Report of the city of Somerville 1911, Part 25

Author: Somerville (Mass.)
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Somerville, Mass.
Number of Pages: 546


USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1911 > Part 25


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11,50


331.35


121.1


290.39


Westminster .


Both .


Broadway .


Electric avenue .


6.67


408.7


276.0


385.44


1,091.42


320.1 428.0


604.30


1,398.50


1,008.84


6 5 55236677 3 2 6 7 7


Summit .


Northeasterly Westerly .


Prospect Hill Pkwy


5.67


28.6


21.1


29.02


5.00


6.67


Morrison avenue


2,729.05


1,037.24


194.20


485.8


338.19


139.9


294.84


Irving


Broadway


Holland street


6.67


Jay


7


Bowdoin street


347.53


139.0 167.7


304.52 435.90


922.17


141.5


256.28


Cedar


137.39


95.13


..


581.52


Lovell


1,185.33


8.33


6.67


1,090.52


312.9


721.58


36.77


Cherry street (where not laid)


5 10100


1 177 7 7


78.53


Hawthorne street


Gravel and Edge- stone. Lineal Feet.


Total Cost.


Summer street


446.03


111.0}


2


.


-


1


F


E


. .


f


E


-


.


323


CITY ENGINEER.


Lines and grades have been given for setting 15,957.1 linear feet (3.022 miles) of new edgestone, and 5,534.4 square yards (1.405 miles) of new brick sidewalks, and 12,459.1 square yards (3.517 miles) of granolithic sidewalks have been laid, and measurements taken for computing assessments ; also on private streets 0.36 of a mile of granolithic sidewalks have been laid by private parties.


In connection with setting edgestone 5,014.4 square yards of new paved gutters have been laid, at an average cost of $2.29 per square yard, and a number of driveways and crossings have been constructed, all requiring lines, grades, and measurements. (See tables for cost of new work, 1911, and total lengths of sidewalks constructed in the city to date.)


The average cost for the year has been as follows :-


For setting edgestone with gravel sidewalk $1.06 per linear foot


Laying brick sidewalk, complete . 1.30 per square yard


Laying granolithic sidewalk, complete 1.54 per square yard


And the cost of materials used, furnished by contract :-


Edgestone (straight) delivered at work


$0.58 per linear foot


Edgestone (circle) delivered at work 0.75 per linear foot


Bricks delivered at work


13.20 per M.


Cement (Portland) on cars


1.11 per barrel (net)


Sand and gravel on cars


0.66 per cubic yard


Crushed stone on cars . .


1.10 per ton


In sections of the city where brick sidewalks have been laid many years, and must necessarily be re-laid on account of de- terioration and unevenness, granolithic should be substituted in the place of brick.


Miles of Edgestone, Gravel, Granolithic and Brick Sidewalks in Each Ward.


Edgestone.


Gravel Sidewalk.


Brick Sidewalk.


Granolithic Sidewalk.


Ward one .


·


17.609


4.749


11.960


0.900


Ward two


14.421


8.110


6.300


0.011


Ward three


13.979


1.772


11.511


0,696


Ward four


14.301


3.093


9.854


1.354


Ward five .


20.574


6.800


12.142


1.632


Ward six .


22.338


7.514


10.612


5.628


Ward seven


23.345


8.954


8.260


7.383


Total miles in the city . 126.567


40.992


70.639


17.601


A considerable quantity of stone still remains on the two parcels of ledge property owned by the city, situated in West Somerville, that can be quarried and used for the foundation of streets and on sidewalk work, to the city's advantage. 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.


324


ANNUAL REPORTS.


Lines and grades have been given for laying 6,301 linear feet of new city water mains, varying in size from two inches to twenty inches in diameter. Two hundred and thirty-four new house services, gates, hydrants, water posts, and blow-offs have been located and recorded, sketches and plans made show- ing the same, and the large water works map corrected to date, and a large number of old meters and services have been lo- cated and recorded.


A set of block plans should be made covering the entire city area from accurate surveys made during the past twenty- five years, and compared section by section with the deed dimensions and areas recorded in the assessors' department, and in this manner the correct areas of land determined.


This set of plans would also be of value to the water de- partment and various other departments, and would more than pay for the cost of making; five of these sectional plans have already been made.


Plans have been made and photographs taken where acci- dents have occurred on the city work or where boundaries were in dispute, and special plans and data prepared for the city so- licitor's use in court cases and hearings.


All plans of estates in Somerville recorded at the Registry of Deeds, East Cambridge, including land court plans, have been copied, also titles examined, abstracts from deeds made for the purpose of assessments, and the proportional part of the cost of new work computed, and schedules of assessments made out showing the property owners. Copies have been made of all city plans where land has been taken for highways or sewers, and these have been filed and recorded at the Reg- istry, East Cambridge, as required by law.


Plans have been made by the various companies and cor- porations, and filed in the city engineer's office, showing the locations of gas mains, poles, tracks, and conduits in this city, which have been granted by the board of aldermen during the year; and the work of placing overhead wires in conduits underground and removing all poles from streets should be ex- tended as rapidly as possible.


At the present time there are underground in the city's streets 14.4 miles of telephone conduits, 7.1 miles of electric light conduits, 1.4 miles of electric railway conduits, and about 5.1 miles of underground conduits used for the city's wires.


The Cambridge and Charlestown gas companies have ex- tended their mains in the city's streets 3.1 miles the past year.


Heavy explosions have occurred in the city's streets from underground conduits, owned by private corporations. The city ordinances should be so changed that in the future all


325


CITY ENGINEER.


underground work constructed by these companies should be rigidly inspected by a competent man employed by the city, so as to eliminate as far as possible faulty construction.


The Boston Elevated Railway Company have made ex- tensive repairs in their roadbed in this city during the past year, replacing the old tracks with new and heavier rails, filling the space between the ties with Portland cement concrete, and grouting the granite block pavement with cement in sections of Broadway, Holland street, Elm street, and Medford street. Also new curves and special work have been laid at the junction of Cross street and Medford street, and tracks re-laid on Web- ster avenue and Newton street on account of the grade cross- ing work.


.


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 pavement, adapted to the character of the surroundings and amount of traffic and conditions encountered.


There are 31.9 miles of electric railroad (single track loca- tion) laid at the present time in the city's streets ; and in water- ing the main thoroughfares, time and expense could be saved by utilizing this trackage for running street-sprinkler cars, the same as operated in a number of cities throughout the state.


Bridges and Grade Crossings. An act of the legislature was approved April 5, 1911, authorizing the city of Somerville and town of Arlington, any time within five years, to lay out, construct, and maintain a public way and bridge over Alewife brook, connecting Woodstock street in Somerville with Hen- derson street in Arlington, subject to the approval of the Met- ropolitan Park Commission, and assess betterments for the 1 same. No appropriation has been made for this work.


The location of this proposed bridge would be on land al- ready taken by the state for the improvement of Alewife brook, and when this work is further developed probably this connec- tion will be satisfactorily planned.


Grade Crossings Account. STATEMENT OF EXPENSES, 1911,


Account overdrawn, 1910 $33,760 16


Extra legal services (City Solicitor) 2,875 26


Paid various parties for appraisal of prop- erty and damages and repairing prop- erty 1,635 85


Paid for damages and land and buildings taken


103,830 19


Photographs


27 00


$142,128 46


326


ANNUAL REPORTS.


CREDIT.


Received from Boston & Albany Railroad Company, decree of court $1,466 93 Received from Commonwealth of Massa-


chusetts, apportionment of damages, decree of court . 32,198 29


Received from Boston Elevated Railway,


decree of court . 16,046 45


Received from Boston & Maine Railroad ·


Company, decree of auditor 53,102 68


$102,814 35


Overdrawn, 1911 . $39,314 11


The work of abolishing grade crossings on the Fitchburg division of the Boston & Maine railroad in Somerville is pro- gressing, the Webster-avenue crossing having been practically completed the past year. This work included the building of a new station for Union square, and a separate bridge was con- structed over the Fitchburg railroad tracks, east of the street, for carrying the state and city water mains.


Probably work will be commenced at the Medford-street and Park-street crossings the coming year.


The construction work for the elimination of these dan- gerous grade crossings will be continued for a number of years as decreed 'by the court, and the total cost of the work, as com- pleted, will be apportioned as follows : The steam railroad com- pany, sixty-five per cent .; the state, twenty-five per cent .; and the city, ten per cent., except at the Webster-avenue crossing, where the steam railroad and city pay the same percentage of cost as at other crossings, the state twelve and one-half per cent., and the street railway company twelve and one-half per cent.


The plans for abolishment of these crossings were de- scribed in previous annual reports, and at two streets the plan adopted is the same as proposed by the city's scheme presented to the commission; at the other three streets the plan adopted is just the reverse of the city's scheme, as presented.


Perambulation of City Boundary Lines. November 23, 1912, representatives appointed from the city of Somerville and city of Boston examined the boundary marks defining the division line between these two cities, and reported their findings in due form to the board of aldermen.


Some of these stone monuments are to be reset, and three, which have been removed, are to be replaced with new stones.


A contemplated change in the boundary line between Som- erville and Medford is under consideration by committees rep- resenting both cities, and probably an exchange of territory can be made that will be equally advantageous.


327


CITY ENGINEER.


SEWERS. Construction Account. STATEMENT OF EXPENSES, 1911.


Constructing "separate system" sewers (as-


sessments levied)


$1,921 30


Constructing "separate system" sewers (no


assessments)


2,102 46


Constructing "combined system" sewers


(assessments levied) .


1,755 09


Constructing "combined system" sewers (no assessments)


255 74


Constructing storm drain across athletic


field to Alewife brook


568 21


Constructing catch basins and manholes,


street drainage .


3,228 86


Constructing cement shed


361 60


Sundry expenses, books and printing


11 00


Materials on hand December 30, 1911


1,409 57


Total expenditure


$11,613 83


Transferred to Public Buildings construc- tion, building public buildings 1,816 45


Transferred to Paved Gutters and Cross- ings . ·


5,000 00


Transferred to Recreation Field, Alewife brook


5,000 00


Total debit .


$23,430 28


CREDIT.


Balance unexpended December 31, 1910


$5,281 94


Appropriation, 1911 .


20,000 00


Assessments levied, sewers constructed,


1911 ·


3,451 14


Amounts received from other departments . 27 43


Materials on hand December 31, 1910 679 53


Total credit


$29,440 04


Balance unexpended . $6,009 76


The greater part of the new construction work has been done by contract, and the remainder by the city employing day labor where old structures were to be remodeled or replaced by some difficult construction work.


All materials have been furnished by the city, and the prices paid for supplies, for the season, have been by contract with the lowest bidder as follows :-


Akron sewer pipe (3 ft. lengths), 81 3-5% discount from list price, on cars Sewer pipe fittings . 83% discount from list price, on cars


Portland cement, per barrel $1.11 on cars (net)


Sand, per cubic yard 0.66 on cars


Sewer bricks, per M.


7.20 at yard


Iron manhole and catch basin


castings, per hundred weight, 1.37 on cars Catch basin traps, each . 1.80 at foundry


.


328


ANNUAL REPORTS.


A number of sewers have been constructed as petitioned for in various sections of the city, or as considered necessary for the improvement of the drainage system, and portions of the cost of construction assessed on the abutting estates under orders adopted by the board of aldermen.


Short lines of storm drains and overflows from congested sewers have been constructed during the year in the most needed districts.


The "separate system" sewers (those built for house drain- age only) have been extended in a number of streets in the older districts, and this system should be extended yearly until all the flooded districts in the city have two complete systems of drainage, the old sewer to be used for storm and surface water. The city pays the entire cost of these new sewer exten- sions for house drainage, and wherever constructed the house plumbing should be changed where necessary, and the house drains and conductor, or surface water drains, re-connected with both systems as soon as possible.


New sewers and drains were constructed during the year varying in size from eight-inch pipe to twelve-inch pipe, and thirty-inch brick in the following localities :- -


1 "Separate system" sewers in :-


Bailey street,-North street to West Adams street.


Clarendon avenue,-extension of 1910 work, north- easterly.


Harold street,-Marion street to Dimick street.


North street,-Conwell avenue to Medford city line.


West Adams street,-Conwell avenue to Medford city line.


West Quincy street,-Bailey street to Medford city line.


"Combined system" sewers in :-


Columbia street,-extension of 1910 work to Webster avenue.


Line street,-extension of 1904 work, southeasterly.


Lowell circle,-Lowell street, northwesterly.


Mt. Vernon avenue,-Mt. Vernon terrace to Main street.


Mt. Vernon terrace,-Mt. Vernon avenue, easterly.


Snow place,-(Belmont square) Belmont street to angle, thence northerly and southerly.


Summer street,-Linden avenue to Porter street. Veazie street,-Marshall street, southeasterly.


Waldo avenue,-Dimick street to Beacon street. Storm drain :-


Across "Somerville Field,"-Powder House boulevard to Alewife brook.


TABULAR STATEMENT OF SEWERS AND STORM DRAINS BUILT IN 1911.


ITEMS OF CONSTRUCTION AND COST.


SEWER.


SUB-DRAIN.


PIPE SEWER, COST PER LINEAL FOOT.


NAME OF STREET.


FROM


To


CONTRACTOR.


MATERIAL EXCAVATED.


Average Cut.


Size in inches.


Length in feet.


Size in inches.


Length in feet.


Cubic yards Rock


Price per cubic


yard, Rock.


Manholes.


Average cost Manholes.


Inlets.


Excavating, Re- filling, and Pipe Laying.


Sub-drain


where laid


Inspection.


Miscellaneous.


Average cost per


Total cost.


Assessment.


Cost to City.


.Bailey street


North street .


Near West Adams st.


Bartholomew Burke


Hardpan and rock


53


8


358.1


6


358.4


98.9


$2.40


1


$38.00


54


$0.20


$0.12


$0.06


$1.53


៛547.65


$547.65


*+Clarendon avenue .


Uncompleted work 1910


Northeasterly


Day labor


Sand and rock


9.0


8


89.0


30.0


1


52


422.22


$423.75


...


+Columbia street


Uncompleted work 1910


Centre of Webster ave.


Day labor


Filling .


9.9


30


73.5


255.74


255.74


*Harold street


Marion street


Near Dimick street


John D. Collins


Filling and clay


7.0


8


279.3


1


47.00


24


0.50


0.21


0.04


$0.01


0.92


258.20


257.63


0.5'


Line street


Sewer built in 1904 .


Southeasterly


Day labor


Clay


9.5


8


210.3


1


34.00


19


4


0.42


0.23


0.07


0.01


0.98


133,84


133.71


0.13


Mount Vernon avenue and


Mount Vernon terrace .


Near Main street .


Bartholomew Burke


Hardpan


9.0


8


72.8


1


39.00


4


0,60


- 0.21


0.03


1.16


282.03


278.53


3.50


Mount Vernon terrace


Mount Vernon avenue


Easterly


Bartholomew Burke


Hardpan


8.4


00


169.5


1


: 39.00


14


0.60


1


0.06


1.46


1,240,88


1,222.60


18.28


Bailey street


Medford line bound 17 .


Bartholomew Burke


Hard pan


8.5


8


363.7


6


361.2


1


41.50


58


0.63


0.20


Across Recreation Field (storm drain)


Powder House boulevard


Alewife Brook


Day labor


Filling .


4.0


475.0


1


1


31.00


10


0.42


0.06


0.01


1.08


248.28


247.53


0.75


Summer street


Linden avenue


Near Porter street


Bartholomew Burke


Hardpan


7.7


8


322.2


0.5


4.00


38.00


26


0.58


0.21


0.04


0.95


307.36


306.34


1.02


Veazie street


Marshall street


Southeasterly


Bartholomew Burke


Filling and hardpan


5.5


8


169.3


1


36.00


10


0.38


0.22


0.02


0.83


140.94


139.85


1.09


Waldo avenue


Dimick street


Near Beacon street


T. F. Crimmings & Son


Hardpan


8.2


8


225.0


.. .


- 1.0


4.00


1


16


₹ 0.63


...


0.22


0.04


0.01


1.07


241.81


241.20


0.61


*West Adams street


Conwell avenue


Near city line (Medford)


Hardpan and rock


5.0


8


₲99.0


6


699.0


76.2


2.50


4


90


: 0.34


0.20


0.17


0.03


1.19


834.82


834.82


*West Quincy street .


Bailey street


Near Medford line


Bartholomew Burke


Hardpan and rock 7.4


8


287.0


6


287.0


188.5


2.40


1


44


0.42


0.20


0.12


0.06


.....


2.51


719.99


719.99


Total length and cost of new sewers and drains built in 1911,


4,644.5 ( 0.880 miles.)


* Separate system sewers. 1 Commenced 1910 ; completed 1911. Total cost of Clarendon avenue sewer $1,338.08


Total length of public sewers in the city, January 1, 1912 Total length of private sewers in the city, January 1, 1912


469,017.7 feet. 34,748.0 feet.


Total length of sewers in the city, January 1, 1912 Total length of storm drains in the city, January 1, 1912


503,765.7 feet, = 95.410 miles.


35,638,3 feet, =


6.750 miles.


Total length of the city drainage system, January 1, 1912 .


102. 160 miles.


Total length of Met. sewerage system mains running through the city


3.368 miles,


.


Northwesterly


Bartholomew Burke


Hardpan


5.5


8


136.0


1


34.00


*North street


Conwell avenue


Bailey street .


Bartholomew Burke


Hardpan


9.0


10


484.8


8


485.0


14.1


2.40


2


41.60


74


0.65


0.20


0.3


1.20


568.21


568.21


Snow Place (Belmont Square)


Belmont street


Angle, thence N'ly & S'ly


Bartholomew Burke


Hardpan and rock


6.2


230.0


20.7


2.60


1


36.00


32.00


.....


$6,602.80


$3,451.14


$3,151.66


...


400.83


200.00


200.83


Lowell circle


Lowell street


Main


Sewer.


Sub-


drain


Price, including


(26.853 miles separate system sewers.)


LOCATION.


Excavation.


lineal foot.


T. F. Crimmings & Son


38.00


$0.38


0.22


1.91


10


.


-


.


1


- S


.


.


T


2


٠


329


CITY ENGINEER.


Summary of Work. Sixteen new sewers and drains have been constructed during the year, a total length of 4,644.5 linear feet (0.880 mile), at a cost of $6,602.80; plans have been made showing these sewers in detail, and assessments levied on a portion of them, amounting to $3,451.14. (See tabular state- ment of sewers and drains for 1911, showing itemized statement of work and cost.)


The total length of the city's drainage system is 102.16 miles, 26.853 miles being on the "separate system" and 6.75 miles of storm drains, and the entire cost of construction has amounted to about $1,257,866, exclusive of the amount paid to the state for assessments for the construction of the North Metropolitan sewerage system.


Forty-seven new catch basins have been constructed in the highways during the year, at an average cost of $61.25 per basin, and six removed, making a total of 1,638 basins in the city for street drainage purposes, constructed and maintained as follows :---


By the city (sewer division) :-


Located in streets and subways


Located in city boulevard .


Located in parks (12), other city lots (12)


1,585 basins 29 24


Total catch basins constructed and maintained by city


. 1,638


By Boston & Maine Railroad Company on railroad locations


31 basins 52 66


By state, located in boulevards


83


Total catch basins in the city for storm drainage purposes . 1,721


Metropolitan Sewer Connections. All of the city's ten con- nections with the North Metropolitan sewerage system are in . good condition. No new main connections have been required.


At the Somerville-avenue-Poplar-street connection with the Metropolitan sewer, records compiled from an automatic recording clock placed in the "regulator chamber" on the com- bined system show this outlet to have been cut off as follows :-


Year 1911, completely closed 512 hours, partly closed 125 hours.


In previous years the following :-


Year 1910, completely closed 382 hours, partly closed 190 hours.


1909,


66


459


66


66


683


605 66


1907,


66


200


66


66


66


331 66


66


1905, 1904,


66


297


279


66


66


66


66


1903,


66


66


180


66


376


66


1901,


66


66


66


1900,


66


66


66 386 353


66


66


66


548 922 167 377 225 114


66


66


66


66


66


534


66


1906,


66


66


66


469


66


1908,


1902,


66


66


289


330


ANNUAL REPORTS.


The city's assessment for the Metropolitan sewer system for the past year was $42,090.54 on construction account and $22,160.32 for maintenance, and the total amount paid the com- monwealth of Massachusetts for this state sewer has been $821,791.70 (1892-1911, both years inclusive). The total length of the Metropolitan sewerage system mains running through the city amounts to 3.368 miles.


New Work. The separate system sewers should be ex- tended in the old sections of the city each year, as the appro- priation will allow. The construction of the storm drainage system commenced in the year 1905 should be continued in the vicinity of North Somerville, where buildings and new streets are being rapidly constructed, the outlet for this district being through the city of Medford into Mystic river ; and in connec- tion therewith, the boundary line between Somerville and Med- ford should be changed in the vicinity of Pearson road and Boston avenue, so that this outlet, Two Penny brook, can be improved by Somerville and the covered channel extended to the Boston & Maine railroad, to conform with the work already done within the present city limits.


A large storm overflow drain has been contemplated for some time at the East Cambridge line, across private lands from Somerville avenue, discharging into the head of Miller's river ; and this matter of improving the city's drainage system should be carried out without further delay.


Some agreement should be made whereby a storm drain and sewer may be constructed in the railroad valley along the location of the Southern division of the Boston & Maine rail- road, between Gilman square and Cedar street, this being the natural outlet for a number of the city's streets and house lots which at the present time have either very poor or no means of drainage.


There are about six and one-half miles of old private sewers connected with the sewerage system that should be re- leased to the city, so that they can be thoroughly repaired or re-constructed and put in a good sanitary condition, and be -maintained in the future by the city.


Maintenance Account. STATEMENT OF EXPENSES, 1911.


Maintenance of sewers, including cleaning and flushing (102.16 miles) $3,565 03


Maintenance of catch basins, cleaning and flushing (1,638) . 7,382 52


Changing line and grade and repairing catch basins 480 21


Changing line and grade and repairing man- holes . 323 28


Amount carried forward


$11,751 04


331


CITY ENGINEER.


Amount brought forward .


$11,751 04


Repairing old sewers 400 26


Inspection and location of house drains 61 72


New tools and supplies .


400 78


Repairs of tools and property


114 32


Sundry expenses, car fares, telephone,


books, etc. . ·


131 60


Maintenance of sewer department yards and buildings


560 50


Work and materials furnished other depart- ments and companies 347 29


Total debit .


$13,767 51


Appropriation


CREDIT. ·


$13,000 00


Amounts received from other departments and companies,-labor materials fur- nished .


347 29


iron, old hose, etc. .


420 67


Total credit


$13,767 96


Balance unexpended . $ 45


Value of tools and property on hand used in maintenance of sewers $705 00


A permanent force of men and teams are kept continually at work flushing, cleaning, and repairing the city's drainage system, catch basins, etc., the expense necessarily increasing yearly as lengths of sewers, drains, and catch basins are added to the system.


About 6,185 cubic yards of deposit have been removed from the catch basins and sewers during the year, at an average cost of $1.19 per cubic yard, and the average cost per mile for cleaning and flushing the drainage system, including catch basins, has amounted to $107.16.


Seventy-nine catch basins and fifty-eight manholes have been repaired and grade or line changed.


A number of repairs have been made on some of the old sewers, alterations made in the outlets, and overflows and extra manholes built for the purpose of improving the system.


Three hundred and forty-five permits have been issued to licensed drain layers for connecting buildings with the main sewers, fifty-four being for repairs or alterations; all of the work being done under the supervision of the city's inspector.


At the present time there are ten persons licensed as drain layers by the city and under bonds, for the purpose of laying these private drains.


There are to date about 14,643 private drain connections with the city's drainage system.




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