Report of the city of Somerville 1905, Part 28

Author: Somerville (Mass.)
Publication date: 1905
Publisher: Somerville, Mass.
Number of Pages: 486


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Twelve miles of old wire have been replaced by new.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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