USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1912 > Part 30
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Bennett School Improvements.
During the year 1912 four shower bath fixtures were in- stalled in the basement of the Bennett school and opened to the public of that district. The extensive patronage of these baths has showed that a wise move was made when these were installed.
The improvements at the Bennett school were continued by the surfacing of the yard for playground purposes and the installation of gymnastic apparatus.
City Home Addition.
The hospital addition at the City Home was completed and occupied during this past year and is greatly appreciated by the residents of the home.
Cutler School.
The Cutler school was completed and made ready for oc- cupancy in November, 1912. The school is now completely or- ganized, and is caring for over 500 pupils from the West Somer- ville district.
During the coming year the grounds will be laid out in an attractive manner, and provide a beauty spot in this section of the city.
High School Addition.
During the year 1912, the matter of high school additions was carefully considered by the several departments directly interested, and it was finally determined to hold an architectural competition for designs.
The competition was held and the award made to Harry E. Warren of New York City. Plans were prepared by Mr. Warren and submitted to contractors for estimates. The es- timates received were as follows :-
Walsh Bros. $87,799 00
The Whiton & Haynes Co. 89,800 00
D. L. Shepard 89,995 00
The Kennedy & Peterson Construction Company 91,700 00
J. E. Locatelli & Co., Inc. . 93,062 00 John W. Duff 93,180 00
The lowest estimate was from Walsh Brothers, and the contract was awarded to that firm.
385
COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
Recommendations.
I recommend that during the year 1913 appropriations be' made for the following :-
Additional window space in Bell, Forster, and Edgerly school buildings.
New cell system at Police Station.
Shower baths at Lincoln Park building.
Playground at the Cutler school.
Central heating plant, Central Hill.
New assembly hall, Bingham school.
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, 1913.
To the Honorable, the Mayor, and the Board of Aldermen of the City of Somerville :-
Gentlemen,-I most respectfully submit my fourth annual report as commissioner of electric lines and lights for the year ending December 31, 1912.
Inspection of Wiring in Buildings.
The inspection of interior wiring for light, heat, and power is of great importance, and has been given the same careful attention as in previous years.
The increased use of electrical apparatus and devices in the household necessarily means a corresponding increase of inspections to insure a faithful compliance with the rules and requirements laid down by the inspection department.
These rules are made for the protection of the public against fire or accident, and every endeavor is made to compel wiremen to make such installations of electrical apparatus in a proper and safe manner.
The electrical inspector is often compelled to teach un- skilled electricians how to do certain kinds of work properly.
He finds that property owners and architects are often in- duced by the low figures at which such men are usually ready to undertake electrical construction, to award contracts to such men not fitted by previous training to do such work, and that thereafter the inspector has to spend much time needed for other work in showing how the installation must be made in order to pass inspection.
Aside from the annoyance to the electrical inspector of such a condition as this, it is most unfortunate for the property owner.
It may and does sometimes lead to much unnecessarily extra work having to be done and paid for, and to awkward delays in getting the installation into service.
Moreover, work once done improperly and then remod- cled is generally far inferior to work done right initially.
The best remedy for the disorder is to require licenses of all men in responsible charge of electrical construction.
These licenses could be issued by the municipal inspection department after it has satisfied itself as to the proficiency of the applicants for them.
Such a requirement exists in some cities.
It is a measure needed for the protection of the public and
38%
COMMISSIONER OF ELECTRIC LINES AND LIGHTS.
in the interests of electrical contractors who are in the business to stay, and who make a practice of doing only high class work.
Number of notifications of new work received . 823
Number of inspections of new work ".
823
Number of re-inspections of new work 510
Numbers of inspections of old work . 145
Number of defective installations of old work
10
Number of defective installations remedied
10
Number of re-inspections of old work
30
Total number of inspections
1,508
Number of permits issued to the Edison Electric Illu- minating Company for installing meters, lamps, etc.,
587
Number of incandescent lamps
8,184
Number of arc lamps .
4
Number of motors
83
Horse power of motors
534
Construction, Etc., of 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 ap- paratus have been maintained and very little trouble has been found.
There have been 287 alarms transmitted during the year, an increase of thirty-four alarms over last year.
The fire alarm equipment consists of the following :-
124 signal boxes, one eight-circuit automatic repeater, eight tower strikers, thirty-one gongs, eight indicators, one punch register, forty-six tappers, one automatic steam whistle, twelve private telephones connecting the various stations, 510 cells of storage battery, about 140 miles of overhead wire, and 42,960 feet of underground cable.
Three new signal boxes have been installed this year :--
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 old style unreliable boxes have been replaced by new boxes and placed on lighted posts, namely :-
Box 27, Police station, and Box 46, Hose 5, Somerville avenue.
There has been run 36,110 feet of new No. 10 triple braid- covered wire and 65,550 feet of old has been removed.
2,925 feet of new twisted pair has been run for telephones, etc., and 3,150 feet of old has been removed.
4,249 feet of lead-covered cable, consisting of two, eight, and eighteen conductors, has been placed underground on Highland avenue from Cedar street to Grove street and side streets, and the old overhead wire has been removed.
388
ANNUAL REPORTS.
The connections made last year with Arlington have worked to the advantage of both Somerville and Arlington, ap- paratus from each department answering several alarms in the territory of the other.
POLICE SIGNAL SYSTEM.
The police signal system has been given its usual atten- tion, but it has been impossible to keep it in complete working order at all times.
An entirely new system was purchased last year, and is be- ing installed as fast as possible.
This system will be thoroughly up-to-date, and will be a long needed improvement.
Supervision of Poles and Wires on the Streets and Underground Conduits and Wires.
The same careful attention has been given to the condition of poles and wires on the streets as in previous years.
A large number of defective poles have been replaced by the companies owning the same.
New poles have been placed in locations granted for the purpose of supplying light and telephone service, and aban- doned poles have been removed.
New Poles.
Re- placed.
Re- moved.
Re- set.
New England Telephone & Telegraph Co.
19
53
18
2
Edison Electric Illuminating Co. .
43
101
22
3
Boston Elevated Railway Co.
22
2
Permits given to the New England Telephone & Telegraph Co. for attachments to Edison Co.'s poles .
564
Permits given to the Edison Electric Illuminating Co. for
attachments to New England Telephone Co.'s poles . · 54
The New England Telephone and Telegraph Company has built conduits on Bow street and Summer street, from Bow street to Cedar street, also on Cutter avenue, from Highland avenue to Elm street, for the purpose of placing its wires under- ground and removing overhead wires.
The Edison Electric Illuminating Company has built con- duits on Pearl street from Mt. Vernon street to Gilman square, and has removed its overhead wires from Teele square to the Arlington line.
Street Lighting.
The matter of street lighting has been given careful at- tention and a number of changes have been made in the kind of lamps and the location of the same.
The arc lamps on Broadway have been replaced with mag- netite lamps which add greatly to the lighting of that much traveled thoroughfare.
COMMISSIONER OF ELECTRIC LINES AND
LIGHTS. 389
Arcs. Incandescents. 40 c. p. 100 c. p.
Number of street lights January 1, 1912 .
468
756 18
Number of street lights January 1, 1913 .
405
814 47
56 magnetites.
Electrical Department.
CREDIT.
Appropriation . · .
$8,750 00 . 97 63
Underground construction
Total credit
DEBIT.
Salaries
$5,884 00
Fire alarm system .
1,577 63
Police signal system
184 10
Inspection of electrical work .
998 27
Incidentals
6 75
Total debit
$8,650 75
Balance unexpended .
$196 88
Underground Construction.
CREDIT.
Appropriation
Balance unexpended, 1911
.
$3,000 00 1,077 37
Total credit
$4,077 37
Labor
$852 00
Materials
.
1,884 02
Total debit
$2,736 02
Balance unexpended .
$1,341 35
Street Lighting.
CREDIT.
Appropriation
.
DEBIT.
Street lighting .
$54,412 00
Changing locations of lights
52 00
Incidentals
36 00
Total debit
$54,500 00
Recommendations.
I respectfully recommend that :-
The matter of providing suitable headquarters for the fire alarm system be considered.
$8,847 63
DEBIT.
$54,000 00
390
ANNUAL REPORTS.
The present fire alarm system be replaced by a modern quick time system when such suitable quarters are provided.
A new fire alarm box be located on Pennsylvania avenue in the centre of the new district recently built upon between Broadway and Mystic avenue.
Conclusion.
I wish to thank his honor, the mayor, the members of the board of aldermen, and the several departments for courtesies received.
--
Respectfully submitted, WALTER I. FULLER,
Commissioner of Electric Lines and Lights.
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, 1913.
To His Honor, the Mayor, and the Board of Aldermen :---
I present herewith my report for the year ending Decem- ber 31, 1912, this being the thirty-ninth annual report of the water department, and my thirteenth as water commissioner :-
Receipts and Expenditures.
Water bills have been issued as follows :-
"Annual" water charges, amounting to .
$82,719 75
"Additional" water charges, amounting to .
4,208 47
"Metered" water charges, amounting to
148,886 48
$235,814 70
Annual and Add'l.
Metered.
Abatements on above charges .
$1,000 40
$642 07
Refunds on above charges
291 03
28 13
Abatements on 1911 charges .
1 00
$1,291 43
$671 20
1,962 63
Income from sale of water .
$233,852 07
Receipts from water service assessments
$4,863 82
Receipts for labor and materials sold :- § Municipal departments
739 94
Outside accounts
.
13,302 66
18,906 42
Total income of water works .
$252,758 49
This amount was used as follows :- For water works purposes :-
Water works maintenance $27,119 41
Water works extension .
18,546 66
Miscellaneous accounts .
18,906 42
Interest on water loan bonds .
1,740 00
Maturing water loan bonds .
6,000 00
Metropolitan water works assessment .
109,232 14
$181,544 63
For other municipal purposes :-
General revenue, for benefit of all municipal departments, 71,213 86
$252,758 49
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.
393
WATER DEPARTMENT.
Department Receipts and Disbursements. WATER MAINTENANCE ACCOUNT.
DR CR.
Amount appropriated by board of aldermen
from estimated sales of water and operating receipts of the water depart- ment .
$30,000 00
Amount appropriated from General Revenue account, water department operating receipts 4,000 00
Sundry accounts for labor and materials furnished municipal departments Materials used in extension of the water works .
739 94
15,036 09
Balance
6,422 07
Amount expended for labor and materials for operation, maintenance, and renewal of the water works $27,119 41
Amount expended for materials used in extension of the water works . Miscellaneous accounts
15,036 09
13,302 66
Labor and materials furnished municipal departments
739 94
$56,198 10
$56,198 10
WATER WORKS EXTENSION ACCOUNT.
DR.
CR.
Amount appropriated from General Revenue account, water department operating receipts
6,000 00
Balance
410 48
Amount expended for labor and materials used in extension of the water works . Miscellaneous accounts .
$18,546 66
4,863 82
$23,410 48
$23,410 48
Cost of Water Works.
The total cost of the water works on December 31, 1911, as represented by the expenditures from appropriations for water works extension was . $944,588 34 Expended during the year 1912, on extension account . 18,546 66
Total expenditures, December 31, 1912 . $963,135 00
Water Debt.
Water loan bonds have been issued on funded debt account to the amount of $1,017,000 ; this has been reduced by $979,000, leaving the water debt on December 31, 1912, $38,000.
Amount appropriated by board of aldermen from estimated sales of water and operating receipts of the water de- partment
$17,000 00
396
ANNUAL REPORTS.
counts and reports, incidental to the income, and operating branches, increases each year.
The installation of meters, under the requirements of the state law, produces a never-ending train of labor, as each meter, in addition to the records and labor incidental to its original installation, has to be read, recorded, billed, and collected four times each year, besides the general work of inspection and repairs which meters frequently demand.
Each new house erected, therefore, becomes a source of additional and perpetual work to the department. When it is considered that a dozen years ago there were 200 operating meters in the city and that to-day there are over 7,000, with only fifty-three per cent. yet installed, some idea may be gained of the increase of duties in this branch of the work alone.
While the actual receipt of the money in payment of bills rendered by this office does not take place over our counters, all the steps leading up to the payments are made here. All the bills, statements, duns, and final notices are issued from this office, and it is with some pride that we are able to show that we collect within about one-tenth of one per cent. of the total amount due to the department.
On account of water charges not being a lien on real es- tate, there are a few losses on account of changes in ownership, but the number and amount involved are practically negligible in relation to the grand total.
Our office dealings with the public become more intimate each year as the nature of our work brings us into closer rela- tions, and counter and telephone calls are practically constant.
Formerly, the assessing and collecting of water rates was done once a year, but now, under the meter system, one-third of the city is billed each month and the task of explaining and adjusting with the public seeming difficulties in relation to their service is correspondingly increased.
The city is growing at a rapid rate and since 1900, when the present incumbent was appointed water commissioner, there has been an increase in population sufficient to form an- other good-sized city. In addition to the work occasioned by the city's growth, a large increase is noted in the number of cases requiring attention on account of deterioration in the older portions of the service pipe system. The fact that this is a rapidly growing municipal department, accompanied by largely increased duties and responsibilities, should be thought- fully considered when fixing the salary and labor items in the appropriations for the department, which I believe, based on the work done and results obtained, should rank as high as any other department in the city.
397
WATER DEPARTMENT.
WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM-CONSTRUCTION.
STREET MAINS.
The number of feet of street mains laid during the year just closed is 9,432; there has also been laid 166 feet of pipe for hydrant connections and 23 feet for blow-off discharges, mak- ing a total of 9,621 feet ; 1,654 feet have been removed or aban- doned. The net increase is 7,967 feet, which is 4,129 feet greater than that of last year, and the total mileage in the city is approximately 97.34.
The sizes and lengths of pipe laid and abandoned are as follows :-
Size.
Feet laid.
Feet abandoned.
Size. 12"
Feet laid.
Feet abandoned. 597
2"
439
0
1
1,906
4"
19
0
14"
214
301
6"
3,298
506
16"
520
0
10"
1,265
49
The principal street mains laid during the year are as fol- lows :-
Size of
Street.
Size of main.
Street.
main.
Bartlett street (ward 1).
6"
Newman place.
2"
Barton street ..
6"
New Hampshire avenue.
6"
Belmont terrace .. 2"
Pennsylvania avenue. ..
10"
Broadway (north side, east-
Powder House boulevard ... 12"
erly from Cross street) ...
8"
Rhode Island avenue.
6"
Clarendon avenue (connect- ing link)
8"
Sunset road.
6"
Curtis avenue.
6"
Taylor street ..
6"
Douglas avenue.
6"
Vermont avenue.
10"
Earle street ..
16"
Walker street.
8"
Glass House court
(ext.).
16"
Ward street.
16"
Mystic avenue.
12"
Wisconsin avenue.
6"
Grade Crossing Changes.
Two grade crossing eliminations have been under way during the year, in Medford street and in Dane street, neces- sitating the construction and reconstruction of numerous pipe lines. The work in Medford street was the most involved on account of the need of cutting away the fourteen-inch main feeder to the packing house district, so that the contractors could carry on their work of depressing the grade of the street. The situation was finally relieved by the laying of a new six- leen-inch main from the end of the old line in Glass House court at Water street through a right of way to Earle street, thence in Earle street, and through land occupied by the Moul- ton ladder factory to a connection with an existing ten-inch main in Ward street at Emery street. This line has been in satisfactory operation since the old main has been cut out of service. The cost of this work has been charged to and settled
87
0
1,873
201
20"
Steeves circle.
2"
398
ANNUAL REPORTS.
for by the Boston & Maine Railroad Company on grade cross- ing elimination account, as has all the other work done by the water department in connection with the water pipe changes.
Fire and service connections have been relocated and re- constructed to the yards of the New England Dressed Meat and Wool Company, North Packing & Provision Company, and John P. Squire Company, and the efficiency of the service for all purposes has been completely maintained throughout all the difficulties attending the grade crossing changes.
At Dane street crossing, the mains in Dane street, Dane avenue, Skehan street, Village street, Nevada avenue, and Tyler street have been raised and relaid to conform to the new grades of those streets, house services have been relaid, hy- drants and gates reset and blowoffs installed, all with but tem- porary deprivation of the water service.
The Dane street main has been laid only to the bridge walls as the structure over the railroad tracks has not yet been set up, but the pipe will be continued over the bridge when that is completed. The six-inch service connection to the yard of the American Tube Works has been re-connected with the main in Dane street at the new grade. The cost of all this work has also been charged to and paid for by the Boston & Maine Railroad Company on grade crossing account.
The pipe materials and skilled labor needed were supplied by the water department, while the trench work and incidental labor were performed by the general contractors, Messrs. T. Stuart & Sons Company.
Trench work for water mains has been done under con- tract in the following streets: Broadway, easterly from Cross street; Clarendon avenue; Pennsylvania avenue; Powder House boulevard ; Steeves circle; Sunset road. Materials for the pipe installation were furnished and all the pipe laying was done by the water department.
Hydrants, Gates, etc.
There have been thirty-five hydrants set and eighteen re- moved during the year, making the net increase seventeen, and the total number in the city 1,099.
One hydrant has been added to the number of those in mill and corporation yards, making the total number of private hydrants supplied from the city mains fifty-nine.
Sixty-one gate valves have been set during the year and fourteen have been removed, making a net increase of forty- seven, and a total of 1,566 in the service.
Three blow-offs have been constructed at the foot of the grades in connection with the grade crossing changes and the number in the city is thereby increased to 155.
No changes have been made in the waterpost service for street sprinkling, nor in the drinking fountains.
399
WATER DEPARTMENT.
Water Services.
A further gain has been made in the number of house ser- vices installed, the total for the year being 264, while only 235 were put in the previous year, and but 149 were laid in 1910. This indicates, in a fair degree, the increase in building opera- tions in the city and the population growth.
. Sixty-five of these services were put into the new houses of the Somerville Home Building Association in East Somerville. The length of all the service pipes installed was 9,328 feet, and the amount received in charges made for the work was $4,- 863.82.
Twenty-five service connections were permanently discon- tinued and the length of pipe abandoned was approximately 1,016 feet. The number of services in use in the city is esti- mated to be 12,596, and the total length of service pipe 82.05 miles. A six-inch fire service pipe has been installed at the factory of the Brown & Simonds Company on Mystic avenue.
Water Meters.
The number of meters installed during the year on new services and on old services hitherto unmetered was 659; fifty- eight which had been removed for various causes were reset ; seventy-nine were removed on account of permanent or tem- porary discontinuance of use of water and for substitution of other meters. The net increase in number of operating meters was 638, making the total number of meters in service on December 31, 7,164, or about fifty-seven per cent. of the num- ber of service pipes in the city.
The kinds and sizes of all meters now installed are shown in the following table :-
OPERATING METERS DECEMBER 31, 1912.
KIND.
Total.
1'
11/2"
2"
3"
4"
6"
Nash
178
178
Empire
6
6
Crown .
5
5
3
2
2
2
19
Gem
1
Hersey
3
1
1
2
7
Hersey Disc
23
3
1
4
1
1
Trident
441
45
20
3
5
2
6
Trident Comp.
8
Union .
17
13
7
1
5
43
Union Special
20
Columbia .
118
118
King
639
639
Lambert
2,902
126
23
1
3,052
Worthington
Disc .
2,235
6
2,241
Keystone .
24
24
Totals .
6,820
233
62
11
24
7
6
1
7,164
Motor and ele- vator registers
7
7,171
5
1
122
286
Torrent
515
Trident Crest
2
15
3
2
1
SIZE.
400
ANNUAL REPORTS.
The meters installed in 1912 were classed as follows :-
Applications of property owners .
203
New services 236
General installation
.
220
Reset
58
Total .
717
Meters were removed for the following causes :-
Vacancies and temporary non-use of water . 55
Services permanently discontinued 6
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