITUDE IN THE CIVIL WAR IS WORTHY OF HIGHEST HONOR AND COMMEMORATION.


1


300


ANNUAL REPORTS.


Prospect Hill Park. COST OF CONSTRUCTION, 1903.


Completion of grading


$593 35


Steps and concrete walks


267 99


Trees, shrubs, and planting


343 85


Less labor and teaming charged to Public Grounds account, for which credit was received


72 25


$1,132 94


CREDIT.


Balance from 1902


$1 34


Appropriation, 1903


1,000 00


Transfer from Public Grounds, Land on Prospect Hill, account .


131 60


$1,132 94


Construction of Historical Building and Observation Tower on Pros- pect Hill Park.


Rough granite delivered .


$1,875 57


Labor, cutting and laying granite


4,753 33


Sand and materials used


624 61


Floors, stairs, doors, etc.


1,452 65


$8,706 16


Less labor and materials charged to other accounts, for which credit was re- ceived


603 13


$8,103 03


CREDIT.


Appropriation


$7,000 00


Transfer from Public Grounds account


800 00


Transfer from City Engineer account


303 03


$8,103 03


On Central Hill park a rockery and basin with two smaller drinking fountains have been constructed with money left under the will of Joseph F. Wilson. The rockery is composed of ir- regular shaped rock cemented together in the form of a pyramid, from which many streams of water spout into a pond at the base, and so constructed that it can be illuminated by electric lights when desired. Shrubbery is to be added for a background the coming spring. The cost of the work follows :---


Wilson Memorial. COST OF CONSTRUCTING ROCKERY, BASIN, AND FOUNTAINS ON CENTRAL HILL PARK.


Rocks and teaming


$526 03


Mason work and labor


·


441 68


Cement, sand, bricks, iron work


122 06


Water pipes and drains


157 97


Granolithic and concrete


756 00


Electrical work and plumbing


336 26


Bronze tablet


35 00


$2,375 00


·


.


$1,205 19


VIEWS OF OBSERVATION TOWER, PROSPECT HILL PARK.


301


CITY ENGINEER.


A small area at the cornor of Poplar street and Joy street (the old Bennett school lot) has been put in use as a playground for the children ; the old schoolhouse has been removed, the lot graded and swings, tilts, etc., added.


At Lincoln park a large portion of the old clay pit has been filled with ashes and other material, a straight-away running track completed and a new fence, ten feet in height, erected along the westerly boundary of the park for the protection of the adjoining property.


A system of under-drains has been laid for taking care of the surface and ground water at the city's athletic field on Broadway, near Powder House square ; and on Central Hill park new steps and hand rails have been placed at the Medford-street and Wal- nut-street entrances.




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