USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1910 > Part 30
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Tuberculosis Camp.
On September 8, 1910, an order was passed by the board of aldermen appropriating the sum of $8,000 for the con- struction of a tuberculosis camp on land owned by the city ad- jacent to the Contagious hospital. This order was approved by Mayor John M. Woods on September 19, 1910, plans and specifications were prepared by the commissioner of public buildings, and on October 11, 1910, the following estimates were opened by his honor, the mayor, for the general construc- tion of the building :-
H. S. Libbey & Co.
$7,265 00
F. C. Alexander & Co.
7,171 00
J. E. L. McLean & Co.
7,087 00
E. N. Hutchins
6,780 00
J. E. Locatelli & Co. .
6,321 00
J. M. Andrews & Son .
6,200 00
A. W. Berry .
5,996 00
A. M. Pride .
5,647 00
The contract was awarded to A. M. Pride, the lowest bid- der. On December 24 the following estimates were received and were opened by his honor, the mayor, for the heating and ventilating of the camp :-
Bradlee & Chatman
$869 00
Richardson Brothers
869 00
Huey Brothers
847 00
Whitten & Jackson
817 00
Isaac Coffin & Co.
776 00
A. A. Sanborn & Co.
693 00
J. J. Hurley & Co.
670 00
381
COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
The contract was awarded to Messrs. J. J. Hurley & Co., who were the lowest bidders.
On December 14, 1910, estimates were received and opened by his honor, the mayor, for the installation of the sani- tary system at the camp, and were as follows :-
Leavis & Doherty $819 00
J. J. Fisher . 784 00
Armstrong Brothers
747 00
C. W. Cahalan
721 00
D. A. Carr
698 00
The contract was awarded to D. A. Carr, who was the low- est bidder.
The construction of the building has progressed satisfac- torily and is now nearing completion. When completed this building will provide accommodations for twenty-four patients. It is designed to allow for outdoor living as much as possible, and the experience of our neighboring cities in this work has been sought in order to have as nearly as possible an ideal building for this purpose.
Davis Vocational School.
The Davis school building has been fitted as a vocational school for boys and is now occupied for this purpose. This department has had the work in charge of furnishing the per- manent equipment for the school. This equipment consisted of machinery for the wood working and machine shop together with the motors and shafting for operation of the same.
High School Sanitation.
During the summer vacation of 1910 the sanitaries in the Latin high school were removed and a new system of modern fixtures substituted. The changes made not only provided modern sanitary appliances but increased to a great extent the accommodations. In the English high school the sanitary sys- tem was added to by the increase of closets and urinals in the basement. The installation of forty bubbling fountains in the high schools was also accomplished as a part of this improve- ment in sanitation.
Vault Furniture.
The city has been ordered by the commissioner of public records to substitute for its vault furniture, which is now of combustible material, such furniture as shall comply with the state requirements. Inasmuch as this order has been given it seems imperative that during the year 1911 the changes should be made. I would therefore call your attention to this fact, and request your consideration of the same.
382
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Insurance.
In 1900, by an act of the city council, it was voted to cancel all fire insurance policies, and since that time no insurance has been carried by the city on its public buildings. By this action a large sum of money has been saved the city for fire insurance. Fortunately none of the public buildings of the city have been damaged by a serious fire.
This fact does not indicate, however, that such a calamity might not occur. It seems, therefore, to the commissioner, that it would be proper and wise to secure legislation during the year 1911 permitting the setting aside of a certain amount of money from the maintenance funds to be the nucleus of a sink- ing fund to be kept intact to meet expense caused by fire dam- age should the necessity arise. To this fund could be added each year a like amount until a substantial fund be established.
Additional Land.
The following parcels of land have been purchased or taken by right of eminent domain during the years 1909 and 1910, for the purpose of increasing the land areas around the school buildings :-
Feet.
Hanscom school
4,011
Brown school
6,640
Bennett school
5,714
Hodgkins school
27,412
Carr school
9,930
In addition to these parcels 19,850 feet of land was taken on Powder House boulevard near Curtis street for the purpose of providing a site for the erection of a school building in Ward Seven.
The additional land taken around the existing school build- ings has made a vast difference in the light of the schoolrooms and has provided exceptionally fine areas for school yards.
General Care and Repair.
It is often asked of the commissioner of public buildings why such a large sum of money is required to care for and keep in repair the fifty public buildings and grounds of the city. During the year 1910 there was expended for this purpose ninety-nine thousand five hundred and sixty-nine dollars and forty-five cents ($99,569.45) by the Public Buildings Depart- ment. This amount includes fuel, lighting, telephones, janitors' service, care and repair.
The total estimated valuation of the public property cared for by the above stated amount was $1,850,000.00. It cost, therefore, five and seven eighteenths (5 7-18) per cent. of the total valuation to care for and repair the public property of the
383
COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
city which is in charge of the Public Buildings Department. This percentage is not an extravagant one, particularly when it is taken into consideration that a majority of the buildings have been constructed a great many years and that all have had con- stant use during their period of existence. It is absolutely im- possible for the inexperienced person to realize the large num- ber of urgent calls for repairs and the vigilance required to make these buildings comfortable and safe for their occupants. The present commissioner would like to care for this city's public property at a lesser expenditure, but the demands made are so numerous and the necessity so great that, in spite of the strict- est economy, it seems impossible to do so. The actual work executed in this regard is so executed only after an investiga- tion of each individual case as to its absolute need.
Respectfully submitted, WALTER T. LITTLEFIELD, Commissioner of Public Buildings.
REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF ELECTRIC LINES AND LIGHTS.
OFFICE OF COMMISSIONER OF ELECTRIC LINES AND LIGHTS, January 1, 1911.
To the Honorable, the Mayor, and the Board of Aldermen of the City of Somerville :-
Gentlemen .- I most respectfully submit my annual report as commissioner of electric lines and lights for the year ending December 31, 1910.
The work of the electrical department consists of the fol- lowing :-
Inspection of electrical wiring in buildings.
Construction, maintenance, and operation of the fire and police alarm systems.
Supervision and inspection of poles and wires on the streets, underground conduits and wires, and street lighting.
Inspection of Wiring in Buildings.
Inspection of electrical wiring in building's has been given the same careful attention as last year. There is still some wiring done by incompetent persons who not only fail to notify this department when work is done, but the class of work which they do necessitates several inspections to insure a compliance with the rules. The reliable contractors and electricians, however, have co-operated with this department, and a much better class of work has resulted than heretofore. Each year there is a marked improvement in wiring and elec- trical fittings, and every endeavor is being made to render in- stallations of electrical apparatus as safe as possible to users of electric current, and to guard against fires resulting from defective wiring. Owners and occupants of buildings using electric current should see that proper notifications of any new work or alterations in the old are sent to the inspection department, and that such work is approved before using the same. Until a system of licensing of electricians doing work in the city is provided, the only protection that the public lias against improper work is the inspection department, and a strict compliance with all rules and regulations is insisted upon from any and all persons doing wiring in the city. A number of defective installations were remedied this last year, . but there are still numerous places where such installations should be brought up to standard requirements.
·
385
COMMISSIONER OF ELECTRIC LINES AND LIGHTS.
Number of notifications of new work received . 803
Number of inspections of new work
.
770
Number of re-inspections of new work 352 ·
Number of inspections of old work .
Number of defective installations of old work . 102
88
Number of defective installations remedied 23
Number of re-inspections of old work . 57
Total number of inspections . 1,281
Number of permit's issued to the Edison Electric Illu- minating Company for installing meters, lamps, etc. 540
Number of incandescent lamps
6,621
Number of arc. lamps
10
Number of motors £
84
Horse power motors
224
Construction, Etc., of Fire and Police Alarm Systems.
FIRE ALARM SYSTEM.
This system has given good service during the past year, 238 alarms having been transmitted correctly. There are 119 signal boxes which are inspected on an average of once a month, and are found to be in good condition. £ By the con- stant inspection which is maintained of all wires and equip- ment, defects in the system are detected and remedied at once, thereby insuring the proper transmission of an alarm when a box is pulled. The fire alarm equipment consists of the fol- lowing: 119 signal boxes, one eight-circuit automatic repeater, eight tower strikers, thirty-one gongs, nine indicators, forty- cix tappers, one automatic steam whistle, twelve private tele- phones connecting the various stations, 494 cells of storage battery, and about 140 miles of overhead wire and 29,732 feet of underground cable.
Two new signal boxes have been added during the year :- Box 241, corner of Calvin and Dimick streets.
Box 411, corner of Mossland and Elm streets.
Eleven keyless doors have been placed on signal boxes in place of the plain key doors.
There has been 15,700 feet of No. 10 triple braid-covered wire run and 3,100 feet of twisted pair copper wire for tele- phones, etc. Eleven thousand six hundred and fifty feet of old wire has been replaced by new covered wire. One thousand four hundred feet of old twisted pair has been replaced by new. Eight thousand six hundred and eighty-six feet of lead cable, consisting of two, six, eight, ten, twelve, fourteen, twenty, and forty-four conductors, have been placed underground on Med- ford street from the central fire station to Magoun square and on Walnut street from Medford to Pearl street, and thirteen and one-half miles of overhead wires removed. The placing of wires underground should be carried along as fast as possi- ble, the efficiency of the signal systems being increased with every mile of underground cable installed. A new line has
·
386
ANNUAL REPORTS.
been run connecting with the Boston fire alarm, whereby all the alarms in Boston are received in the Somerville fire houses. Cambridge and Medford alarms are also received in Somerville and Somerville alarms are transmitted to Boston, Cambridge, and Medford, and in a short time it is expected that like connections will be made with Arlington. This is a step towards establishing a Metropolitan fire alarm system.
POLICE SIGNAL SYSTEM.
The police signal system has received its usual attention. This system, being next in importance to the fire alarm, should be replaced by a new and approved system, as it is impossible to obtain perfect results from the old signal boxes and apparatus now in use. The present system was installed over twenty years ago, and constant attention and repairs are necessary to keep it anywhere near the condition necessary for satisfactory results. As there are about 700 duty calls, 125 telephone calls, and five wagon calls per day, it is abso- lutely necessary that the police signal system should be as near perfect as possible to enable police officers to get into communication with the station without any delay.
Supervision of Poles and Wires on the Streets, and Underground Conduits and Wires.
Careful attention has been given to the condition of poles and wires on the streets as in the past, and notification imme- diately given the companies owning them when found de- fective. All such notices have received fairly prompt atten- tion. A large number of defective poles have been replaced or removed, and new poles placed in locations granted.
New
Re- Re- Poles. placed. moved.
Re- set.
New England Telephone &. Telegraph Co. Edison Electric Illuminating Co.
31
21
140
9
34
121
78
11
Boston Elevated Railway Co. American Telephone & Telegraph Co.
172
1
1
Permits given to New England Telephone & Telegraph Co. for attachments to Edison Electric Illuminating Co.'s poles
589
Permits given to Edison Electric Illuminating Co. for attach- ments to New England Telephone & Telegraph Co.'s poles, 37
The New England Telephone and Telegraph Company has removed all its remaining wires on Broadway to the Arlington line, and also most of its wires on Highland avenue, Pearl and Medford streets, and has removed all of its poles on Broadway and part of Medford street. The Edison Elec- tric Illuminating Company has removed all of its wires on Broadway as far as Teele square, and all its high tension wires on Willow avenue have been placed underground,
387
COMMISSIONER OF ELECTRIC LINES AND LIGHTS.
The Boston Elevated Railway Company has located iron poles on Broadway, from Bartlett street to the Arlington line, for span and feed wires.
Street Lighting.
·The lighting of the streets of the city is satisfactory, but additional lights could be placed in various sections to good advantage. The rates for street lighting are as follows: 425 watt arc lamps, $36 each per year, and one and one-half cents per hour per lamp; forty candle power incandescent, $10.80 each per year, and one-quarter cent per hour per lamp. On these prices a discount of ten per cent. is made. There is also a discount of one cent per hour for incandescents, and five cents per hour for arc lamps for outages.
On some streets which are lighted by arc lamps an equiva- lent of incandescent lamps could be substituted which would distribute the light more evenly.
Arcs.
Incan - descents.
Number of street lights January 1, 1910 .
490
678
Number of street lights added, 1910
12
52
Number of street lights discontinued
8
5
Number of street lights December 31, 1910
494
725
Electrical Department.
CREDIT.
Appropriation
.
$8,500 00
Edison Electric Illuminating Co., grounding
wires
250 00
Charles E. Woodman, old horse
50 00
Total credit
$8,800 00
DEBIT.
Salaries
$5,465 45
Fire alarm system
1,224 97
Police signal system
1,079 38
Inspection of Electrical Department
1,020 67
Total debit
8,790 47
Balance unexpended .'
$9 53
Underground Construction.
CREDIT.
Appropriation
$3,000 00
Balance unexpended, 1909
928 90
Transferred from Sewers Construction
400 00
Material, etc., used by Electrical Depart- ment
300 00
Total credit
$4,628 90
·
1
388
ANNUAL REPORTS.
DEBIT. 1
1
!
Labor
.
Materials
Incidentals
Total debit .
4,359 53
Balance unexpended .
$269 37
Street Lights.
CREDIT.
Appropriation
$50,000 00
DEBIT. 1
Edison Electric Illuminating Co.
53,484 88
· Amount overdrawn
$3,484 88
Recommendations.
I respectfully recommend that :-
The police signal system be replaced by a modern open circuit system.
The ordinances governing the installation of electrical wiring in buildings be amended or changed to obtain a more strict observance of the rules and regulations laid down by this department.
Conclusion.
I wish to thank your honorable board and other officials for the many courtesies extended to me, and for your kind assistance, and I respectfully submit the above for your con- sideration.
Respectfully, WALTER I. FULLER,
Commissioner of Electric Lines and Lights,
$887 95 3,438 18 33 40
.
SOMERVILLE WATER WORKS.
SOMERVILLE, MIDDLESEX CO., MASSACHUSETTS.
Location : Somerville City Hall (near centre of the city) is 234 miles nor- therly from State House in Boston.
Greatest extent of the City north and south about 4.2 miles. Greatest extent of the City east and west about 2.1 miles.
Elevation Highland avenue at City Hall 105 feet above mean low water. Lowest building elevation in the city 13 feet. Highest building elevation in the city 145 feet. Area of city, including land and water, about 4.22 square miles. Land, 2,461.50 acres : water and marsh, 238.50 acres. Population, census, 77,236. 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.
Range of pressure on street mains : Low service 35 to 65 pounds. High service 45 to 100 pounds.
Mayor HON. JOHN M. WOODS.
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, 1911.
To His Honor, the Mayor, and the Board of Aldermen :- I present herewith my report for the year ending Decem- ber 31, 1910, this being the thirty-seventh annual report of the water department, and my eleventh as water commissioner :-
Receipts and Expenditures.
Water bills have been issued as follows :-
"Annual" water charges, amounting to
$99,867 05
"Additional" water charges, amounting to .
4,048 42
"Metered" water charges, amounting to
123,921 38
$227,836 85
Abatements
$1,334 58
Refunds
220 81
Abatements on 1909 charges .
6 16
1,561 55
Income from sale of water
$226,275 30
Amount received from water service as-
$2,829 13
Amount received for labor and materials .
6,614 36
9,443 49
Total income of water works .
$235,718 79
This amount was used as follows :-
For water works purposes :-
Water works maintenance
$24,402 16
Water works extension .
10,984 63
Miscellaneous accounts
9,443 49
Interest on water loan bonds
2,220 00
Maturing water loan bonds
6,000 00
Metropolitan water works assessment .
110,056 25
$163,106 53
For other municipal purposes :-
Sewers, maintenance
$12,000 00
Fire department
49,000 00
Reduction of funded debt
11,612 26
72,612 26
1
$235,718 79
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, and it is paid for out of the income from sale of water.
sessments
.
391
WATER DEPARTMENT.
Department Receipts and Disbursements. WATER MAINTENANCE ACCOUNT.
DR. CR.
Amount appropriated by board of aldermen from water income
$25,000 00
Sundry accounts for labor and materials
6,555 73
Materials used in extension of the water works
· 10,154 07
Amount expended for labor and materials for operation, maintenance, and re- newal of the water works
$24,402 16
Amount expended for materials used in ex- tension of the water works .
10,154 07
Miscellaneous accounts
6,555 73
Unexpended balance
597 84
$41,709 80
$41,709 80
WATER WORKS EXTENSION ACCOUNT.
DR
CR.
Amount appropriated by board of aldermen from water income
$13,500 00
Receipts from water service assessments
2,829 13
Receipts from waterpost services .
58 63
Labor and materials used in extension of the water works
$10,984 63
Miscellaneous accounts
2,887 76
Unexpended balance
2,515 37
$16,387 76
$16,387 76
Cost of Water Works.
The total cost of the water works on December 31, 1909, as represented by the expenditures from appropria- tions for water works extension was . ·
$922,834 26
Expended during the year 1910, on extension account
10,984 63
Total expenditures, December 31, 1910 .
$933,818 89
Water Debt.
Water loan bonds have been issued on funded debt account to the amount of $1,017,000 ; this has been reduced by $967,000, leaving the water debt on December 31, 1910, $50,000.
The outstanding bonds mature as follows :-
YEAR.
AMOUNT.
YEAR.
AMOUNT.
1911
$6,000
1916
$5,000
1912
6,000
1917
5,000
1913
6,000
1918
5,000
1914
6,000
1919
4,000
1915
5,000
1920
2,000
392
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Water Works Income from 1898 and its Distribution.
The water income and its distribution from 1898 to 1910, inclusive, is shown in the following table :-
Total water income, years 1898 to 1910, inclusive Distribution :-
$2,884,644 60
Water Works Account.
Water Works Construction,
Renewal,
Maintenance and Operation
$699,864 20
Water Bonds . .
224,000 00
Interest
76,815 00
Metropolitan Water Assessments .
972,530 97
$1,973,210 17
Other Municipal Accounts.
Construction .
$117,035 65
Maintenance
134,450 00
Sewers
Bonds
72,000 00
Interest
58,792 00
1 Assessments
31,000 00
$413,277 65
Fire Department, Maintenance
328,026 33
Health Department, Maintenance .
7,500 00
Suppression of Moths
1,000 00
Reduction of Funded Debt
159,841 37
Unappropriated Balances
1,789 08
$2,884,644 60
Water Distribution.
STREET MAINS.
There was laid during the year 4,322 feet of new street mains, sixty-four feet of pipe for hydrant branches, and twenty feet for a blow-off branch ; making a total of 4,406 feet. The total water pipe mileage of the city is now approximately 95.10 miles.
In the early part of the year 286 feet of twelve-inch pipe was laid over the new Somerville avenue bridge, completing the work of water pipe reconstruction on account of the grade crossing elimination at this point. A start has been made on the work of reconstruction at the Webster avenue crossing and studies have been made for the disposition of the large water mains at that point. One hydrant in Newton street was moved across the street and one in Webster avenue was taken out ; the connec- tion of Prospect place with the Newton street main has been cut off and preliminary work has been done on service pipes in Webster avenue, all made necessary by the construction of the retaining walls of the overhead crossing. The cost of this work will be paid from the funds authorized by the courts for the elimination of the grade crossing.
Building operations have been more vigorously carried on in the western part of the city than in other sections, and water
.
.
.
393
WATER DEPARTMENT.
mains have been laid as needed in Belknap street, Broadway, Chetwynd road, Conwell avenue, Curtis avenue, Electric ave- nue, Hardan road, and Mason street.
The pipe in Broadway at its westerly end was extended over Alewife brook to make a connection with the water main of the town of Arlington. This was done at the solicitation of the Metropolitan water and sewerage board. The city furnished, by agreement, 304 feet of the eight-inch pipe required and the Metropolitan board furnished all the rest of the materials and labor for laying the main without expense to the city.
Four hundred and eighty-four feet of eight-inch pipe was laid in the Metropolitan park reservation along Fellsway East for the better supply of buildings on that street and for fire protec- tion. One hundred and forty-six feet of six-inch pipe was laid in an extension of Conlon court for a service supply and for fire protection to surrounding property. In advance of street im- provements 208 feet of six-inch pipe was laid in Hamlet street, removing the old dead end by a connection with Boston street, and pipes were laid in Dimick street for connections with Har- old and Waldo streets.
Thirty-three feet of old cement pipe in Prospect street near the railroad bridge was removed and the same length of six- inch iron pipe was substituted.
The table which is made a part of this report gives more detailed information and description of the work done.
Hydrants, Gates, etc.
Nineteen hydrants have been set during the year and ten removed, making the total number now in use 1,065. Six new private hydrants have been installed by the Boston & Maine railroad in their new yard in East Somerville and are supplied with water through a connection with the city main at the foot of North Union street. Two additional hydrants have been in- stalled by the John P. Squire Company in their factory yard, making the total number of private fire hydrants connected with the city water system fifty-five.
Twenty gate valves have been set and five removed, the to- tal number now installed being 1,469. The twelve-inch gate and chamber at the corner of Broadway and Cross street was moved three feet for the accommodation of the Boston Elevated Railway Company in their track relocation and the expense was paid by them.
One blow-off was installed near the end of the city main in Broadway at Alewife brook to clear the mains in that district.
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