Report of the city of Somerville 1906, Part 24

Author: Somerville (Mass.)
Publication date: 1906
Publisher: Somerville, Mass.
Number of Pages: 552


USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1906 > Part 24


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Giles park®


3


st. & Some'lle ave.


Dec. 28


Pearson rd


7


Total length of public streets in the city . 71.229


Table Showing Sidewalks Constructed (not exceeding one-half cost assessed on abutters) and Paved Gutters Laid in Connection Therewith in 1906.


MATERIALS.


PAVED GUTTERS.


STREET.


WARD.


SIDE.


FROM


To


WIDTH OF SIDEWALK IN FEET.


Gravel and Edgestone. Lineal Feet.


Bricks. Sq. Yards.


Sq. Yards.


Cost.


Belmont


6


Easterly Easterly


Broadway


Northerly .


8.33


61.7


58 84


37.6


$63 32


Bradley


Westerly .


N. E. Tel. and Tel. Co.


6.67


39.7


37 60


Broadway


South westerly


Norwood avenue


Magoun sq.


Av. 8.00


386.5


424 48


Broadway


Sontherly .


St. James church


11.00


123.5


132 68


Calvin .


2


Both .


Washington st.


Beacon st.


5.00


$


1,285.2


1,104 30


428.4


651 45


*Cameron ave.


7


Southerly .


Holland st.


W'ly line No. 24


10.00


§ 5.00 walk { 5.00 sod


223.0


380 90


Campbell park


7


Northerly .


Meacham road .


Kingston st.


6.67


2049


213 88


Cedar .


D


Easterly


Broadway .


City road


6.67


243.2


202 20


81.1


141 45


College ave. and


Easterly


Warner st.


N'ly line No. 167


10.00


3


1,113.4


. .


1,121 36


383.3


670 09


Warner st.


7


Northerly .


College ave.


Medford city line


10.00


502.1


497 18


167.4


313 86


Conwell


Easterly


Highland ave.


Francis st.


5.83


159.5


179 68


Dana


4


Otis st.


Bonair st.


6.67


165.3


133 9


342 27


55.1


111 39


Dell


1


South westerly


Tufts st.


Glen st.


6.67


299.3


294 56


*Edmands


4


Both .


Broadway


End of street


6.67


1,386.4


1,334 55


462 1


Eliot .


2


. Southwesterly. .


Park st.


Vine st.


6.67


197.3


171 73


Gilman and


4


Northeasterly


Jasper st. .


Walnut st.


6.67


1


288.4


272 80


96.1


161 76


Glen


1


Easterly


Oliver st. .


Flint st.


6.67


175.0


157 70


58.3


109 61


Grant


4


Easterly


Broadway


Jaques st. .


6.67


366.7


357 00


Greenville


3


Both .


Medford st.


Boston st. .


6.67


780.2


585.3


570 49


Highland ave.


6


Southwesterly .


Belmont st.


Lowell st. .


10.00


§ 6.00 walk Į


129.3


173 62


..


Holland st., Simpson


7


Northeasterly


(Hodgkins school)


Angle


6.67


492.2


519 93


319 50


*Josephine ave.


6


Both .


Broadway .


Frederick ave.


7.50


1,104.6


1,791 26


.


.


3


Northeasterly .


School st.


Granite st.


6.67


259.8


271 90


Knowlton


1


Both .


Tufts st.


End of accepted st.


6,67


Lexington ave.


G


Both .


Willow ave.


Hancock st.


8.33


1,098.8


1,689.4


1,721 11


Otis


4


Both .


Dana st.


Wigglesworth st.


6.67


563.3


1,533.0


2,091 11


187.8


310 62


Otis


4


Both .


Cross st.


Wigglesworth st.


6.67


§ 5.00 walk {


494.0


S07 51


Seven Pines ave.


7


Northerly .


Cameron ave.


Cambridge line


6.67


132.1


Skehan .


Both


Dane st.


Hanson st.


5.00


595.2


551 56


198.4


421 70


Veazie


4


Both


Bradley st.


Marshall st.


6.67


495.7


438 03


165.2


283 35


Warner .


7


Southerly .


Est. cor. Br'dway


.


Dane st.


10.00


370.7


378 93


123.6


210 90


Wheatland


4


Both .


Jaques st. . Broadway


Jaques st.


6.67


690.8


789 20


*Willow ave.


6


Southeasterly


Frederick ave. .


Morrison ave.


8.33


$ 5.00 walk l


389.4


641 81


Willow ave.


6 and 7


Both .


Highland ave.


Morrison ave.


8.33


551.9


516 50


214.8


Windom


7


Both .


Summer st.


Elm st.


6.67


573.5


700 98


191.2


485 70 381 97


Total assessment, $13,708.06


Net cost to city, $13,708.08


12,655.3


13,067.7


$27,416 14


4,278.5


$7,507 34


Amount of edgestone and brick sidewalk, including granolithic, in front of private estates . Totals. (Gravel sidewalks, 2.431 miles. Brick, granolithic, and tar sidewalks, 4.242 miles.)


179.9


2,163.8


4


Westerly


Pearl st.


Otis st.


6.67


349.0


378 10


Dana


4


Westerly


Otis st.


Bonair st. .


6.67


501.3


746 94


Electric ave.


7


Both


Curtis st. .


Packard ave.


Walnut


4


Easterly


Gilman st.


Jasper place


6.67


4.00 sod.


489.0


450 51


Hudson


5


South westerly


Cedar st.


Pearl st.


Gilman st.


6.67


546.0


§ 5.00 walk }


2.50 sod


598.8


590 60


366.3


593 38


Medford


1 and 2


Both .


Somerville ave.


Washington st.


8.33


10.00


47.8


48 48


15.9


Westminster


7


Northwesterly


Broadway .


Mystic ave.


6.67


1,679.4


1,755 43


559.8


960 82


Wheatland .


4


Both .


Fitchburg R. R.


Electric ave.


6.67


1,419.4


1,469 73


Washington .


2


Northerly .


Frederick ave.


Boston ave.


7.50


2.50 sod. S


115 95


44.0


84 71


Highland ave.


G


Southwesterly


Hancock st.


Willow ave.


10.00


10.00


1


ave. and Paulina st.


6.677


1


Jasper .


4


Both .


570 53


182.0


Knapp ·


*Rogers ave.


Southeasterly


Paulina st.


Simpson ave.


. . . .


·


Columbus ave.


Both


Washington st.


Angle


6.67


208.1


$227 50


Estate No. 111 .


No. 91 inclusive


6.67


Boston ave.


G


457


Dana


Easterly


788 22


260.1


545 64


.


1,026 50


6.67


686 12


6.67


TOTAL COST.


"Granolithic.


3.33 sod


2


311


CITY ENGINEER.


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


Ward one


16.766


12.231


4.540


Ward three


13.027


11.685


1.342


Ward four


13.340


9.716


3.624


Ward five


16.794


10.448


6.346


Ward six


20.047


13.204


6.843


Ward seven


18.218


9.398


8.820


Total miles in the city


110.943


*71.409


39.534


·


.


*Includes 5.67 miles granolithic and tar concrete walk.


Table of Street Construction.


Miles.


*Streets paved with granite blocks


2.73


Streets paved with "Hassam" pavement


1.19


Streets paved with asphalt


0.73


Streets paved with "bitulithic"


0.88


** Streets macadamized


65.41


Streets graveled or unimproved


23.12


Total


94.26


*Also 29.6 miles (single track) electric railway, paved with granite, asphalt, "bitulithic." ** Includes 2.84 miles boulevard.


Lines, grades, and measurements have been given and mis- cellaneous work done for paving with "Hassam Pavement," by contract, a portion of Medford street, extending from School street to Magoun square; another section of Medford street, be- tween Washington street and Central square; Broadway, extending from the Charlestown line to. Cutter street ; and a por- tion of Union square, where there was granite block paving, was re-paved with this new pavement.


The space occupied by the street railway tracks was not paved with the new pavement, but left with the old granite block pavement.


Simpson Brothers corporation, of Boston, were the contrac- tors, laying this new pavement under a ten-years' guarantee for $1.50 per square yard, the city re-setting all edgestone, re-laying all sidewalks, crossings, and making all other necessary altera- tions to complete the work at the following cost :-


Edge- stone.


Brick Sidewalk.


Gravel Sidewalk.


Ward two


12.756


4.737


8.019


·


·


·


Streets paved with vitrified brick (Davis square)


0.20


312


ANNUAL REPORTS.


Location.


Length in Feet.


" Hassam Pavement " Square Yards.


Total Cost. Contract and City.


Broadway, double roadway . (Charlestown line - Cutter st.)


1,521


8,903.9


$14,730.70


Medford st. (School st .- Magoun sq.)


3,567


9,356.7


15,665.59


Medford st. ·


.


.


524


1,130.5


2,262.63


(Washington st .- Central sq.)


Union sq.


643


3,561.0


6,060.93


These accounts were credited respectively with $631.46, $1,030.33, $50, $1,550.83, being the amounts allowed for old materials removed from the line of work.


Also the yard at the city's garbage plant was laid with this pavement, amounting to 478 square yards.


Total "Hassam Pavement" laid in the city during 1906, 23,430 square yards, 1.19 miles in length.


The vitrified brick pavement has been extended in Davis square, West Somerville, southeasterly on Elm street, a length of 234 feet, amounting to 788 yards, the work being done by the city (day labor) at a total cost of $2,175.38; this account was credited with $210, being the amount allowed for old materials removed from the line of the work.


This pavement was laid on a Portland cement concrete base, and the brick joints grouted with Portland cement, with tar expansion joints along the edgestone and occasionally across the street. The space occupied by the street railway tracks was left paved with the old granite blocks.


For comparison,-the average cost of laying "Hassam Pavement" in the city during the year (principally by contract) was $1.69 per square vard, including the cost of re-setting edge- stones, sidewalks, and all other incidental work; and the cost of laying vitrified brick pavement (by city day labor) was $2.76 per square yard.


New streets constructed during the past year have been more thoroughly and better built than for some time past, at least six inches of stone, after rolling, being used, and trap-rock entirely for the wearing surface. And the same method of construction should be carried out in the re-building and surfacing of old streets.


The greater part of highway construction work has been done by the city furnishing all materials, labor, etc., one street being built by contract where the contractor furnished everything required. The average cost of new street construction work, macadamizing with trap-rock, where the city furnished every-


CITY ENGINEER. 313


thing, has been fifty-six cents per square yard. and where the con- tractor furnished everything, forty-eight cents per square yard.


This shows an average cost of $1.32 per lineal foot for con- structing a street forty feet in width, having a macadamized roadway twenty-one feet wide, built by the city, day labor; and by contract was $1.12 per lineal foot, a saving of about twenty cents per foot on a forty-foot street where work is done by con- tract under proper specifications and inspection.


All new street construction work, trench work for laying water mains, etc., should be done by contract with the lowest bid- der, under proper specifications and plans drawn by the city engineer, and thereby saving a considerable percentage of cost.


Where double car tracks have been laid in streets, leaving narrow roadways on either side, it is impossible to maintain a macadam surface, even at a heavy expense yearly, and these streets should be permanently paved with a suitable permanent pavement adapted to the character of the surroundings and amount of traffic and conditions encountered.


On some of the principal streets the edgestones should be completed and gutters paved, so that the street can be properly drained in times of heavy stornis.


A plan has been made of the city ledge, situated in West Somerville, between Holland street and Broadway, showing the laying out of this property into house lots and streets; a consid- erable quantity of stone still remains on the southerly portion of this lot that can be quarried and used on street and sidewalk work to the city's advantage, and also arrangements have been made whereby the city will come into possession of the Collins and Ham ledge on Clarendon hill, West Somerville.


By using the stone from these two ledges and purchasing trap-rock, the city will have a sufficient supply of good road mate- rial for a number of years to come.


A petition of the West End street railway company for lay- ing double tracks in Mystic avenue, from the Charlestown line to the Fellsway (state boulevard), a length of about three thousand three hundred fifty feet, is still pending, as the matter between the city and Massachusetts highway commission has not, as yet, been completed, whereby the entire length of this street in Som- erville is to be constructed and maintained as a state highway.


The double car tracks in Broadway, between the Charles- town line and Broadway parkway, about three thousand seven hundred feet in length, have been re-located, at the city's request, so that a wider space (nine feet, eight inches) between the inner rails may be maintained as a grass plot; in the centre necessary poles and wires will be maintained, and all other poles and wires removed from the surface, and two roadways maintained, one on either side of the street, each twenty-five and one-half feet wide.


There are twenty nine and six-tenths miles of electric car track (single track location) laid at the present time in the city's streets.


-


-


314


ANNUAL REPORTS.


Perambulation of City Boundary Line between Somerville and Boston. In June, 1906, representatives from the city of Somer- ville and the city of Boston, duly authorized, met and examined the bounds and marks defining the existing division line between the two cities, and reported in due form to their respective boards of aldermen.


These boundary lines between the adjoining cities are perambulated every five years, and an accurate description of the same is placed on record in the city clerk's office.


Abolition of Grade Crossing. Considerable progress has been made during the past year on the abolition of railroad crossing at grade in this city, and many public hearings have been held be- fore the special commission appointed by the court for this pur- pose.


The city, being the petitioner in this matter, necessarily had to present some scheme for accomplishing what was desired, and early in the year a plan and special report was presented by the city engineer in brief, partially as follows :-


Report, accompanying preliminary plan, profiles, and sec- tions, showing proposed scheme for separating the steam rail- road and street crossings at grade on the line of the Fitchburg division of the Boston & Maine railroad through the city of Som- erville. The referred-to plan is entitled "City of Somerville, Pre- liminary Plan Showing Proposed Scheme for Abolishing Grade Crossings on Line of Fitchburg Railroad (leased to Boston & Maine Railroad) January 1, 1906, E. W. Bailey, City Engineer."


For many years past the matter of the abolition of grade crossings on the Fitchburg railroad has been a topic for discus- sion by the people of Somerville, and under earnest considera- tion by the city government, especially the more dangerous crossings located at Somerville avenue and Webster avenue, where there is the added danger of many electric railway cars passing at all hours of the day and night.


After many consultations between city and railroad officials, and the bringing of court proceedings during the past years, in consequence of such consultations, the matter has finally been referred to a special commission appointed by the court in June, 1905, consisting of three members, namely : George W. Wiggin, William F. Dana, and George F. Swain. (Mr. Dana was obliged to resign during the past year, and James D. Colt has been ap- pointed to fill the vacancy.)


A petition for the abolition of the grade crossing at Somer- ville avenue was filed in the superior court November 19, 1892, under instructions from the city government. Petitions for the abolition of all five crossings were filed June 28, 1899, and a sup- plementary petition for the abolition of the Medford-street cross- ing was filed July 28, 1900.


The general counsel of the railroad, George A. Torrey, Esq., on September 26, 1900, sent a written communication to the city


CITY OF SOMERVILLE PRELIMINARY PLAN AND PROFILE SHOWING PROPOSED SCHEME FOR ABOLISHING GRADE CROSSINGS ON LINE OF FITCHBURG R.R. (LEASED TO B.&MRR) JANUARY, 1906. E.W. BAILEY,CITY ENGINEER.


B. & L. R.R.


LOW GRADE


LINWOOD S


TO BOSTON


SOMERVILLE AVE


BRIDGE


UNION SQ


LOW GRADE HAD


ST


CHURCH ST


STREET


STREE


WEBSTER


STREET


STREET


ALLEN


NJONI 7


MERRIAM ST


CAMBRIDGE


///FITCHBURG R. R.////


STREET


LINCOLN


CLARK S


DANE AVE


ELANDS


LINCOLN


PARK


JOSEPH


M'TO.


VILL AGE ST


DANE ST


SAC


SCALE


500 FT.


1000 FT.


BEACON ST


BRIDGE


40 PT


400


SOMERVILLE AVE BRIDCE


PROPOSED GRADE OF TRACKS RATE 0.11%


PROPOSED GRADE OF TRACKS RATE 0.45%


NEW


PROSPEC


MEDFORDST


IOPT


E


11000FT


10000FT


9000FT


8000FT


7000FT


600QFT


5000FT


4000FT


2000FT


1060FT


---


SOMERVILLE AVE


AK SQ


STREET


STREET


TYLEN ST


DANE


15


STRE


GRAND JUNC.


SOUTH


1


TYPICAL SECTION OF STREETS AT CROSSINGS.


A&L.R.A BRIDCE


SOFT


PRESENT


GRADE


KRI MTO ST


OKENT ST


PARK ST


I VINE ST


DANE ST


WASHINTON


WEBST


-


FITCHBURGS


SOMERVILLE. ..


SOMERVILLE AVE


LAKE


FITCHBURG R.R.


WARD


ST


BEACON ST


-------¿ TYLINE ==


PROPOSED GRADE OF TRACKS RATE 0.44%


OF TRACKS


WASHINGTON


MEDFORD


.R.


315


CITY ENGINEER.


solicitor, requesting, in behalf of Mr. Tuttle, the president of the Boston & Maine railroad, that the matter be allowed to rest for a while without further action; and that it would be useless to take up any of the crossings separately, as the commission would undoubtedly decide that they must be dealt with at the same time.


Partly in consequence of this request, no further action was. taken by the city until January, 1905, when the city solicitor was instructed to take up the matter in earnest. During all the inter- vening time, the general sentiment of the community was strongly in favor of the abolition of the crossings, and any further unnecessary delay would be greatly regretted, and it would seem that the city had already shown all reasonable consideration to the desire of the railroad company for postponement.


The records at the office of the railroad commissioners show inany accidents at the crossings to travelers upon the highways. Among the accidents recorded are the following :-


September 8, 1904, at Somerville avenue, a man fatally in- jured.


July 14, 1904, at Medford street, a man killed.


April 9, 1903, at Somerville avenue, a man killed.


January 25, 1901, at Medford street, a horse killed, wagon destroyed, and man injured.


August 1, 1901, at Somerville avenue, a man killed.


August 4, 1900, at Webster avenue, a man fatally injured.


February 10, 1900, at Somerville avenue, a man fatally in- jured.


January 28, 1899, at Somerville avenue, a man fatally in- jured.


June 4, 1899, at Medford street, a man killed.


March 28, 1898, at Webster avenue, a man fatally injured.


August 4, 1898, at Medford street, a man killed.


September 21, 1898, at Webster avenue, a man injured.


August 19, 1897, at Webster avenue, a man seriously injured.


October 30, 1897, at Medford street, a woman injured.


May 11, 1895, at Somerville avenue, a woman fatally injured.


November 13, 1895, at Medford street, a man injured.


December 12, 1895, at Somerville avenue, a man fatally in- jured.


All the above are stated to have been travelers on the high- ways.


In making a study of the problem at the various crossings, after making surveys and the collection of various data, it would seem that the elevation of the railroad tracks at a majority of the crossings would be the most feasible solution, much the less expensive, as well as the best for all concerned, owing to objec- tionable grades and heavy damages if the city streets were ele- vated, or, in the case of a depression of tracks, the danger of flooding the roadbed, as the greater part of the territory is at a low elevation and flat grade, being not much higher than high tidal water.


The total change in grade between street and railroad would be materially less if the railroad is put overhead than if the high-


316


ANNUAL REPORTS.


way is put overhead, the clearance required by the highway be- ing considerably less ; and the general topography of the territory being comparatively level on each side of the railroad location, the natural treatment would be the elevation of the railroad tracks, the earth embankments, where possible, to be grassed, and trees and shrubs planted on the slopes. Also, the raising of the tracks would not seriously interfere with the regular and continuous operation of the road during construction work.


The Fitchburg division of the Boston & Maine railroad, for- inerly the Fitchburg railroad, passes through the southerly por- tion of the city of Somerville, extending from the Boston line at Charles river, westerly to North Cambridge at Massachusetts avenue.


This line at the present time, in passing through the city from the east, crosses under the Southern division of the Boston & Maine railroad (formerly the Boston & Lowell railroad) Somer- ville avenue at grade, Medford street at grade, under Prospect street, Webster avenue and Newton street at grade, under Wash- ington street, Dane street at grade, cutting off Vine street, Park street at grade, cutting off Kent street and Sacramento street, under Beacon street, and thence into the city of Cambridge, a total of eleven crossings.


Heavy freights are carried over this railroad daily to the large slaughtering and packing houses located on the line in the casterly part of the city, where there are extensive railroad freight vards, and there are many other local manufacturing and business establishments located along this line of railroad requiring the transportation of large quantities of freight. By this proposed plan no great change is made in the grade of the present tracks in the large freight yards, and along the line of the railroad in other places sidings can be so constructed that very little altera- tion will be required in the grade of the present spur tracks, and in a number of places a benefit will be derived by elevating.


There are two passenger stations located on this railroad within the city limits, one at the Webster-aventie crossing, the other at the Park-street crossing.


The following compiled data, from actual count, shows the traffic at the various grade crossings for a period of twenty-four hours in July, 1905 :-


TRAFFIC IN PERIOD OF TWENTY-FOUR HOURS.


Location of Crossing.


Wagons.


Car- riages.


Pedes- trians.


Elec. R'y Cars.


Bicy- cles.


Automo- biles.


Steam Trains.


At Somerville avenue


1,399


100


1,761


At Medford street


1,347


7


4,243


293 .... 483


75 65


5


383


At Webster avenue


1,115


117


5,007


164


50


159


At Dane street


260


24


2,044


....


18


· 2


148


At Park street


179


58


2,138


....


89


8


145


5


269


317


CITY ENGINEER.


The following compiled data, from actual timing, shows the total time that gates were down at the various grade crossings for a period of twenty-four hours in March, 1906 :-


Location of Crossing.


Total time gates were down and street traffic delayed in pe- riod of twenty-four hours.


Longest time gates were down at any one time during period of twenty-four hours.


At Somerville ave. At Medford st.


5 hours, 37 min., 50 sec. 8


39


5 66


5 minutes, 30 seconds 17 50


At Webster ave. and


Newton st.


3


38 6 30"


8


0


The proposed scheme for the separation of the highway and railroad grades on the Fitchburg division of the Boston & Maine railroad through the city of Somerville in general is as follows (all elevations refer to Somerville city base, which is approxi- mately mean low water) :-.


At Somerville avenue the railroad tracks remain at their present grade at elevation 16.2 ; Somerville avenue to be elevated sufficiently to pass over the railroad location. West of Somer- ville avenue the railroad tracks commence ascending gradually on a grade of 0.45% to Medford street, at elevation 20.6, raising the present tracks at this point 4.8 feet; (Medford street passing under the railroad by a subway) thence the railroad ascending by the same rate of grade (0.45%) to Prospect street, at elevation 29.2, raising the present tracks 15.4 feet ; (Prospect street passing under the railroad, instead of over, as at present) thence the rail- road ascending by the same rate of grade (0.45%) to Webster avenue and Newton street, at elevation 30, raising the present tracks 14.6 feet; (the highways passing under the railroad at nearly their present elevation) thence the railroad ascending on a grade of 0.11% to Washington street, at elevation 31.2, raising the present tracks 17.4 feet; (Washington street passing under the railroad, instead of over, as at present) thence the railroad ascending by the sanie rate of grade (0.11%) to Dane street, at elevation 33, raising the present tracks 16.6 feet; (Dane street passing under the railroad at nearly the present elevation) thence the railroad ascending by the same rate of grade (0.11%) to Vine street, at elevation 33.5, raising the present tracks 16.3 feet ; (Vine street passing under the railroad, where at present it is cut off completely) thence the railroad ascending by the same rate of grade (0.11%) to Park street, at elevation 33.9, raising the present tracks 15.1 feet : (Park street passing under the railroad at a little lower elevation than at present) thence the railroad ascending by the same rate of grade (0.11%) to Kent street, at elevation 35, raising the present tracks 14.7 feet; (Kent street passing under the railroad where at present it is cut off) thence the railroad de- scending on a grade of 0.44% to Sacramento street, at elevation


318


ANNUAL REPORTS.


32.2, raising the present tracks 9.6 feet ; (Sacramento street pass- ing under the railroad by a subway where at present the street is cut off) thence the railroad descending by the same rate of grade (0.44%) to Beacon street, where it meets the present grade of tracks at elevation 25.6.


The total length of this change in the railroad tracks (gradu ally ascending by 0.45% and 0.11% grades, respectively, and thence gradually descending by 0.44% grade) is 9,500 feet.


Sections of the railroad location would be built on earth em- banknients with side slopes, and the remainder with retaining walls and a solid fill.


The changes in the various highways by this proposed plan would be as follows :-


Somerville avenue would be raised 19.5 feet at the railroad, and pass over the tracks on a bridge having a head-room of six- teen feet in the clear, the proposed grade of the roadway of the elevated street on both sides of the railroad to be at the rate of 3.5%, and constructed only two-thirds (fifty feet) of the width of Somerville avenue. This would give a roadway as wide as the present avenue between edgestones, the remaining one-third (twenty-five feet) of the avenue to be maintained at its present grade for admittance of teams, etc., to the abutting property. The portion of this proposed elevated structure south of the rail- road to be built on the northeasterly side of Somerville avenue, and the portion north of the railroad would be built on the south- westerly side of the avenue, with the low grade roadways on the opposite sides, respectively, as shown on the accompanying plan.




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