USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1908 > Part 27
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Toilets.
A careful watch has been kept of the toilet conditions in the schoolhouses, and every effort made to remedy any unsatisfac- tory conditions which have been found to exist. The toilet fa- cilities in the Davis and Cummings schools should be entirely removed and a new system installed during the coming year. The present facilities are not in a satisfactory condition and can- not be made so except as recommended above. Additional toilet accommodations should be provided at once in the high school buildings. The accommodations there are entirely in- adequate for the large number of pupils in attendance at those buildings.
The following table will describe the systems in use and the existing conditions :-
347
COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
GeneralWork- ing Condition.
School.
System. Hydraulic closet system.
Ventilation. Local vented.
Good. 66
Bell
66
66
66
66
66
Bennett
66
66
66
66
66
66
Brown
66
66
66
66
Burns
66
66
66
66
66
66
Cummings
66
66
66
66
Davis
66
66
66
66
Durell
66
closet
66
66
66
Forster
66
66
66
66
Forster
Annex
66
66
66
66
66
Glines
66
66
66
66
66
Latin High.
66
66
66
66
Highland
66
66
66
66
66
Good 66
Knapp
66
66
66
66
66
Lincoln
66
66
66
66
Morse
66
66
66
66
Perry
66
66
66
66
66
Pope
66
66
66
66
66
Prescott
66
66
66
66
66
66
Lowe
66
66
66
66
66
66
Inspection of Buildings.
There have been issued during the year 258 permits for new buildings and alterations. This number is thirty-three less than in 1907. The total estimated cost of the new buildings and alterations was $954,145.00, while the cost in 1907 was $939,- 795.00, showing an increase of $14,350.00. During the year there have been made 1,621 inspections of private buildings in the course of construction. The following table will show the number of permits in each ward and the uses for which they were intended :-
WARDS.
Buildings.
Total.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Dwellings
9
16
4
19
31
31
71
181
Stores
3
2
1
3
1
10
Stables
3
Miscellaneous
14
12
6
4
5
7
6
54
Brick buildings
1
5
7
Total
27
38
10
23
38
42
80
258
66
66
66
66
66
66
Bingham
Latrine
66
66
66
Edgerly
66
66
66
Not satisfactory Not satisfactory Good
66
Hanscom
Inadequate
English High
66
66
66
66
66
Hodgkins
66
66
66
.
Proctor
6
1
1
1
1
Baxter
Carr
66
348
ANNUAL REPORTS.
The number of plumbing permits issued during the year was
386
Permits for plumbing in new buildings 171
Permits for plumbing in old buildings
215
Number of buildings in which soil pipes were tested
293
Number of master plumbers' licenses, 51 at $.50
$25.50
Number of journeyman plumbers' licenses, 25 at $.50 12.50
Number of new master plumbers' licenses, 5 at $2.00 10.00
Number of new journeyman plumbers' licenses, 1 at $.50
.50
Total
$48.50
Respectfully submitted, WALTER T. LITTLEFIELD, Commissioner of Public Buildings.
REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF ELECTRIC LINES AND LIGHTS.
No report of the commissioner of electric lines and lights has been presented for the year ending December 31, 1908.
FREDERIC W. COOK,
City Clerk.
SOMERVILLE WATER WORKS.
SOMERVILLE, MIDDLESEX CO., MASSACHUSETTS.
Area of city, including land and water, about 4.22 square miles. Population, estimated, 74,000. 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. CHARLES A. GRIMMONS.
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, 1909.
To His Honor, the Mayor, and the Board of Aldermen :-
I present herewith my report for the year ending December 31, 1908, this being the thirty-fifth annual report made by the water department :-
Receipts and Expenditures.
Water bills have been issued as follows :-
"Annual" water charges, amounting to
$119,771 10
"Additional" water charges, amounting to .
3,517 86
"Metered" water charges, amounting to
104,266 74
$227,555 70
Abatements made on the above charges
$4,105 99
Refunds made on the above charges
242 04
Abatements made on charges of 1907
10 00
4,358 03
Income from sale of water
$223,197 67
Amount received from water service assessments
3,122 77
Amount received for labor and materials
3,932 38
Balance from water income account of 1907
1 90
Total income of water works .
$230,254 72
This amount was used as follows :-
For water works purposes :-
Water works maintenance
$30,537 05
Water works extension .
16,573 59
Miscellaneous accounts
3,932 38
Interest on water loan bonds
2,720 00
Maturing water loan bonds .
7,000 00
Metropolitan water works assessment
108,691 08
$169,454 10
For other municipal purposes :-
Sewers, maintenance
$12,000 00
Fire department
.
38,000 00
Reduction of funded debt
.
10,800 62
.
60,800 62
$230,254 72
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 is estimated at $12,- 000 ; it is paid for out of the income from sale of water.
352
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Department Receipts and Disbursements. WATER MAINTENANCE ACCOUNT,
DR.
CR.
Amount appropriated by board of aldermen from water income
$30,000 00
Sundry receipts for labor and materials
3,607 78
Amount transferred from Water Works Ex- tension account
1,549 18
Materials used in extension of the water works
12,932 68
Amount expended for labor and materials for operation, maintenance, and re- newal of the water works
$30,537 05
Amount expended for materials used in ex- tension of the water works .
12,932 68
Miscellaneous accounts
3,607 78
Unexpended balance
1,012 13
$48,089 64
$48,089 64
WATER WORKS EXTENSION ACCOUNT,
Amount appropriated by board of aldermen from water income
$15,000 00
ments ·
3,122 77
Receipts for 5 waterpost services .
324 60
Labor and materials used in extension of the water works
$16,893 19
Amount transferred to Water Maintenance account
1,549 18
$18,447 37
$18,447 37
Cost of Water Works.
The total cost of the water works on December 31, 1907, as represented by the expenditures from appropria- tions for water works extension was .
$891,737 99
Expended during the year 1908, on extension account
16,898 19
Total expenditures, December 31, 1908 .
$908,636 18
Water Debt.
Water loan bonds have been issued on funded debt account to the amount of $1,017,000 ; this has been reduced by $955,000, leaving the water debt on December 31, 1908, $62,000.
The outstanding bonds mature as follows :-
YEAR.
AMOUNT.
YEAR.
AMOUNT.
1909
$6,000
1915
$5,000
1910
6,000
1916
5,000
1911
6,000
1917
5,000
1912
6,000
1918
5,000
1913
6,000
1919
4,000
1914
6,000
1920
2,000
DR
CR.
Receipts from 168 water service assess- .
353
WATER DEPARTMENT.
Water Works Income from 1898 and its Distribution.
The water income and its distribution from 1898 to 1908, in- clusive, is shown in the following table :-
Total water income, years 1898 to 1908, inclusive
$2,410,734 79 . Distribution :-
Water Works Account.
Water Works Construction, Renewal, Main-
tenance and Operation
$600,004 34
Water Bonds
212,000 00
Interest
72,135 00
Metropolitan Water Assessments
. 749,901 52
$1,634,040 86
Other Municipal Accounts.
- Construction
$117,035 65
Maintenance
110,450 00
Sewers
Bonds
72,000 00
Interest
58,792 00
- Assessments
.
·
31,000 00
$389,277 65
Fire Department, Maintenance
241,026 33
Health Department, Maintenance .
7,500 00
Suppression of Moths
1,000 00
Reduction of Funded Debt
136,100 87
Unappropriated Balances
1,789 08
$2,410,734 79
Extension of Water Distribution System.
STREET MAINS.
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 water- posts constructed.
The total number of feet of new mains laid, including hy- drant, blow-off and waterpost branches, was 4,179, making the water pipe mileage of the city approximately 92.92 miles.
On account of the taking over of Mystic avenue by the state and its construction as a state highway, water mains were laid in such portions of the street as were necessary to make the pipe line continuous from the city of Medford line to Fellsway west; the main was also extended in this street from Garfield avenue to New Cross street for a new house service.
Mains were laid in Grant street and in Marion street to ac- commodate new buildings, and were extended to connections with other pipes for the removal of dead ends. In Appleton street, Liberty avenue, and Cleveland street mains were laid in conjunction with work being done by the highway department, in anticipation of new services and to connect dead ends. Mains were extended in Pearson road and in Powder-house boulevard for the accommodation of new houses, and in Taylor street to
.
.
351
ANNUAL REPORTS.
supply a fire hydrant for the better protection of that neighbor- hood.
Trench work, excavating, and refilling for water pipes was done by contract labor in the following streets and at prices named :-
TRENCH WORK.
Street.
Feet of Trench.
Cu. Yards Rock
Contractor.
Earth. Rock. Lin. Ft. Cu. Yd.
Total Cost of Trench Work.
Average Cost per foot of Trench Work.
Mystic ave: (Temple st. to Wheatland st.) Mysticave:(Gar- field ave. to New Cross st.). Powder-house boulevard
719.5
B. Burke . .
·
.27
....
$194.27
$ .27
234.5 640
...
C. A. Kelley
.53
....
128.04
.546
79
T. F. Crimmings
.38
$3.00
480.20
.75
The pipes and all materials required were furnished, and the pipe-laying done in each street by the water department.
Hydrants, Gates, etc.
Seventeen hydrants were set during the year on the follow- ing streets: Bromfield road, 2; Central street, 1; Grant street, 1; Kent street, 1; Marion street, 1; Mystic avenue, 3; Pearson road, 1; Powder-house boulevard, 2 ; Taylor street, 1; Teele ave- nue, 2 ; Vernon street, 1; Waverley street, 1. One hydrant stand- ing on what was formerly Frost avenue, now the yard of the American Tube Works, has been sold to that company for their private use and has been discontinued as a city hydrant; four hydrants in the grounds of Tufts College, formerly supplied by city of Somerville water, are now supplied by the city of Med- ford. The net increase in public hydrants, then, is sixteen, and decrease in number of private hydrants three, making the total number located on city streets 1,038, and the number in factory and railroad yards, connected with the city water supply, forty- seven. The number of gates set on street mains, service mains, waterpost branches, etc., during the year was eighteen, and the total number now in use throughout the city is 1,422. Five new waterposts were set for the use of the street watering depart- ment on the following streets: Beacon street, Cleveland street, Frederick avenue, Moreland street, and Prospect street, making the number now in use eighty-three. A blow-off branch was constructed connecting with the main in Bromfield road; also one in Mystic avenue, making 138 now connected with the dis- tribution system. On account of the frail construction of the old horse trough in Gilman square, its base having been badly damaged by the poles of heavy teams, it has been removed, and none other, as yet, set in its place, the number now in use in the city, including the drinking fountains, being nine.
1
355
WATER DEPARTMENT.
Water Services.
One hundred and sixty-nine new service pipes were laid during the year, requiring 6,395 feet of pipe. The total length of service pipe in the city is approximately 76.5 miles, and the number of house connections 11,817. Fourteen services have been discontinued, on account of the grade crossing changes on Somerville avenue.
Water Meters.
Nine hundred and two new meters have been installed dur- ing the year ; thirty-four removed for various causes in previous years were reset; fifty-seven were removed for either perma- nent or temporary discontinuance of use of water, making the net increase in number of meters in service 879, and the total number in use 4,325. One motor register was discontinued. The kinds and sizes of meters now in use are shown in the fol- lowing table :-
METERS DECEMBER 31, 1908.
SIZE
KIND
Total.
5% !!
1"
11/2"
2"
3"
4"
6"
Nash
172
172
Empire
1
1
Crown .
5
3
3
2
2
2
1
1
19
Gem
1
Hersey
9
Hersey Disc
223
20
3
1
3
1
1
Trident
219
44
20
6
5
3
1
6
Union
15
12
7
1
6
1
42
Union Special
20
Columbia
145
145
King
439
43)
Lambert
1,825
112
18
1,955
Worthington Disc .
970
970
Totals
4,014
207
57
13
20
7
5
2
4,325
Motor and ele- vator registers
8
4,333
The meters installed in 1908 were classed as follows :-
Applications of property owners .
611
New services
147
General installation
144
Reset
.
·
34
Total
936
4
1
2
2
1
250
Torrent
1
295
Crest
2
16
2
2
356
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Meters were removed for the following causes :-
Vacancies and temporary non-use of water 28
Services permanently discontinued 3
Services at Tufts College, now supplied by city of Medford . .
11
Replaced by other meters
-
15
Organ motor at Tufts College, now supplied by city of Medford . 1
The following table gives a summary of the pipes and fix- tures of the water system December 31, 1908 :-
Summary of Pipes and Fixtures.
Feet of main pipe (approximately) . 490,631
Feet of service pipe (approximately) 403,950
Service connections (approximately)
11,817
Public fire hydrants
1,038
Private fire hydrants
47
Gates
1,422
Check valves
7
Meters
4,325
Motor registers
8
Waterposts
83
Blow-offs
138
Drinking fountains and troughs
9
Inventory.
An inventory of stock on hand, tools and machinery, teams and stable equipment, pumping apparatus and furniture, shows their valuation $21,111.80; the land and buildings of the de- partment are valued at $32,100, and the general distribution sys- tem of the water works has an estimated valuation of $900,000.
Maintenance.
The physical condition of the works has been kept up to its usual high standard. The fire hydrants have been carefully in- spected, special attention being given them during the winter season, repairs made as needed, and defective ones replaced. Street valves have been oiled and gate boxes raised and lowered to grade. Horse troughs have received their customary atten- tion and have been kept in clean condition. The drinking foun- tain in Davis square has been equipped with a new ice-tank, con- structed on scientific principles, and ice-water has been fur- nished there during the warm season. The fire supply to the American Tube Works, on Church street, has been relocated and enlarged at their expense ; the old pipe line in what was for- merly Frost avenue has been abandoned and its connection with the Somerville avenue main has been offset so as to connect with a new main laid by the Tube Works through their yard. The gate on the old Sherman street connection has been set back to make place for the installation on this branch of a fire
57
357
WATER DEPARTMENT.
hydrant at a later date. One hundred thirty-four leaks on ser- vice pipes have been repaired and eighty-three pipes have been replaced in whole or part. Service gates have been brought to grade in all streets where sidewalk construction or alterations were being made by the highway department. Fourteen joint leaks and breaks in the street mains were repaired during the year. On November 14 the twenty-inch main in Washington street, near Boston street, again broke and caused a large dam- age to the street, but fortunately none to neighboring property. On the 17th of November the sixteen-inch main in Mansfield street again blew out and caused considerable damage to that street. These pipes have been laid sixteen years, and have given much trouble from time to time by their breaking without any apparent cause or reason. Considerable study has been given to the changes in the water main system, made necessary by the grade crossing elimination in Somerville avenue, and plans of proposed new pipe lines have been submitted.
The installation of water meters has brought largely in- creased work upon both the accounting and maintenance de- partments of our work. Thirteen meters have been taken out, tested for accuracy, and re-set, on request of rate-payers; of these, twelve were found to be registering correctly, and one . was over-registering. Meters are tested at the department shop on request of any rate-payer who deems his water bill excessive, upon his payment to the city of $1 to cover the cost; if the meter is found to be inaccurate beyond the allowance of three per cent., the testing charge is refunded. There are many causes for a meter to get out of order and under-register, but it is rarely the case that anything happens that makes them register against the consumer. One hundred and sixty-four meters were found "stuck" in service, and were removed for re- pairs, the following reasons appearing for their condition : Broken disks, fifty-nine; freezing, twenty-six; dirt, sediment, and other obstructions in the meter, twenty-five; hot water, two; worn-out gear trains, eight; defective registers, thirty- four ; miscellaneous defects in gears, spindles, screws, etc., in- side the meters, ten.
A stock room has been fitted up at the shop building for small repair parts of meters, and a large room for service fit- tings and other supplies has been constructed for the better and more systematic handling of department stock and tools.
A part of the buildings and grounds of Tufts College, situ- ated in the city of Medford, have in the past been furnished with water from the Somerville system, but during the last year the Medford water department has laid pipes to connect with the main service of the college, and is now supplying these buildings with water. The connection with the Somerville main has been cut off, and the supply to four fire hydrants, eleven metered ser- vices, and one organ motor has thus been discontinued.
358
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Water Assessments and Consumption.
The annual assessments paid by this city as its propor- tionate 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
1899
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
16,404 42
15,393 87
54,938 64
86,736 93
1905
21,358 11
13,666 71
55,535 91
90,560 73
1906
22,345 50
17,412 51
57,402 07
97,160 08
1907
25,365 30
18,880 01
62,089 30
106,334 61
1908
24,865 73
15,221 12
68,604 23
108,691 08
$749,901 52
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 $9,056.10.
The daily consumption of water in Somerville, as recorded by the Venturi meters, operated by the metropolitan water works, is shown below by months for the year 1908 :-
Month.
Gallons.
Month.
Gallons.
January
6,493,000
July
7,284,700
February
7,363,100
August
6,597,800
March
6,298,600
September
6,446,600
April
6,229,800
October
6,158,300
May
6,604,100
November
6,013,400
June
7,393,600
December
6,198,500
The total consumption for the year is 2,411,647,200 gallons, making an average daily consumption of 6,589,200 gallons.
The average daily quantity of water used in Somerville dur- ing 1908 was eighty-nine gallons per inhabitant, a decrease of one gallon from the previous year's consumption ; the average for the entire district remaining the same as last year, or 133 gallons daily per capita.
.
359
WATER DEPARTMENT.
The following table shows the daily per capita consumption of water in the cities and towns in the metropolitan water dis- trict for the year 1908, as registered by the metropolitan meters :-
For
City or Town
Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. the
Year .
Boston
165 179 160 156 159 164 161 152 153 151 144 155 158
Somerville
89 100
86
85
90
98
89
87 83
81 41
41
46
Chelsea
94 120
90
171
115
112
88
86
80
81
74 99
70 94
79
97
Melrose
79
99
79
77
58
63
78
69
57
64
59 56
58
60
Arlington
73
86
36
36
40
49
60
56
46
51
44 37 33 116 106 103 118
Winthrop
97 110 100 106 111 140 156 142 135
Stoneham
102 116
98
96
93
98 102
89
92
84
85
79
94
Belmont
52
57
57
65
77 114 126
97
95
71
68
56
78 71 75
Swampscott
64
69
65
68
72 112 108
91
88
63
53 52 78
Metropolitan Dist. 136 149 132 132 134 142 139 129 130 126 119 126 133 . *Includes 280 people in Saugus.
The district, in order of consumption, beginning with the lowest, stands as follows :-
Gallon s.
Gallons.
City or Town.
Total per Day.
Per Capita per Day.
City or Town.
Total per Day.
per Day
1-Milton
331,600
44
8-Revere
1,293,100
89
2-Malden
1,868,600
46
8-Melrose
1,351,900
89
3-Watertown
732,000
60
9-Arlington
971,200
93
4-Lexington
328,800
71
10-Stoneham
626,000
94
5-Nahant
140,100
75
11-Medford
2,069,000
97
6-Belmont
365,400
78
12-Quincy
3,003,600
99
6-Swampscott
509,300
78
13-Chelsea
3,316,900
104
7-Everett
2,636,300
82
14-Winthrop
928,700
118
8-Somerville
6,598,200
89
15-Boston
98,379,300
158
44
41
44
49
57
53
46
50 45
91
95 86
Everett
85 104
Quincy
93
97
90
87
97 115
104 119 117
106
84
85
72 64
61
77
89 89
Watertown
51
53
52
74
80
89 81
82
93 44
Milton
97
104
96
95
93
94
99 111
88 107 116 102
93
76 73
54 51
Nahant
84
96
75
85
88
85
90
83 67
91
59
70 58
54 60
Lexington
48
56
51
58
75 109 105
96
97
85 80
83 89
Malden
42
78
76
79
117
104 105
88
77 104 78 82 99
Medford
105 102
*Revere
89 126 126
107 101
Meterage.
Following out the provisions of the Water Meter Act of 1907, requiring the installation of meters on all services in the metropolitan district, 902 premises were thus equipped, this number being approximately 373 in excess of that actually de- manded by the legislative requirement. About thirty-seven per cent. of all the services in the city are now equipped with meters. The policy has been continued of metering all premises where owners make application therefor, and the number of these last year was 611. A systematic metering of the city was begun,
-
Per Capita
38
98 111
360
ANNUAL REPORTS.
also, by equipping all buildings within a specified district; the one selected last year included Austin, Benedict, Mystic, North Union, and Union streets, Benedict avenue and lower part of Mystic avenue, Tenney court, and northerly side of Broadway, from Austin street to the Charlestown line, and required the in- stallation of 132 meters.
The water department furnishes all the meters required by the provisions of the law, without expense to the property own- ers, and retains ownership of the meters, but the owner is re- quired to pay the expense of their installation, as well as all subsequent costs that may result from freezing or other damage to the meters.
One result of local metering is noticed in the gradual re- duction of the water income; this indicates that, as a whole, the metered consumers are paying less for their water than they did on the old flat rate basis, and the individual accounts kept in the water office show, in many instances, a very large saving over the old rates.
Another result is the holding practically stationary of the daily per capita water consumption, while the natural tendency is toward an increase. It is hoped, with the complete metering of certain districts in the city, to show a material reduction in the present figure of eighty-nine, but with the large commercial consumption of water in our city it is not expected to reach the low figure shown by some of our neighboring municipalities.
As one of the main reasons for the passage of a compulsory meterage law was the conservation of our costly water supply by the restriction of water waste, and the saving of the imme- diate necessity of further great expenditures for building new water supplies, it is obvious that the general meterage of this city and of the whole metropolitan district should be completed as soon as possible.
Respectfully submitted, FRANK E. MERRILL, Water Commissioner.
..
Locations of New Mains Laid, Length and Size, Number of Gates, Hydrants, Etc., Set in 1908.
PIPE LAID.
GATES SET.
HYDRANTS SET.
BLOW- OFFS.
NAME OF STREET.
DESCRIPTION OF WORK.
Size.
No. Feet.
Size.
No.
Kind.
No.
Size.
No.
Aberdeen road Adelaide road
Street main; from connection with 6" main at bend in road to point 71 ft. westerly. Street main; from point 100' north from north line Somerville avenue to point 146' north from same place.
2"
46
Appleton street
Street main; from connection with old main at Clifton street to connection with new main at Liberty avenue.
6"
162
Beacon street
Waterpost.
Broadway
Gate.
6"
14
Mathews
2
Bromfield road Central street
Blow-off.
6"
10
6"
1
Mathews
1
Cleveland street
Street main; from connection with old main in Cleveland street to gate on east line Harvard street.
6"
195
6"
1
Cleveland street
Waterpost.
2"
109
"2"
1
Frederick avenue
Waterpost.
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