USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1911 > Part 28
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Southwesterly .
Private.
25
1,090
Pembroke ct.
Franklin st.
Charlestown line .
Public.
40
Peterson ter.
Cutter st. .
Southeasterly
Private.
8
LENGTH.
Park ave.
College ave.
Wallace st.
150
..
Professors row
College ave.
110
Richdale ave.
Private.
65
Washington st.
220
349
CITY ENGINEER.
Table Showing the Location, Length and Width of Public and Private Streets. - Continued.
STREET.
FROM
To
Public o Private.
Width in Feet.
Public.
Private.
Robinson
Central st.
Bartlett st.
Public
40
582
....
Rogers ave.
Morrison ave.
Boston ave.
Public.
45
1,682
Roland st.
Waverly st.
Boston line
Private.
40
100
Roseland
Beacon st.
Cambridge line
Public.
40
121
Rossmore
Somerville ave.
Washington st.
Public.
40
534
175
Rush .
Broadway .
Flint st.
Public.
40
1,400
Russell road
Broadway .
North st.
Private.
40
1,193
Russell .
Elm st.
Cambridge line
Public.
40
700
. .
Sacramento
Somerville ave.
.Fitchburg R. R.
Public.
40
80
....
Sacramento
Fitchburg R. R.
Beacon st.
Public.
40
290
Sacramento
Beacon st. .
Cambridge line
Private.
40
Sanborn ave.
Warren ave. .
Walnut st.
Public.
40
280
176
Sargent ave.
Broadway .
Walnut st.
Public.
40
1,075
....
Sartwell ave.
Cedar st.
Cherry st.
Private.
35
..
690
School
Somerville ave.
Highland ave.
Public.
40
1,901
School
Highland ave.
Broadway
Public.
50
2,500
. .
Sellon pl.
Marshall st.
Northwesterly
Private.
12
120
Seven Pines ave
Cameron ave.
Cambridge line
Public.
40
92
. .
Sewall ct.
Sewall st. .
Southwesterly .
Private.
25
. .
190
Sewall
Grant st.
Temple st.
Public.
40
615
. .
Shawmut pl.
Shawmut st.
Alston st.
Public.
30
190
....
Shawmut
Washington st. .
Cross st.
Public.
40
575
310
Sherman ct.
Sargent ave. .
Marshall st.
Private.
10
. ...
250
Sibley ct.
Cutter st.
Northwesterly
Private.
10
. ..
100
Sibley pl.
Cutter st.
Northwesterly
Private.
10
..
100
Simpson ave
Broadway .
Holland st. .
Private.
40
306
Skehan
Hanson
Durham
Private.
30
....
414
Skilton ave.
Pearl st.
Pearl st.
Private.
40
....
540
Smith ave ..
Beacon st.
Line st.
Private.
25+-
....
120
Somerville ave.
E. Camb. line
Union sq.
Public.
75
4,325
...
Somerville ave.
Union sq.
N. Camb. line .
Public.
70
6,793
..
South
Medford st.
Water st.
Public.
30
989
....
Spring
Somerville ave.
Summer st.
Public.
40
1,220
. .
Springfield
Concord ave.
Cambridge line
Public.
40
788
670
Stanford ter. .
Beacon st.
Northeasterly
Private.
20
. .
200
Stickney ave. .
Marshall st. .
School st.
Public.
40
458
St. James ave.
Elm st.
Summer st.
Public.
40
488
. .
..
Stone ave.
Union sq. .
Columbus ave. .
Public.
40
676
....
Stone ave.
Columbus ave.
Prospect Hill p'k'y
Public.
38
107
Stone pl.
Stone ave.
Southeasterly
Private.
30
145
Summer
Bow st.
Elm st.
Public.
45
7,900
Summit ave.
Walnut st.
Vinal ave.
Public.
45
532
....
Summit .
College ave.
Billingham st.
Public.
40
262
Sumner
Hinckley st.
Northwesterly .
Private.
20
....
250
Sunset rd.
Curtis st.
Proposed st.
Private.
40
..
Sycamore
Broadway
Medford st.
Public.
45
1,275
...
Sycamore
Medford st.
B. & L. R. R.
Public.
40
667
. . ..
Sycamore
B. & L. R. R.
Highland ave. .
Public.
35
722
.. . .
Sydney
Grant st. .
Temple st.
Public.
40
679
....
Talbot ave.
Packard ave.
College ave. .
Private.
50
. .
1,409
*Tannery (Ext'n)
Cambridge line .
Woodstock st (Ext'n)
Private.
40
. . .
160
Taunton.
Wyatt st.
Easterly to angle .
Private.
30
....
170
Taunton
Angle
Marion st.
Private.
20
....
95
Taylor pl.
Somerville ave.
Southerly
Private.
15
....
200
.
Hancock st.
Public.
40
727
....
Spring ct.
Somerville ave.
Westerly .
Private.
20
200
Spring Hill ter.
Highland ave.
Belmont st.
Private.
20
St. James ave. ext.
Summer st.
Northeasterly
Private.
30
125
Sunnyside ave.
Walnut st.
Wigglesworth st.
Private.
35
. .
658
Shedd
Somerville ave.
Merriam ave.
Private.
40
..
825
Skehan
Dane st.
Hanson st.
Public.
30
Snow ter.
Jaques st.
Southwesterly
Private.
16
200
Sanborn ct.
Washington st.
Nortliwesterly
Private.
30
Sawyer ave.
Packard ave.
Curtis st.
Private.
40
. .
. .
Royce pl.
Bonair st.
Northeasterly
Private.
15+-
....
156
400
Spencer ave.
Cedar st.
175
*Proposed.
LENGTH.
350
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Table Showing the Location, Length and Width of Public and Private Streets. - Continued.
STREET.
FROM
To
Public or Private.
Width in Feet.
Public.
Private.
Taylor
Mystic ave.
Sydney st.
Private.
40
....
Teele ave.
Packard ave.
Curtis st.
Private.
40
685
Temple .
Broadway
Mystic ave.
Public.
66
1,637
..
Tenney ct.
Mystic ave.
Northeasterly
Private.
30
400
Tennyson
Forster st.
Pembroke st.
Public.
40
922
....
Thorndike
Holland st.
Arl'ngt'n Br. R. R.
Public.
40
465
....
Thorndike
Arl'gt'n Br. R.R.
Kingston st.
Public.
40
115
....
Thorpe
Highland ave.
Southwesterly
Public.
30
468
....
Thurston
Broadway
Richdale ave.
Public.
40
1,660
97
Tower ct.
Tyler st.
Northeasterly
Private.
25
150
Tower
.
Crown st.
Highland ave.
Public.
40
559
75
Tremont
Webster ave.
Cambridge line .
Public.
40
589
Trull
Vernon st.
Medford st.
Public.
40
1,050
'Trull lane
Highland ave.
Oxford st.
Private.
15
Tufts parkway
College ave. .
College ave.
Public.
22
900
. .
Tufts
Washington st.
Cross st.
Public.
40
982
. .
Tyler
Vine st.
Dane st. .
Public.
40
404
....
Union
Broadway
Mystic ave.
Public.
40
345
Union pl.
Linwood st.
Southwesterly
Private.
10
..
100
Upland Park
Main st.
Southwesterly
Private.
20
....
175
Veazie
Walnut st.
Bradley st.
Public.
35
392
. .
Veazie
Bradley st.
Marshall st.
Public.
40
261
....
Vernon
Central st.
Glenwood road
Public.
40
764
....
Vernon
Glenwood road .
Partridge ave. .
Public.
40 to 30
190
....
Vernon
Partridge ave.
Lowell st.
Public.
30
434
....
Victoria .
Broadway
Cambridge line
Public.
40
1,036
..
Villa ave.
Winslow ave.
Arlington Br. R. R.
Private.
35
....
370
Vinal ave.
Summer st.
Highland ave.
Public.
45
1,425
Vinal
Richardson st.
Northeasterly
Private.
20
....
140
Vine
Somerville ave.
Hanson st.
Private.
40
....
780
Vine .
Hanson st.
Beacon st.
Public.
30
662
. .
..
Virginia .
Aldrich st.
Jasper st.
Public.
40
405
....
Wade ct.
Cedar st. .
Westerly .
Private.
20
....
180
Waldo ave.
Beacon st.
Dimick st.
Private.
40
....
277
Waldo
Highland ave.
Hudson st.
Public.
40
287
.. ..
Walker st.
Broadway .
Leonard st.
Private.
40
1,342
. . ..
Walnut .
Bow st.
Broadway
Public.
40
3,948
....
Walnut road
Walnut st.
Kenneson road
Private.
40
..
222
Walter pl.
Walter st.
Southwesterly
Private.
40
....
Walter
Walnut st.
of Bradley st.
Public.
40
548
....
Ward
Medford st.
Emery st.
Private.
30
....
450
Ware .
Curtis st.
Dow st.
Private.
40
680
Warner
Powder House sq.
Medford line
Public.
60
500
....
Warren ave.
Union sq.
Columbus ave.
Public.
40
663
....
Warren .
Medford st.
Cambridge line
Public.
30 to 40
109
...
Warwick
Cedar st.
Warwick pl.
Public.
40
665
...
Washington ave.
Washington st.
Northerly
Private.
18 about 7.5
....
350
Washington pl. .
Washington st. .
Southerly
Private.
Public.
75
1,060
. .
..
Washington
Franklin ave.
Fitchburg R. R.
Public. Public.
60
2,344
. . . .
Waterhouse
Broadway
Cambridge line
Private.
40
....
986
Watson .
Broadway
Fairmount ave.
Private.
40
....
200
Webster ave.
Union sq.
Cambridge line
Public.
49.5
1,955
. .
Webster
Franklin st.
Cross st. .
Public.
40
1,034
....
Wellington ave.
Walnut st.
Montgomery ave.
Public.
40
215
....
Wellington ave.
Montgomery ave.
Easterly
Private.
40
....
85
.
Northwesterly .
Private.
25
....
200
Village
Dane st.
Vine st.
Private.
25
..
...
Waverly
Washington st.
Roland st.
Private.
35
3,977
. . . .
Washington
Fitchburg R. R. South st.
Cambridge line
Northerly
Private.
25
250
Water
Warwick st.
Northeasterly
Private.
15
..
114
Washington
Charlest'n line .
Franklin ave.
Public.
40
..
713
Wallace .
Holland st.
Broadway
Private.
3.5
..
....
Tremont pl.
Tremont st.
Southeasterly
Private.
about 10
....
200
Timmins pl.
Dane st.
Westerly .
..
..
200
Vine ct.
Vine st.
.
§ about 100 ft. N.
270
Warwick place
150
60 to 100
236
LENGTH.
310
351
CITY ENGINEER.
Table Showing the Location, Length and Width of Public and Private Streets. - Concluded.
STREET.
FROM.
To
Public or Private.
Widtlı in Feet.
Public.
Private.
Wesley pk.
Wesley sq.
Northeasterly .
Public.
40
405
. .
Wesley .
Pearl st.
Otis st.
Public.
40
515
....
West .
Hawthorne st.
Highland ave.
Public.
30
192
266
West Adams
Conwell ave.
Medford line
Private.
40
....
710
Westminster
Broadway
Electric ave.
Public.
40
376
.. ..
Weston ave.
Clarendon ave.
Broadway
Private.
40
....
291
Westwood road
Central st.
Benton road
Public.
40
489
..
..
Wheatland .
Broadway .
Mystic ave. .
Public.
40
1,364
....
Wheeler
Pinckney st.
Mt. Vernon st.
Public.
40
269
..
Whipple
Highland ave.
Arlington Br. R. R.
Private.
30
307
White St. pl.
White st.
Southeasterly
Private.
20
..
200
Whitfield road.
Packard ave.
Curtis st.
Private.
40
. .
..
632
Wigglesworth
Bonair st. .
Pearl st. .
Public.
40
744
William .
Chandler st.
College ave.
Public-
40
381
45
Williams ct.
Porter st. .
Northwesterly
Private.
30
..
. .
150
Willoughby
Central st.
Sycamore st.
Public.
40
427
. .
Willow ave.
Elm st.
Broadway
Public.
50
3,534
..
Willow pl.
Cambridge line
South st.
Private.
25
150
Wilson ave.
Broadway .
B. & L. R. R.
Private.
20
310
Wilton
Lowell st. .
Hinckley st.
Public.
35
470
65
Windom
Elm st.
Summer st.
Public.
40
300
..
Windsor road .
Willow ave.
Hancock st.
Public.
40
575
..
Windsor st.(Extn.)
Windsor st., Camb.
Fitchburg R. R.
Private.
20
530
Winslow ave. .
College ave.
Clifton st.
Public.
40
1,123
..
Winter
College ave.
Holland st.
Public.
30
402
177
(Extension.)
Mystic ave.
Middlesex ave.
Private.
40
583
Woodbine .
Centre st.
Lowell st.
Private.
30
. .
600
Woodstock .
Victoria st.
Alewife brook .
Private.
40
. .
..
415
(Extension.)
Victoria st.
Tannery st. (Ext'n.)
Private.
40
920
Wyatt circle
Wyatt st.
Wyatt st.
Private.
20
....
315
Wyatt
Concord ave.
Lincoln parkway .
Public.
40
496
....
Yorktown
Cambridge line .
( N. E. line Mal-}
Public.
40
294
. .
..
*Proposed.
+Sidewalk in Somerville.
Court
11 Albion st.
.
Northeasterly
Private. Private.
10
....
100
Court
292 Broadway
Southwesterly
Private.
15
..
96
Court
612 Broadway
South westerly
Private.
20
188
Court
113 Central st.
Southeasterly
Private.
20
..
..
117
Court
Conlon ct.
Windsor st. (Extn.)
Private.
20
..
126
Court
58 Dane st. .
Easterly
Private.
10
70
Court
20 Dimick st.
Southwesterly
Private.
39.25
....
136
Court
66 Lowell st.
Westerly
Private.
25
....
101
Court
78 Lowell st.
Westerly
Private.
25
....
101
Court
10 Stone ave.
Northwesterly
Private.
20
....
113
Court
Windsor st. (Extn.)
East'ly and West'ly
Private.
20
....
370
Total
404,794
105,873
.
.
Court
227 Columbia st.
Northwesterly .
Private.
10
240
Court
36 Craigie st.
Westerly
Private.
25
..
. .
..
.
.
Private.
40
. .
100
..
..
..
. .
*Woods ave.
North st. .
Powder House Blvd.
Private.
40
. .
..
1,350
*Woodstock
Broadway .
Medford line
Private.
50
....
318
+ White .
Elm st.
Cambridge line
Public.
684
Whitman st.
Mason st. .
Packard ave.
Private.
40
525
West Quincy
Bailey st. .
Medford line
Private.
40
West .
Highland ave.
Arlington Br.R.R.
Private.
30
....
Winchester
Broadway .
Medford line
Private.
40
Winter Hill cir.
Broadway .
Northeasterly
Private.
25
Winthrop ave.
N. E. line 1
vern ave.
Yorktown
Malvern ave.
Northerly
Court
21 Albion st.
Northeasterly
9
170
Public, 76.665 miles ( includes 3.294 miles boulevards and 1.16 miles State Highway); private, 20.051 miles.
Total length of streets in the city, 96.716 miles.
150
William .
LENGTH.
REPORT OF THE STREET COMMISSIONER.
OFFICE OF THE STREET COMMISSIONER, 2 CITY HALL, SOMERVILLE, January 1, 1912. S To His Honor, the Mayor, and the Board of Aldermen :-
Gentlemen,-I most respectfully submit the thirty-sixth annual report, containing a brief summary of the principal work performed by the highway department during the year 1911, with recommendations for necessary improvements and addi- tions for the coming year.
The Highways Maintenance appropriation for this depart- ment is received from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, being the amount of the street railway tax and the Boston Elevated Railway tax.
The department is working under an eight-hour-a-day basis, and the two-dollar-a-day men's pay has been increased to $2.15, also the teamsters' pay to $2.25, thus increasing the expenditures many thousands of dollars.
This department has charge of the construction, alteration, repair, maintenance, and management of ways, streets, side- walks, and bridges; also the setting out and care of shade trees, the suppression of gypsy and brown-tail moths, elm-leaf beetles, and the supervision of street watering and oiling.
Paving.
There is a great problem before the highway department in the construction and care of the highways.
Residents and owners of automobiles are in favor of any kind of a street paying and oil for laying the dust, while owners of horses complain that this kind of construction is very slip- pery and dangerous to drive upon. I think, however, as the horses become more familiar with this kind of paving the diffi- culty will be overcome.
In some of the Western cities nearly all of the streets are paved with a sheet paving. This paving is more sanitary and very easy to keep clean, and could be flushed with a flushing machine nightly.
It is out of the question that highways can be constructed as they were years ago and stand the automobile travel. Many of the large concerns and corporations are being equipped with auto trucks, which means that the city must construct the highways to stand the wear of this modern transportation.
The department has followed out the usual custom of con- structing one or more thoroughfares each year.
Portions of Elm, Holland, Beacon streets, Mystic ave- nue, and Broadway, with Teele square and Ball square, were
353
STREET COMMISSIONER.
constructed with permanent paving. (See table in back of re- port for kind and cost of paving.)
Walnut street, the connecting link between the Fells and the Fens, and used almost exclusively by automobilists, has been resurfaced with a "Tarvia" and "A" binder.
The average cost of macadam and tarvia was $.95 per square yard.
In the construction of Broadway and Beacon street, where we found a clay bottom, which was removed and coarse ashes substituted, the average cost of macadam and tarvia was $1.35 per square yard.
Holland Street Ledge.
Quarrying has been carried on at this ledge summer and winter.
A large amount of good stone still remains, which can be used for sidewalks and repairs of side streets.
The steam drill has worked 258 days.
Stone Crusher.
The crushing plant has worked 2742 days during the year. A contract was made with Coleman Brothers for hard stone delivered on the line of work for $1.45 per ton south of High- land avenue, and $1.40 per ton north of Highland avenue, and also with the Winchester Stone Company for $1.25 and $1.15 per ton, F. O. B., Somerville or Cambridge stations.
There were 8,640 tons of stone crushed and 2,788.91 tons purchased during the year.
Street Cleaning.
A special effort has been made this year to keep the streets clean, and the department asks the co-operation of the resi- dents and storekeepers to help by not throwing or sweeping rubbish into the streets.
All the streets, both public and private, were cleaned in the spring and fall, and paved streets were swept as often as considered necessary.
Push cart men are kept in all the squares to care for same. and on some of the main streets. A single team with an extra man was assigned to a certain district this year to keep the same clean. Such good results were obtained that I intend to assign a team to each ward in the city, thereby covering the entire city once or twice a week.
The board of health resumed the old custom whereby the tenants instead of the city employees set out the ash and rub- bish barrels, and as a result the streets are littered with papers and rubbish, which gives a bad appearance. I hope money can be found whereby the employees may do this work.
354
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Bridges.
The bridges in the city are in good condition. Many of the railroad bridges have been replanked this year. If any de- fects are found in these bridges the railroad company is promptly notified, and the defect is repaired.
The abolition of the grade crossing on Webster avenue at the Boston & Maine Railroad is nearly completed, and the new bridge has been opened to the public. This will do away with a very dangerous crossing, which was a great inconven- ience to the general public and the cause of the loss of many lives. Wash borings have been made on Medford street in conjunction with the abolition of this dangerous crossing.
Shade Trees.
The city has lost many trees by gas leaks, electric wires, and insects, and I recommend that the city purchase and set . out trees to replace them.
The trees purchased by the abutters were set out by the department, each supported by a pole and protected by a wire guard.
One hundred and twenty-five dead and dangerous trees were removed during the year, and 112 trees set out. Two hundred and fifty-four trees were trimmed by request.
Elm=Leaf Beetles.
A gasoline spraying machine was purchased this year, and all the street trees were sprayed not only for the elm-leaf beetle, but for all the pests. The coming year will show good results and money well spent. The number of trees sprayed was 8,093.
Leopard Moth.
I think this insect the worst pest the department has ever had to exterminate. It bores into the branches and feeds on the living wood, thus making it difficult to discover them. Many branches and even whole trees broken off showed upon investigation to be the work of this moth.
I recommend an appropriation for this work.
Gypsy and Brown=Tail Moths.
The new spraying machine has also done good work in the extermination of this pest. I have investigated the street trees, and found very few nests this winter. The nests of the gypsy moths are painted with creosote, and the nests of the brown- tail moths are cut from the branches and taken to the city yard and burned in an incinerator. This work is done in the winter time, thus giving work to the employees of the department the entire year.
355
STREET COMMISSIONER.
This work is inspected by an inspector sent by the state forester, Frank William Rane.
Where nests are found on private property the owner is charged at the rate of twenty-seven cents an hour per man, and the amount of the assessment is collected with the taxes on the estate.
The law gives the city the right to enter any private property to care for the moths and provides for an assessment to cover the cost of the work.
The number of trees inspected and cared for during the year is 4,446.
Subways.
Kent, Sacramento, and Thorndike street subways require constant attention.
With the abolition of the grade crossings I hope these sub- ways can be abandoned.
Sprinkling Streets.
Under the new law the city can use water or a substitute and assess the abutters at the same rate as for street watering.
The department has used a large amount of all kinds of oil to keep the dust down, and it has given good results. There is no doubt as to the efficiency of tar or oil on roads. I have received fewer complaints from residents this year in regard to the dust, which is a good proof that the oil and tar are satis- factory. The tar or oil coats the road with a wearing surface, thereby saving the expense of resurfacing many of our old streets.
A new automatic pressure oiler was tried late this fall with good results, and I think next year the entire city can be covered with these oilers.
By the use of oil the street watering force was reduced from thirty-eight carts to eighteen carts and a great many thousand gallons of water saved, also the repainting of these carts.
This branch of the work is self-supporting, as the abutters pay five cents per linear foot for sprinkling.
Steam Rollers.
The fifteen-ton roller has worked 197 days, the twelve-ton roller 199 days, and the five-ton roller six days.
The twelve-ton roller has been in the department a num- ber of years, and is liable to give out at any time.
I recommend the purchase of a new fifteen-ton roller.
Sidewalks.
In the construction of sidewalks, which includes edge- stones, brick, and granolithic, this has been the banner year,
356
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Never in the history of the city has such a large appropriation ($22,195.08) been made for this kind of work. With so large a sum the public works committee was able to recommend to the city government the construction of many sidewalks which had been petitioned for and on file for a number of years. The department did all the construction, thus giving employment to Somerville citizens, and the work was completed at the esti- mated cost. If the department could have this same appro- priation for 1912, it could complete many of the sidewalks al- ready started on the main thoroughfares, as was done on High- land avenue.
The average cost of gravel sidewalks with edgestones was $1.06 per linear foot; brick sidewalks, $1.30 per square yard; granolithic, $1.54 per square yard. The abutters are assessed half of the cost. The cost of brick and granolithic sidewalks includes the resetting of edgestones. The cost of paving gutters was $2.29 per square yard.
Snow and Ice.
It is the duty of this department to remove the snow and ice from all sidewalks in front of public buildings and public grounds, and sand the same when they become slippery, for which the department receives no compensation. On all of the gravel sidewalks of the city plows are used to clear the snow, but in case they become slippery the tenants must care for the same.
As soon as the bridges, which are made necessary by the abolition of the grade crossings, are completed the city must care for the snow and ice upon the same. Two of the bridges are completed, which adds extra expense to this branch of the work.
In a snow storm men are assigned to care for all the cross- ings on the main streets, and to sand the same if they become slippery. Sand boxes are within easy access for the push-cart men who care for the subways, bridges, and squares.
Underground Wires.
Permits for opening the streets for the purpose of con- structing conduits and burying wires were issued to the New England Telephone and Telegraph Company on the southerly side of Elm street, from Chester street to Oak square, and for enlargement of conduits on Pearl street, from Bradley street to Marshall street. Permits were also issued to this company and to the Edison Electric Illuminating Company of Boston to connect their underground systems on the main streets with their overhead wires on intersecting streets.
Accepted Streets.
There were eight streets accepted under the Betterment Act during the year, comprising a total length of 4,152 feet.
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STREET COMMISSIONER.
There were six streets constructed with macadam and tarvia under the Betterment Act, comprising a total length of 2,179 feet, at an average approximate cost of $0.95 per square yard. In all the streets constructed during the past ten years edgestones were set and gutters paved with granite paving blocks before the construction work was begun.
There were seven streets or portions of streets macadam- ized or resurfaced at a cost of $8,293.13.
There are 76.665 miles of public streets and 19.916 miles of private streets in the city, making a total length of 96.581 miles.
Sidewalks Maintenance.
Under this appropriation the money is expended for caring for defects in the sidewalks which are reported by the police de- partment. These are always attended to immediately. Also, the repairing of brick and granolithic sidewalks and resetting edgestones comes under this appropriation.
A large amount of this kind of work was done this year, and as there are many petitions on file I hope to have a large appropriation to continue this kind of improvement. Eight thousand one hundred and forty-one feet of edgestones were reset, and 1,692 square yards of brick sidewalks relaid.
Street Railways.
The Boston Elevated Railway Company relaid and in some instances laid new rails on a concrete base, grouting the paving with Portland cement where the city constructed perma- nent paving with vitrified paving brick, and spread the tracks so that there is a space of five feet between them.
On Medford street, from Somerville avenue to Washing- ton street, the outward track was moved three inches, and from Washington street to Cross street the space was made five feet; also on Holland street, between Thorndike street and Moore street, the inward track was moved three inches.
This work was petitioned for by the company so to make more space between their tracks in order to give more clear- ance between the large vestibule cars and in conjunction with the opening of the new Cambridge subway.
Emergency Calls.
The emergency call for this department is 8-8 on the fire alarm system, and is used to call the employees to the stable when needed for a big fire or storm or in case of an accident where teams and men could be used to good advantage. £
The emergency wagon is equipped with ropes, lanterns, jacks, and all kinds of tools, a quick-hitch harness, and is always ready in case of an accident to the department teams, or reports from the police or residents.
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