USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1911 > Part 30
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40
460
December 30, 1911
Garrison avenue .
Broadway .
Land of City of Camb.
40
460
December 28, 1911
Leland street
2
Washington street
Dane avenue
40
359
December 30, 1911
Lowell street
6
Summer street
Crown street
33
351
December 30, 1911
Prichard avenue
6
Boston avenue
Frederick avenue
40
517
December 28, 1911
Shawmut Place
1
Shawmut street .
Alston street
30
190
December 28, 1911
.
·
Length in feet
.
.
4,152
-
·
·
.
.
·
.
·
.
.
·
.
·
.
.
.
.
.
.
ANNUAL REPORTS.
374
.
375
STREET COMMISSIONER.
TABLE I. Street Crossings Laid.
Bonair street, across same, at Melvin street.
Dane street, across same, at junction of Dane avenue and Village street.
Dane street, across same, at Washington street.
Grand View avenue, across same, at Vinal avenue. - Ibbetson street, across same, at Kimball street.
Kimball street, across same, at Ibbetson street.
TABLE J. Street Opening. Street opening, Beacon street, at Waldo avenue. -
Length of Accepted Streets in Each Ward.
Miles.
Ward 1
9.530
2
8.601
66
3
7.479
4
9.390
5
11.622
66
6
12.611
66
7
17.417
Total length of accepted streets in the city . 76.650
Respectfully submitted, ASA B. PRICHARD, Street Commissioner.
REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
OFFICE OF COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS,
CITY HALL, SOMERVILLE, January 1, 1912. To the Honorable, the Mayor, and the Board of Aldermen of the City of Somerville :-
Gentlemen,-The work of the public buildings department during the year 1912 has been largely routine, and your com- missioner has no report to make of any extraordinary happen- ings or incidents, but presents in this report a brief summary only of the every-day requirements and acts of the office or- ganization.
Improvements have been made to several of the public buildings during the year which are mentioned especially later in the report.
The organization of the office of the building department consists, in addition to the commissioner, of an assistant as- signed especially to the work of the plumbing inspection, one office assistant whose duties are confined to the clerical work of the department, and one assistant, draughted from the janitor service and assigned to supervise the work of the janitors of all public buildings and to inspect the buildings at regular intervals with special reference to the hygienic and sanitary condition and cleanliness.
In the employ of the public buildings department there are thirty-seven men acting as janitors of public buildings. This city has been very fortunate in having in its employ as janitors a class of men, the personnel of which, I believe, is far beyond the average. These men as a rule are faithful to duty, obliging and courteous, in spite of the fact of their strenuous and varied duties.
All of our public buildings are well cared for and kept in a clean and sanitary condition. To these janitors and their super- visor is due all of the credit for this condition.
All matters relating to the purchase of supplies, carrying out of changes of construction, or renovating of the public property, except those of minor importance, are attended to personally by the commissioner.
The inspection of all buildings in the course of construction is also personally performed by the commissioner.
We do not claim for our organization in the public build- ings department any special commendation, but I believe that with the perfect harmony which prevails at all times we are do- ing our part, with some degree of success, in trying to conduct the affairs of a municipality of which there is no better, and
377
STREET COMMISSIONER.
which is recognized everywhere as a city well administered, clean, attractive to the citizen and good to look upon.
Inspection of Buildings.
The commissioner of public buildings is also the inspector of buildings according to the terms of the charter, and as such during the year 1911 has made 1,625 formal inspections of build- ings in the course of construction.
The following table shows the number of permits issued for building operations during the year 1911 :-
WARDS.
Buildings.
Totals.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Dwellings
22
41
32
38
50
46
84
313
Stores
4
3
1
2
4
6
5
25
Shops
2
2
Manufactories
5
5
3
7
1
7
1
29
Halls
3
1
1
1
1
2
9
Brick .
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
8
Steel
1
1
Iron
1
1
Glass
1
1
Total
37
55
38
52
58
65
97
402
The number of plumbing permits issued during the year was Permits for plumbing in new buildings
. 424
. 228
Permits for plumbing in old buildings
. 196
Number of buildings in which soil pipes were tested
. 371
1
1
1
1
5
1
3
1
1
6
Miscellaneous .
1
1
Concrete
The total number of permits issued during the year, viz., 402, was sixty-four more than during the year 1910, when 338 permits for new buildings and alterations were issued. The total cost of the new buildings and alterations during the year 1911 was $935,478.00, while the cost in 1910 was $930,860.00, showing an increase of $4,618.00.
Additional Accommodations City Hall
On June 19, 1911, an appropriation was made and the work authorized for the construction of additional committee rooms on the third floor of the City Hall. The space utilized for this purpose was an unused attic. After plans and specifications had been prepared by the commissioner of public buildings, estimates were received and opened by his honor the mayor on July 27, 1911, as follows ;-
.
3
Stables
378
ANNUAL REPORTS.
A. M. Pride . $2,749 00
J. E. L. McLean
2,720 00
E. N. Hutchins 2,696 00
J. E. Locatelli Company
2,334 00
Arthur W. Berry .
1,995 00
The contract was awarded to the lowest bidder, Arthur W. Berry.
The work has been completed and the additional room afforded by the change is being used by the legislative branch of the city government, and the aldermanic committees may now attend the hearings and committee meetings without interrup- tion.
Girls' Trade School.
The dwelling house which was purchased by the city on land adjacent to the Carr school building was remodeled and renovated to provide quarters for a girls' trade school.
This building was opened for school purposes on October 16, 1911.
An entirely new system of plumbing was installed and the heating plant thoroughly overhauled. Many interior changes were made in the arrangement of rooms, and the building put in first class condition for the trade school use.
City Home Addition.
-
The problem as to how to care best for the sick inmates of the City Home was solved by the plan to erect an addition to the present buildings. Plans of such a structure were pre- pared by the commissioner of public buildings, and after adver- tising in the public press, estimates were received and opened publicly in the office of his honor the mayor on December 15, 1911. The estimates received were as follows :-
Clark & Lee Company $7,697 00
McDonald & Kivell 7,072 00
John E. Locatelli Company, Inc. 6,820 00
A. M. Pillsbury 6,474 00
Daniel I .. Shepard
6,313 00
J. Edward L. McLean
6,185 00
A. M. Pride
6,116 00
Martin Brothers
5,810 00
Arthur W. Berry .
5,760 00
The contract was awarded to Arthur W. Berry, who was the lowest bidder. The work of construction was begun at once and at the present time is progressing satisfactorilv.
This building when completed will connect with the pres- ent home 'by a corridor, will be two stories in height, and in size will be 60 feet 6 inches by 26 feet.
The first floor of the new building will be devoted to the hospital needs of the home and is divided into eight rooms for patients, with the necessary toilet and other facilities.
379
COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
The second floor will be devoted to the use of the women of the house as sleeping quarters.
The completion of this building will provide such improved accommodations to the City Home as have been needed for a long time and will add greatly to the comfort of the old people who are residents there.
Branch Libraries.
Two permanent branch reading rooms were established during the year 1911 and quarters provided for them at East Somerville and Union Square.
The East Somerville Branch was established at 153 Perkins street, in a room which the city rented for the purpose. This room was thoroughly overhauled, painted, repaired and finished " as requested by the library trustees, in such a manner as to make it a comfortable and suitable room for the purposes in- tended.
For the Union Square Branch a room in the Prospect Hill school building was selected. This room has been so fitted and furnished as to provide a very comfortable reading room and distributing station.
S. Newton Cutler School.
On May 11, 1911, an order was passed by the board of aldermen and on May 12, 1911, was duly approved by his honor the mayor, authorizing the construction of a grammar school building on Powder House boulevard.
Plans and specifications were prepared for this building by the commissioner of public buildings and were approved by his honor the mayor. Advertisements were inserted in the Somer- ville and Boston papers requesting that estimates be delivered at the office of the commissioner not later than September 8, 1911.
On this date, in response to the request there were received in sealed envelopes sixteen estimates. These estimates were opened by his honor the mayor in the presence of the bidders in the aldermanic chamber. The estimates were as follows :-
A. M. Pride . $74,350 00
A. H. Hines .
68,775 00
The Clark & Lee Company
67,997 00
J. J. Powers .
66,915 00
Driscoll & O'Brien
61,717 00
Vroom Brothers Company
61,509 00
Joseph M. Dolan
59,917 00
Walsh Brothers
58,764 00
Daniel L. Shepard
57,997 00
C. S. Cunningham & Sons Construction Company
57,945 00
Louis B. Cadario
57,771 00
F. Ç. Alexander
57,458 00
1
380
ANNUAL REPORTS.
J. E. Locatelli Company $57,000 00
H. S. Libbey & Co .. 56,862 00 M. M. Dyer 54,494 00 ·
A. B. Murdough .
52,559 00
The contract was awarded to Albert B. Murdough of Watertown, Mass., who was the lowest bidder, for the sum of $52,559.00.
As soon as possible after the award was made the con- struction work was started and has progressed steadily to such an extent that the second floor is now entirely covered in and it is expected that by April 1, 1912, the roof will have been completed.
The building as designed is to be three stories in height, and will contain fourteen classrooms of regulation size and will accommodate seven hundred pupils. Entrances are provided at each end and at the front of the building.
All of the classrooms in this building are so arranged that the light will come in from one side only, thus affording what is expected to be a very satisfactory system of lighting. Each classroom is provided with a spacious coat-room so located as to be convenient for the purpose intended.
Toilet facilities are to be provided in the basement and on each floor for both boys and girls.
The basement is to be used for the heating plant, play- rooms, ventilating apparatus, and miscellaneous storage space.
It is hoped that it will be possible to install in this build- ing a vacuum cleaning plant, an electric clock system, and auto- matic temperature control, all of which are valuable assets to a well equipped school building.
This building is so designed as to be the beginning of a comprehensive plan which, when eventually completed, will pro- vide for a school centre containing twenty-four classrooms and an assembly hall with a capacity of twelve hundred persons, and which would be the largest of the school buildings in the city except the high school.
Vault Fittings.
In compliance with an order adopted May 11, 1911, and approved May 12, 1911, by his honor the mayor, estimates were requested of several firms for furnishing and installing steel fittings for all of the city's security vaults.
The estimates as opened in the office of his honor the mayor on April 13, 1911, were as follows :-
The Van Dorn Iron Works Company $4,100 00 Library Bureau 3,395 00
Office, Bank & Library Company 3,263 00
Art Metal Construction Company 2,390 00
The General Fireproofing Company . 2,345 67
381
COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
The contract was awarded to The General Fireproofing Company, which company was the lowest bidder.
These vault fittings have been completed and all of the city's vaults now comply with the state requirements as to the keeping of municipal records.
Additional Window Space.
An appropriation was made December 15, 1910, to be used for providing additional window space in school buildings where additional light was needed for school work.
During the summer of 1911 this work was started in the Prescott school building. Twelve additional windows were constructed in this building providing additional lighting area in each classroom. These additional windows have made these classrooms much lighter and have already proved of much value. This building was the only one in which additional win- dows were installed during the 1911 vacation, but it is intended to continue this work during the summer of 1912 in at least two more of the school buildings where additional light is needed.
Police Building.
Extensive changes were made in that portion of the police building occupied by the judge and the clerk of the police court. Plans of these changes were prepared by the commissioner of public buildings and estimates received and opened by his honor the mayor on June 5, 1911.
The contract was awarded to the lowest bidder, Arthur W. Berry.
A commodious fire-proof vault was constructed for the use of the clerk of the court, affording a safe place for the storage of the court records.
The offices of the judge and the clerk were remodeled so as to provide more room and better light for these departments.
By making these changes the city has arranged with the officials of Middlesex county to receive an increased rental which is sufficient to take care of the interest on the investment.
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, 1912.
To the Honorable, the Mayor, and the Board of Aldermen of the City of Somerville :-
Gentlemen :- I most respectfully submit my third annual report as commissioner of electric lines and lights for the year ending December 31, 1911.
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.
The inspection of interior wiring for light, heat, and power is of great importance and has been given the most careful at- tention.
Every endeavor is made to have all work done in a per- fectly safe manner, and the rules and requirements, which are made for the guidance of wiremen doing work in the city, are strictly enforced.
Notifications of all work done must be sent to this depart- ment, and owners and occupants of buildings using electric cur- rent should insist that all electrical work, no matter how small, bè inspected and approved before accepting or using the same, as the only protection they have against inferior workmanship is the inspection department.
The danger from fire, resulting from the imperfect installa- tion of wires and fittings, is great and is not readily understood by the general public.
Approved electrical fittings intended to lessen the fire hazard have been placed on the market from time to time, but are of no great advantage unless properly installed.
The revision of the city ordinances in regard to interior wiring, whereby no electrical work can be done in a building in process of construction until all gas, heating, and plumbing pipes have been installed, has added greatly to the safety of electrical installations.
A number of defective installations were remedied during the year, but there are still places where conditions can be im- proved.
383
COMMISSIONER OF ELECTRIC LINES AND LIGHTS.
Number of notifications of new work received 717
Number of inspections of new work 717
Number of re-inspections of new work 578
Number of inspections of old work 125
Number of defective installations of old work .
20
. Number of defective installations remedied 12
Number of re-inspections of old work . 40 .
Total number of inspections . 1,460
Number of permits issued to the Edison Electric Illu- minating Company for installing meters, lamps, etc. 531
Number of incandescent lamps 6,751
Number of arc lamps
4
Number of motors
66
.
Horse power of motors
259
Construction, Etc., of the Fire and Police Alarm Systems.
FIRE ALARM SYSTEM.
This system, although giving good service during the year, should be replaced, when practicable, with a modern system, in- stalled in a separate fireproof building, as the present quarters are not fit for a delicate and expensive fire alarm equipment.
The usual monthly inspections of the signal boxes and apparatus have been maintained and very little trouble has been found.
There have been 253 alarms transmitted during the year.
The fire alarm equipment consists of the following: 121 signal boxes, one eight-circuit automatic repeater, eight tower strikers, thirty-one gongs, nine indicators, forty-six tappers, one automatic steam whistle, twelve private telephones con- necting the various stations, 510 cells of storage battery, about 142 miles of overhead wire, and 38,711 feet of underground cable.
One new signal box has been added during the year :-
Box 157, Boston and Maine Railroad Mystic River shops.
Three new boxes have been purchased and will be installed soon, namely :-
Box 72, North street, corner of Conwell avenue.
Box 73, Dearborn road, corner of Bromfield road.
Box 342, Bradley street, corner of Walter street.
Two new boxes have been purchased to replace two of the old-style unreliable boxes.
There has been run 22,060 feet of new No. 10 triple-braid- covered wire and 8,780 feet of old has been removed.
Four thousand nine hundred and ninety feet of new twisted pair has been run for telephones, etc., and 5,500 feet of old has been removed.
Eight thousand nine hundred and seventy-nine feet of lead- covered cable, consisting of two, four, six, ten, fourteen, twenty, and twenty-six conductors, has been placed under- ground on Highland avenue from Walnut street to Cedar street, and the old overhead wire is to be removed.
384
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Connections have been made with Arlington, whereby an interchange of alarms and apparatus is effected.
Somerville now receives all alarms from Boston, Cam- bridge, Medford, and Arlington, and Somerville alarms are transmitted in return ..
POLICE SIGNAL SYSTEM.
The police signal system has received its usual attention, and I again call your attention to its very poor condition in spite of the constant repairing which it receives.
This system is important, as it is necessary that officers on their routes shall be in communication with the station at all times.
This is not always possible with the present worn-out sys- tem, and it is important that a modern up-to-date system be installed.
Supervision of Poles and Wires on the Streets and Underground Conduits and Wires.
The same careful attention has been given to the condi- tion of poles and wires on the streets as in previous years.
A large number of defective poles have been replaced by the companies owning same on notification.
New poles have been placed in locations granted for the purpose of supplying light and telephone service.
New Re- Re-
Re-
Poles. placed. moved. set.
New England Telephone & Telegraph Co.
16 41
5
2
Edison Electric Illuminating Co. 31 171
13 19
Boston Elevated Railway Co. 1 2
Permits given to New England Telephone & Telegraph Co. for attachments to Edison Electric Illuminating Co.'s poles
646 Permits given to Edison Electric Illuminating Co. for attach-
ments to New England Telephone & Telegraph Co.'s poles, 34
The New England Telephone and Telegraph Company has built conduits on Elm street from Chester street to Oak square for the purpose of placing its wires underground and remov- ing overhead wires, and has also enlarged the conduits on Pearl street from Bradley street to Marshall street.
This company has removed its overhead wires on the Web- ster-avenue bridge and part of its wires on Holland street and College avenue.
The Edison Electric Illuminating Company has built con- duits on Webster avenue, and has placed its wires underground and removed its overhead wires, also part of the wires on Broadway from Teele square to the Arlington line.
The Boston Elevated Railway Company has built under- ground conduits on Broadway and North street and connect- ing with Medford, for the purpose of running a high-tension power line to furnish power for its sub-stations.
385
COMMISSIONER OF ELECTRIC LINES AND LIGHTS.
Street Lighting.
The matter of street lighting has been given careful atten- tion, and a number of changes have been made in the kind of lamps and the location of the same.
A number of arc lamps have been replaced with incandes- cents of forty- and 100-candle power, which not only reduces the cost of lighting, but distributes the light more evenly.
The lamps on Broadway are to be replaced with magnetite lamps, which are double the candle-power of the present arc lamps, and will give a finely-lighted thoroughfare through the city.
There are a large number of new streets in the western part of the city which have no lights whatever, and the location of lights in said streets should be attended to as soon as practi- cable.
Arcs.
Incandescents. 40 c. p. 100 c. p.
Number of street lights January 1, 1911 .
494
725
Number of street lights added, 1911
7
38
18
Number of street lights discontinued, 1911
33
7
Number of street lights December 31, 1911
468
756
18
Electrical Department.
CREDIT.
Appropriation
.
$8,500 00
Edison Electric Illuminating Co. .
250 00
William T. Crotty, cutting wires, etc. .
21 00
Total credit
$8,771 00
DEBIT.
Salaries
$5,770 90
Fire alarm system
1,741 86
Police signal system
892 64 .
Inspection of electrical work .
369 04
Total debit
$8,774 44
Amount overdrawn
$3 44
Underground Construction.
CREDIT.
Appropriation
Balance unexpended, 1910
$4,000 00 269 37
Total credit
$4,269 37
DEBIT.
Labor
$761 40
Materials
2,430 60
Total debit .
$3,192 00
Balance unexpended .
$1,077 37
386
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Street Lighting.
CREDIT.
Appropriation . DEBIT.
$51,000 00
Edison Electric Illuminating Co. . $54,508 64
Amount overdrawn
.
$3,508 64
Recommendations.
I respectfully recommend that :-
The police signal system be replaced immediately by a modern open circuit system.
The matter of providing suitable headquarters for the fire alarm system be considered.
The present fire alarm system be replaced by a modern system when such suitable quarters are provided.
Conclusion.
I wish to thank his honor, the mayor, the members of the board of aldermen, and the several departments for courtesies received, and the members of this department for the faith- ful performance of their duties.
Respectfully submitted, WALTER I. FULLER,
Commissioner of Electric Lines and Lights. L
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. CHARLES A. BURNS.
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, 1912.
To His Honor, the Mayor, and the Board of Aldermen :-
I present herewith my report for the year ending Decem- ber 31, 1911, this being the thirty-eighth annual report of the water department, and my twelfth as water commissioner :-
Receipts and Expenditures.
Water bills have been issued as follows :-
"Annual" water charges, amounting to
$90,713 70
"Additional" water charges, amounting to
4,317 86
"Metered" water charges, amounting to
134,006 01
$229,037 57
Annual and add'l.
Metered.
Abatements on above charges
$1,216 00
$773 95
Refunds on above charges
403 00
72 48
Abatements on 1910 charges
17 90
$1,619 00
$864 33
2,483 33
Income from sale of water
$226,554 24
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