USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1905 > Part 28
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354
ANNUAL REPORTS.
The equipment of this department consists of the following: 108 signal boxes, one eight-circuit repeater, one eighteen-circuit fuse board, eight tower strikers, thirty-three gongs, eight indi- cators, twenty small tappers, forty open circuit tappers, one auto- matic steam whistle, 392 cells storage battery, and 130 miles of wire.
Twelve miles of old wire have been replaced by new.
During the year this department has been called upon to , answer fifty-one emergency calls to pick up dangerous wires.
Owing to the large number of new buildings that have been erected in the western portion of the city, I would recommend that new signal boxes be added in this section in order to further protect the property.
-
Police Signal.
The usual careful attention has been given to the police sig- nal system, and it is in a good working condition. During the past year several miles of old wire have been replaced with new. Several of the telephones in the signal boxes have been repaired, and in some cases new ones installed in place of the old.
I would recommend that two new boxes be added this year, and some of the instruments at the police station be replaced by new ones, as some of them have been in constant service for seventeen years.
Underground Wires.
An act was passed by the legislature and approved April 10, 1905, to provide for the placing of wires underground in certain streets in this city, such streets being designated in the said act. The Edison Electric Illuminating Company of Boston has laid conduits in Broadway from the Charlestown line to Edmands street, and The New England Telephone and Telegraph Company of Massachusetts has laid conduits from the Charlestown line to Willow bridge. These companies will probably place their wires in said conduits and remove their poles and wires from the streets. The city has made arrangements for placing its wires underground in Broadway and has purchased the necessary iron posts for the fire alarmı and police boxes. As the act calls for an expenditure of $20,000 each year by each corporation, our streets will present a very different aspect in two or three years. Owing to the fact that the telephone company has several miles of underground pipes, one duct of which is for the use of the city, free of expense, it would seem good policy on the part of the city to place as much wire underground as possible each year, thus lessening the danger from high tension wires.
-
COMMISSIONER OF ELECTRIC LINES AND LIGHTS.
355
Street Lights.
There are at present 478 arc lights and 519 incandescent lights in service in the city.
Owing to the laying out of new streets in the western part of the city, several new lights will be needed during the coming year.
During the past year a number of arc lights have been dis- continued on side streets and two or more incandescent lights in- stalled in place of each arc light so removed, and as three incan- descents can be maintained at a less cost than one arc light, it re- duces the cost very materially.
The lighting service of the city will compare very favorably with that of the surrounding municipalities.
Financial Statement.
ELECTRICAL DEPARTMENT.
CREDIT.
Appropriation
$7,000 00
Transferred from Sewer Department
700 00
Receipts :-
D. F. McNeil, removing wire
12 00
Welch & Hall Co., horse
40 61
Total credit
$7,752 61
DEBIT.
Expenditures :-
Salaries ·
$5,149 88
Wires, insulators, etc. .
1,035 00
Wagon repairs
103 70
Harnesses and repairing same
79 05
Fire alarm boxes .
944 80
Board of horses
300 00
Incidentals
477 93
Total debit .
$8,090 36
Amount overdrawn
$337 75
STREET LIGHTS.
CREDIT. 1
Appropriation .
$66,000 00
Received from sundry persons for lighting Westwood road with Welsbach lights, 1904
39 60
Total credit
$66,039 60
1
356
ANNUAL REPORTS.
DEBIT.
Expenditures :-
Electric lighting
$65,885 49
Changing location of poles and lights
37 00
Incidentals
8 00
Total debit .
$65,930 49
Balance unexpended .
$109 11
Respectfully submitted, 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, estimated, 71,000. 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. LEONARD B. CHANDLER.
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, 1906.
To His Honor, the Mayor, and the Board of Aldermen :-
I present herewith my report for the year ending December 31, 1905, this being the thirty-second annual report made by the water department :-
Receipts and Expenditures.
Water bills have been issued as follows :-
"Annual" water charges, amounting to
"Additional" water charges, amounting to
$142,763 80 5,096 16
"Metered" water charges, amounting to
73,837 64
Abatements made on the above charges --
$221,697 60
$4,735 95
Amount credited to Water Income account .
$216,961 65
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, 1905, under sec- tion 3, chapter 488, Acts 1895 809 65
Amount received from water service assessments
4,456 58
Amount received from costs 299 00
Amount received from labor and materials sold .
2,011 30
Total
$224,538 18
This amount was used under appropriation orders of the board of aldermen as follows :-
For water works purposes :-
Water works maintenance $28,327 91
16,796 18
Water works extension
487 20
Refunds 30 99
Abatements on water charges of 1904
Miscellaneous accounts 2,011 30
Interest on water loan bonds .
4,450 00
Maturing water loan bonds .
6,000 00
Metropolitan water works assessment .
90,560 73
$148,664 31
Amount carried forward
$148,664 31
359
WATER DEPARTMENT.
Amount brought forward .
$148,664 31
For other municipal purposes :-
Sewers, maintenance
$12,000 00
Fire department
.
61,465 00
Reduction of funded debt
2,408 87
75,873 87
$224,538 18
In addition to the appropriations from water income to other municipal purposes enumerated above, water has been furnished without charge to all the city departments that have required its use. The value of this water, based on the charges of the year 1899, is about $12,000.
Department Receipts and Disbursements.
WATER MAINTENANCE ACCOUNT.
DR
CR.
Amount appropriated by board of aldermen from water income
$25,500 00
Sundry receipts for labor and materials sold, Receipts from other sources
299 00
Transfer from Water Works Extension ac- count
2,660 40
Materials used in extension of the water works ·
11,937 67
Amount expended for labor and materials
for maintenance of the water works and renewals of pipe
$28,327 91
Amount expended for materials used in ex- tension of the water works
11,937 67
Miscellaneous accounts
1,961 53
Unexpended balance
131 49
$42,358 60
$42,358 60
WATER WORKS EXTENSION ACCOUNT.
DR.
CR.
Amount appropriated by board of aldermen from water income ·
$15,000 00
Receipts from 220 water service assessments, Sundry receipts for labor and materials sold. Labor and materials used in extension of the water works
49 77
$16,796 18
Miscellaneous accounts
49 77
Transfer to Water Maintenance account
2,660 40
$19,506 35
$19 506 35
Cost of Water Works.
The total cost of the water works on December 31, 1904, as represented by the expenditures from appropria- tions for water works extension was .
Expended during the year 1905, on extension account
$838,706 95
16,796 18
Total expenditures, December 31, 1905 .
$855,503 13
1,961 53
4,456 58
360
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Water Debt.
Water loan bonds have been issued on funded debt account to the amount of $1,017,000 ; this has been reduced by $915,000, leaving the water debt on December 31, 1905, $102,000.
The outstanding bonds mature as follows :-
YEAR.
AMOUNT.
YEAR.
AMOUNT.
1906
$16,000
1914
$6,000
1907
17,000
1915
5,000
1908
7,000
1916
5,000
1909
6,000
1917
5,000
1910
6,000
1918
5,000
1911
6,000
1919
4,000
1912
6,000
1920
2,000
1913
6,000
Extension of Water Distribution System.
The accompanying table gives the location and description of new water mains laid during the year, number and size of gates set, number and kind of hydrants, blow-offs, and waterposts con- structed. To obtain a circulation of water through Delaware street, the main in that street was extended to a connection with Pearl street, thus removing an old "dead end." Pipes were laid and extended in the other streets shown in the table, for house requirements. The total number of feet of new mains laid, includ- ing hydrant, blow-off, and waterpost branches, was 4,047, making the water pipe mileage of the city approximately ninety miles, 1,574 feet. Fifteen fire hydrants and fifteen water-gates have been added to the system during the year ; one blow-off has been constructed in Pearl street. and one waterpost, for the use of the street watering department, has been set on Packard avenue, near the boulevard.
The water service system has been extended by making 220 house connections, for which 9,155 feet of pipe was laid, with necessary corporation, curb and cellar cocks and fittings. The cost of these connections, including materials, labor, teams, and tools, has averaged $21.13, and the average amount received therefor in water service assessments has been $20.26.
One eight-inch fire service was laid for the box mill of John P. Squire & Co., on Somerville avenue, at their expense, and two private fire hydrants were set by that company in their yard.
The following table gives a summary of the pipes and fix- tures of the water system, December 31, 1905 :-
361
WATER DEPARTMENT.
Summary of Pipes and Fixtures.
Feet of main pipe (approximately)
476,774
Feet of service pipe (approximately)
382,460
Service connections (approximately )
·
11,279
Public fire hydrants
1,001
Private fire hydrants
49
Gates
1,358
Check valves
7
Meters
2,092
Waterposts
73
Blow -offs
136
Drinking fountains and troughis
10
.
.
Maintenance and Renewals.
A new sixteen-inch iron water main has been laid in Pearl street, from Cross street to a connection with the metropolitan main near Walnut street, in place of the old six-inch iron and cement-lined main, and all the side street connections therewith have been renewed, and hydrants and gates reset. This pipe linc now furnishes an abundant supply of water direct from the metro- politan main to the East Somerville district.
The hydrant formerly standing on Pearl street, near Dana, was moved to Dana street, near the corner of Pearl street, and a stop-gate was placed so as to permit its service on either the Pearl-street or the Dana-street main. , The hydrant formerly on Pearl street, near Wigglesworth street, was moved around the corner on Wigglesworth street, and the hydrant near Delaware street was moved to three feet east from Pearl terrace.
This work practically concludes the renewal of the water distribution system, which was commenced in 1884 by the sub- stitution of iron for cement-lined water pipes. As evidence that we now have a substantially constructed and practically tight main distribution system, we record that there have been no breaks in the mains and but eight joint leaks discovered during the year, and the cost of repairs per mile of pipe has been but eighty-seven cents.
In addition to the general renewal work in connection with Pearl street, fire hydrants have been set in 'Arthur street, Cottage avenue, Oak street, and Webster avenue, in place of de- fective ones removed, and the hydrant formerly on Main street, corner of Moreland, has been reset five feet from the corner of the street.
The twelve-inch gate in Medford street, formerly 100 feet west from Chester avenue, was moved to the west line of Chester avenue, on account of changes in the location of the street car tracks, and the cost was paid by the Boston Elevated Railway Company.
On account of the erection of a dwelling house, the water- post formerly standing on Holland street, near Elmwood street, was moved to a more favorable location on Paulina street, oppo- site the Hodgkins school. -
The drinking fountains at Gilman square and Union square have been supplied with ice during the summer months. The
362
ANNUAL REPORTS.
1
Franklin park fountain, which was frequently damaged by those for whose benefit it was intended, was removed for repairs, and has not been reset. The horse troughs have been regularly and thoroughly cleaned, the practice being to wash them twice a week during the summer and once a week during the winter season. The base of the ornamental trough in Gilman square has been again broken by the pole of some heavy team; this trough would do well on a boulevard, or in a district where light teaming pre- vails, but is not substantial enough for use by heavy teams and careless drivers. The old pipe connection to this fountain was abandoned and a new one made in another location, previous to the laying of the bitulithic pavement in the square.
The blow-offs in various sections of the city have been used frequently to clear the pipes of sediment and dead water.
The maintenance of our fire hydrant system requires a con- stant inspection during the winter months and careful oversight at all times to ensure its efficiency. The severity of the past two winters, when, in some places, the frost went into the ground to a depth of five feet, has heavily taxed this branch of our work, but in no case has a hydrant been out of order when it has been needed for use by the firemen. Hydrants and gates have been renewed, packed, and oiled, gate boxes raised and lowered to grade of streets, and incidental repairs made wherever necessary.
Service pipes, on account of their small size, wear out by corrosion and other causes much quicker than the large mains, and the maintenance of this department of the water works re- quires a considerable outlay. Several years ago the rule was es- tablished that the city would bear the expense of necessary re- newal of service pipe and fittings within the street lines, but that the cost of renewals in private grounds should be paid by the property owner; this has led to a better care and protection of the water fixtures on the part of the owner. It is found necessary to set many curb-cocks on the older services, where it was the custom of earlier times to lay the pipes without them, and to raise to grade many service boxes that have been carelessly cov- ered over in the building of sidewalks ; iron boxes have to be set, also, to replace old wooden ones and others that have become damaged. Forty-five service pipes have been renewed, and 167 leaks from various causes have been repaired. Much trouble is experienced with services in a cold winter, and it frequently be- comes necessary to thaw those in which the water becomes frozen, sometimes, as during the past winter, from the house clear to the street main. The service department of the work is a busy one, and its labors and expenses are unlikely to grow less with ad- vancing age of the pipes and fixtures with which it has to do.
Inventory.
The annual inventory of stock on hand, tools and machinery, teams and stable equipment, pumping apparatus, and furniture
363
WATER DEPARTMENT.
shows a valuation of $22,980.41; the land and buildings of the department are valued at $32,100, and the distribution system of the water works has an estimated valuation of $865,000.
Water Consumption.
The necessity of restricting our water consumption again becomes apparent from a recent estimate of the metropolitan water and sewerage board, showing an increase of $2,700, or about three per cent., in our annual water assessment, based on the "valuation and consumption" apportionment, Acts of 1904, over the estimated "valuation and population" apportionment which has heretofore been in effect under Acts of 1895. The ad- vantage of having a metered system at the present time is illus- trated in the case of a neighboring city, which is largely metered, where it is estimated that the state water assessment will be about thirty per cent. less this year, on the present consumption basis of apportionment, than it would have been on the former basis of population. The tendency of unmetered cities is to an increas- ing per capita consumption of water, and while the average of eighty-nine gallons daily for Somerville, as shown by the Metro- politan meters in 1905, is not as low as it might or should be, it is gratifying to note that there has been no increase over the previous year. This is undoubtedly due, in a measure, to the extension of our local meter system, and as this system grows and is extended to cover in the more wasteful class of property, it should show not merely a restriction of the consumption to the present figure, but a material reduction, with its subsequent benefits.
At the present time less than twenty per cent. of our ser- vices are metered, and if we should procced to install meters at the rate of 1,000 per year, it would then require about twelve years to complete the work. Somerville should be willing to do its part in the work of restricting water waste, to the end that further extension of the metropolitan works, with the large ex- penditures that will be required therefor, may be postponed as long as possible. I recommend, therefore, that the water works appropriation for the coming year be made sufficiently large to provide for the installation of 1,000 meters.
It is sometimes remarked that the installation of a meter system will reduce the water income ; this may or may not be the result. Many consumers are finding their rates much lower by the use of meters, others are paying more than under the old "annual" rates, on account of having defective plumbing in their houses, with its consequent waste of water. A certain class of property which has been rated relatively high will undoubtedly pay less under the meter schedule, and another class which has been rated disproportionately low will pay more than heretofore. Whatever the result may be with regard to the income, the ad-
364
ANNUAL REPORTS.
.
vantage will be gained of the establishment of rates on an equi- table basis and the reduction of water waste, and if in the future it should be deemed necessary or advisable to increase the rates, the method would be simple and within the statutory powers of the mayor. Notwithstanding the large increase in the number of meters, the income from water rates in 1905 showed a gain of nearly $1,000 over the previous year.
Eight hundred and thirty-four meters were set during the year, including 123 to commence operation January 1, 1906; of this number, the use of fourteen has been discontinued for non- occupancy of premises and other causes, making a net increase of 820. The total number now in the system is 2,092, as shown in the following table :-
METERS DECEMBER 31, 1905.
SIZE
KIND
Total.
5/8"
3/4"
1"
11/2"
2"
3"
4"
6"
Nash
172
172
Empire
1
1
Crown .
5
G
3
2
1
1
1
1
20
Gem
1
Hersey
11
Hersey Disc
215
16
5
1
3
240
Torrent
1
Trident
165
45
23
6
6
1
1
247
Crest
18
11
7
1
5
1
1
44
Columbia .
93
93
King
66
66
Lambert
971
106
9
1,086
Worthington Disc . .
78
78
Totals . .
1,784
199
56
13
18
6
4
2
2,082
Motor and ele- vator registers
10
2,092
Metropolitan Water.
The annual assessments paid by this city as its proportionate part of the cost and operation of the metropolitan water works are given below :---
Year.
Sinking Fund.
Maintenance.
Interest.
Total. $14,250 19
1898
No division made 66 66
20,975 58
1900
66 66
28,689 24
1901
$12,491 73
$12,033 79
$32,291 24
56,816 76
1902
19.014 85
12,955 64
30,427 40
62,397 89
1903
15,748 56
12,763 10
48,776 77
77,288 43
1904
16,104 42
15,393 87
54,938 64
86,736 93
1905
21,358 11
13,666 71
55,535 91
90,560 73
5
1
2
3
1
1
Union Special
15
4
2
1
Union
21
1
$437,715 75
1899
365
WATER DEPARTMENT.
There has been credited to the city by the commonwealth as its proportion of the amounts received from entrance fees, water supplied outside the district, and water furnished to water companies the sum of $8,255.80.
The daily consumption of water in Somerville, as recorded by the Venturi meters, operated by the metropolitan water and sewerage board, is shown below by months for the year 1905 :-
Month.
Gallons.
Month.
Gallons.
January
6,622,600
July
6,806,700
February
7,565,000
August
6,240,100
March
5,935,600
September
5,951.400
April
5,485,300
October
5,813,500
May
5,896,300
November
5,538,000
June
6,077,100
December
5,965,700
The total consumption for the year is 2,248,741,000 gallons, making an average daily consumption of 6,160,900 gallons.
The following table shows the daily per capita consumption of water in the cities and towns in the metropolitan water district for the year 1905, as registered by the metropolitan meters :-
For the Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Year
Boston
158 168 146 134 137 140 144 148 147 145 144 153 151
Somerville
92 105
82
76
81 84- 93
90
85
83
80 52
54
99 110 89
Everett
104 114
93
87
83
84
81
77
77
79
79 82
Quincy
97 106 101
99 105 107 118 118 112 111 113 102 109
Medford
80
88
79
76
86
90
98 102 99
94
89
90
97
Melrose
108 109 118 112
Revere
77
91
69
66
67
71 72
80 107
51
45
41
44 94
87
64
64 37
61
Belmont
34
50
50
47
60
55
75
87
58
51
48
73
92
88
Lexington
77
80
76
75
80
81 105 62
87
77
62
47
71 66
74 74
Total
134 144 124 114 118 120 125 128 126 123 122 129 129
The district, in order of per capita consumption, beginning with the lowest, stands as follows :--
1-Milton
43
8-Swampscott 83
2-Malden 53
9-Somerville
89
3-Belmont 61
9-Everett
89
4-Watertown 70
10-Medford
97
5-Lexington
74 11-Quincy
109
5-Nahant
74
12-Chelsea
110
6-Revere
78
13 -- Melrose
112
7-Arlington
81
14-Winthrop
113
7-Stoneham
81 15-Boston
151
46
41
46
47
50
53
54
54
Chelsea
150 168 126
99
93
96
97
93
91
88 88
61
67
78
Watertown
57
62
64
59
68
80
84
87
78
73
65
69
81
Milton
34
35.35
36
94
82
73
86 113 112
88
76
74
65
54
Nahant
49
63
41
49
60
117 80
109 114 84 77
82
79
73
67
65
70
Arlington
71
79
70
65
36
37
43
Winthrop
99 103 124 135 114 93 93 89
80
81
71
81
Stoneham
97
84
70
70
Swampscott
74
79
83
74
97 113
96 110 80
91
46
41
85 89 53
Malden
46 49
102 113 106 101 107 109
65
366
ANNUAL REPORTS.
About fifteen gallons per capita per day of Somerville's con- sumption is for commercial purposes, leaving seventy-four gal- lons per capita for public and domestic use and waste. Of the ten cities and towns standing lower in consumption than Somer- ville, two are entirely metered, two are very largely metered, and the remainder are residential towns, with very little or no manu- facturing.
The metropolitan meter at Webster avenue has been en- larged to one of twenty-four-inch diameter, with a throat of eight inches. The meter at Broadway, near Marshall street, and that at Willow avenue, near Elm street, have been closed during the year, the city being now supplied through four meters in the low-service district and two in the high-service system. The water furnished by the metropolitan works has continued of good quality throughout the year. The great dam at Clinton has been completed, and the Wachusett reservoir is practically finished, and is now filling with water.
Appendix.
Appended hereto are tables giving further information and details concerning the work of the department during the year ; also locations of hydrants and other fixtures connected with the water works.
FRANK E. MERRILL,
Water Commissioner.
Locations of New Mains Laid, Length and Size, Number of Gates, Hydrants, Etc., Set in 1905.
PIPE LAID.
GATES SET.
HYDRANTS SET.
BLOW- OFFS.
NAME OF STREET.
DESCRIPTION OF WORK.
Size.
No. Feet.
Size.
No.
Kind.
No.
Size.
No.
WATER POSTS.
Bay State avenue
Street main; from point 346' south from Broadway to 200' south from south line Mallett street.
253
Mathews
2
Boston avenue
Street main; from point near Pearson avenue to 10' east from east line Pritchard avenue.
1
9
Mathews
1
Boston avenue
Street main; from point 137' north from Morrison avenue to point 237' north from Morrison avenue.
100
Cleveland street
Street main; from connection with old main to point 264' west from Central street.
48
Curtis street
Street main; from 269' north from Professors' row to 516' north from south line Professors' row.
247
Dana street
Gate-20' north from north line Pearl street.
1
Delaware street
Street main; from main in Pearl street to connection with old main 9' west from angle of street.
7
Mathews
1
Dickson street
Street main; from main in Broadway to point 145' north from north line Broad- way.
6"
195
1
Dimick street
Street main; from point 92' west from Concord avenue to point 267' west from Concord avenue.
175
Highland road
Street main; from connection with main in Frederick avenue to connection with main at south line Boston avenue.
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