USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1913 > Part 25
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There are 31.9 miles of electric railroad (single track lo- cation) laid at the present time in the city's streets; and in watering the main thoroughfares, time and expense could be saved by utilizing this trackage for running street-sprinkling cars, the same as operated in a number of cities throughout the state.
The latter part of the year a City Planning Commission was appointed and probably an interesting report will be issued during the coming year.
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 Hender- son street in Arlington, subject to the approval of the Metro- politan Park Commission, and assess betterments for the same. In June the street was laid out as a public way and the bridge constructed over Alewife brook, the cost being equally divided between Somerville and Arlington.
The. design is an elliptical arch bridge, reinforced concrete construction, fifty-eight feet long, arch span thirty feet, width of arch thirty-one feet, four inches, rise six feet, six inches, under side of arch at centre ten feet, two inches above general elevation of water in brook, thickness of arch at centre ten inches, greatest thickness of arch two feet, one inch, and the total concrete in the structure amounts to 300 cubic yards.
The roadway is twenty feet wide and each sidewalk five feet in width. The bridge was built complete by the Hanscom · Construction Company, at a cost of $6,565.00.
Including the cost of all engineering services and inciden- tals the city's half-cost amounted to $3,500.00.
This bridge was dedicated with appropriate exercises Octo- ber 16, 1913.
340
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Grade Crossings Account. STATEMENT OF EXPENSES, 1913.
Account overdrawn, 1912 $17,413 93
Paid for damages to property, and land and
buildings taken . .
48,665 58
Paid various parties for appraisal of prop- erty and damages 488 01
Photographs, plans and advertising 12 00
$66,579 52
CREDIT.
Received from Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Bos- ton & Maine Railroad (lessee), and Boston Elevated Railway, apportionment of cost by decree of court and auditor $63,549 59
$3,029 93
The work of abolishing grade crossings on the Fitchburg division of the Boston & Maine railroad in Somerville is pro- gressing ; the work has been practically completed at the Som- erville avenue, Webster avenue, Dane street and Medford street crossings.
At Medford street, an automatic pump is to be installed for removing storm water from the subway under the steam rail- road tracks, and discharging into a city sewer at a higher ele- vation-this means of disposal of water being authorized by an act of the legislature.
Probably work will be commenced at the Park-street cross- ing the coming year.
The construction work for the elimination of these danger- ous grade crossings will be continued until completed as de- creed by the court, and the total cost of the work, as completed, will be apportioned as follows: The steam railroad company sixty-five per cent. ; the state, twenty-five per cent., and the city ten per cent., except at the Somerville-avenue and Webster- avenue crossings, where the steam railroad and the 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 described 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.
City Boundary Lines. A number of the stone boundary markers, defining the division lines between Somerville-Cam- bridge and Somerville-Medford, are out of plumb and should be reset ; one has been cut off flush with the cellar floor of a new building on Springfield street and a new reference bound placed on the easterly line of the street.
341
CITY ENGINEER.
A contemplated change in the boundary line between Som- erville and Medford is under consideration by both cities, and probably an exchange of territory can be made that will be equally advantageous.
342
ANNUAL REPORTS.
SEWER DIVISION. Construction Account. STATEMENT OF EXPENSES, 1913.
Constructing "separate system" sewers
(assessments levied)
$311 47
Constructing "combined system" sewers
(assessments levied)
1,213 92
Constructing "separate system" .
sewers
(no assessments)
14,838 17
Constructing storm drains
7,647 99
Constructing catch basins and manholes,
street drainage
·
2,589 89
Materials on hand December 31, 1913 . 769 44
Total expenditure
Transferred to Sidewalks Construction account . 670 68
Total debit
$28,041 56
CREDIT.
Balance unexpended December 31, 1912
$ 12 23
Appropriation, 1913
30,000 00
Assessments levied, sewers constructed,
1913
1,716 21
Amounts received from other departments . 28 83
Materials on hand December 31, 1912 . 675 97
Total credit
$32,433 24
Balance unexpended . $4,391 68
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 :-
Sewer pipe (3 ft. lengths)
701/8% discount from list price on cars
Sewer pipe fittings . 711/8% discount from list price on cars
Portland cement per barrel $1.26 on cars (net)
Sand per cubic yard . $0.69 on cars
Sewer bricks, per M.
9.40 on cars or at yard
Iron manhole and catch basin
castings, per hundred weight
1.31 on cars :
Catch basin traps, each .
1.70 on cars or at foundry
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 passed by the board of aldermen.
Short lines of storm drains and overflows from congested
$27,370 88
.
.
.
CITY ENGINEER. 343
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.
Rather a novel method of construction was employed in extending a "separate system" sewer main about 1,430 feet in a section of Broadway and Cross street,-a twelve-inch vitri- fied clay pipe with Portland cement joints being laid in the invert of an existing three and one-half foot storm drain struc- ture (built in 1898) the storm water to a certain depth flowing in newly made channels constructed with Portland cement on either side of the twelve-inch pipe sewer which in times of heavy storms is completely submerged-a number of thou- sand dollars being saved by this method of construction; whereas. an open cut of about thirteen feet in depth would otherwise have had to be made in a narrow, asphalt-surfaced street where double car tracks exist and many underground pipes and conduits would have been encountered as well as a large amount of rock excavation and caused great inconven- ience to travel and business.
New sewers and drains were constructed during the year varying in size from eight-inch pipe to thirty-inch pipe, in the following localities :-
"Separate system" sewers in :-
Aldrich street,-(easterly sidewalk) Pearl street to
Flint street.
Broadway,-(laid in storm drain) Garfield avenue to Cross street.
Broadway,-(southerly sidewalk) Glen street to Cutter street.
Brook street, -- Cross street to Glen street.
Cross street,-(laid in storm drain) Broadway to Pearl street.
Cutter street, --- Broadway to Patten court.
Delaware street,-(southerly sidewalk) Aldrich street to angle in street.
Flint street,-(both sidewalks) Aldrich street to near Cross street.
Fremont street, -- East Albion street, northeasterly. Glen street,-Brook street to near Broadway.
1
344
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Pearl street,-(southerly sidewalk) Pearl street to Ald- rich street.
Rush street,-Brook street to Broadway.
Vermont avenue,-Mystic avenue to near Pennsyl- vania avenue.
Virginia street,-(bothı sidewalks) Aldrich street to Jasper street.
"Combined system" sewers in :-
Burnham street, -Broadway to near Powder House Boulevard.
Central road,-Sycamore street to near Central street. Storm drains in :-
Bartlett street,-Vernon street to . near Robinson street.
Elm street,-Davis square to Chester street.
Pearl street,-(southerly sidewalk) Cross street to Ald- rich street.
Private lands,-Hall avenue to Francesca avenue.
Vermont avenue,-Mystic avenue to near Pennsyl- vania avenue.
Vernon street,-Glenwood road to Bartlett street.
Storm relief overflows at Davis square and Pearson road.
Summary of Work. Twenty-three new sewers and drains have been constructed during the year, a total length of 10,608.1 linear feet (2.00 miles) at a cost of $24,011.55 ; plans have been made showing these sewers in detail, and assessments levied on a portion of them, amounting to $1,716.21. (See tabular state- ment of sewers and drains for 1913, showing itemized state- ment of work and cost.)
The total length of the city's drainage system is 107,873 miles ; 30.103 miles being on the "separate system" and 8.74 miles of storm drains, and the entire cost of construction has amounted to about $1,306,901.00, exclusive of the amount paid to the state for assessments for the construction of the North Metropolitan sewerage system.
Thirty-four new catch basins have been constructed in the highways during the year, at an average cost of $61.50. per basin, and eight removed, making a total of 1,704 basins in the city for street drainage purposes, constructed and maintained as follows :-
By the city (sewer division) :-
Located in streets and subways
1,649 basins
Located in city boulevard . 30 66
Located in parks (13), other city lots (12) 25 60
Total catch basins constructed and maintained by city 1,704
ABULAR STATEMENT OF SEWERS AND STORM DRAINS BUILT IN 1913.
LOCATION.
ITEMS OF CONSTRUCTION AND COST.
SEWER.
SUB-DRAIN.
PIPE SEWER, COST PER LINEAL FOOT.
NAME OF STREET.
FROM
To
CONTRACOR.
MATERIAL EXCAVATED.
Average Cut.
Size in inches.
Length in feet.
Size in inches.
Length in feet.
Cubic yards Rock
Excavation.
yard, Rock. Price per cubic
Manholes.
Average cost, Manholes.
Inlets.
Excavating, Re- filling, and Pipe Laying.
Sub-drain
where laid.
Inspection.
Miscellaneous,
Repaving Side-
walks, Resurfac-
Total Cost.
Assessment.
Cost to City.
* Aldrich (e. side)
Pearl street
Flint street .
Charles A. K ley
Hardpan, rock and sand
9.0
8
295.9
34
53
$4.00
3
៛39.67
8
*Delaware (s. side)
Aldrich street
Angle in street
Charles A. Kley
Sand and filling
6.8
8
332.4
1
39.67
10
*Flint (n. side)
Aldrich street
.
Near Cross street .
Charles A. Kley
Sand and filling
5.5
589.6
3:25
39.67
23
*Flint (s. side) .
Aldrich street
*
Near Cross street
Charles A. Kley
Sand and filling
5.5
3 #8
555.5
75
2
39.67
23
$0.80
$0.20
$0.26
$0.06
$0.02
$0.13
$0.34
$1.92
$5,115.97
$5,115.97
*Virginia (n. side)
Aldrich street
Jasper street
Charles A. K ley
Clay and filling
8.3
447.8
11.6
4.00
2
39.67
18
*Virginia (s. side)
Aldrich street
Jasper street
Charles A. K ley
Clay and filling
8.3
6 8
443.3
2
39.67
17
43.80
1 )
0.73
0.28
0.0
0.04
1.18
567.76
567.76
Bartlett (storm-drain)
Ames street
.
Glen street
Cutter street
Denis I. Crimings
Sand
10.3
8
268.4
484.1
635.8
44.44
39
0.75
0.20
0.33
0.04
0.21
0.36
0.08
2.09
2,464.53
2,464.53
*Rush
Brook street
Broadway
Denis I. Crintings
Hardpan and clay
8.0
8
428.9
3
4.00
- 1
44.44
31
0.75
*Brook
Cross street
Glen street
John D. Coll $
Clay and boulders
10.5
10
543.0
34.3
5.00
10
65.50
32
0.9
1
0.37
0.11
0.13
0.40
0.14
2.60
1,908.02
1,908.02
*Glen
Brook street .
Near Broadway
John D. Coll
Sand
9.5
10
189.4
12
1430.0
8
483.7
61.3
3.00
43.00
35
0.48
0.22
0.05
0.01
1.23
595.90
$595.90
Central road
Sycamore street
Near Central street
Bartholomew lurke
Hardpan
9.7
8
452.0
1
2.50
2
40.50
21
0.87
0.22
0.08
0 01
1.37
618.02
525.59
92.43
Elm (storm-drain)
Davis square .
Chester street .
Denis I. Crimmings
Sand
12.5
30
338.5
1
79.00
0
1.69
5.48
0.27
0.39
1.64
2.28
11.99
4,051 68
4,051.68
*Fremont
E. Albion street
Northeasterly
Day labor
Hardpan
10
48.7
10
834.8
587
141.4
6.00 7.50
53.80
31
1.70
0.20
0.46
0.10
0.07
0.31
0.44
4.62
3,876.96
3,876.96
Pearl (storm-drain)
Cross street
Aldrich street
Charles A. Keley
Rock, hardpan, sand
15
853.0
4
(Built
by agree ment)
( Built by agreement)
0.40
0.23
0.04
0.92
311.47
311.47
Vermont avenue (storm-drain).
Mystic avenue .
Charles A . Killey
Hardpan
8
325.0
Vernon (storm-drain).
Glenwood road
Bartlett street
Bartholomew urke
Hardpan
15
212.7
Davis square
Storm relief overflows
Denis I. Crim ings
Sand
187.49
187.49
Pearson road
Storm relief overflow at
Medford line
Day labor
Sand
232.85
232.85
*Mystic avenue .
Moreland street
Angle
(Sewer construted 1912
Partial assessment).
... .
Total length and cost of new sewers and drains built in 1913,
10,608.1 (2.009 miles.)
$24,011.55
$1,716.21
$22,578.59
-
.
*
Bartlett (storm-drain)
Vernon street
Ames street .
Bartholomew Jurke
Hardpan
8.0
10
358.1
00
117.7
2
44.44
10
0.98
*Cutter
Broadway
Patten court .
Denis I. Crimings
Sand
8.0
8
"Broadway and Cross street
Garfield avenue
0.31
0.04
0.95
1,363.58
1,363.58
Burnham
Broadway
Near Powder Ho. Blvd.
Bartholomew Burke
Stone filling and sand
6.7
*Pearl
Cross street
Hall avenue .
Francesca avenue .
Denis I. Crin hings
Rock, ballast and sand .
15
238.0
636.88
*Vermont avenue
Mystic avenue
Near Pennsylvania ave.
Charles A. Kiley
Hardpan
7.0
8
337.6
2
40.75
17
17
( Built by agreement)
( Built by agree ment)
2.54
539.86
539.86
Large chamber constructed connecting storm- drain and sewer. (1)
(Built by agreement)
Large chamber constructed connecting storm- drain and sewer. (1)
488,676.9 feet.
Total length of public sewers in the city, January 1, 1914 Total length o private sewers in the city, January 1, 1914 .
34,748.0 feet.
Total length oliewers in the city, January 1, 1914
Total length q storm drains in the city, January 1, 1914
523,424.9 feet, = 99.134 miles. (30.103 miles separate system sewers.) 46,145.0 feet, = 8.739 miles.
Total lengthof the city drainage system, January 1, 1914
107.873 miles.
Total lengthof Met. sewerage system mains running through the city
3.475 miles.
Main
Sewer.
Sub-
drain.
Price, including
Lumber.
ing Streets, etc.
Average Cost per
lineal foot.
-
.
Near Robinson street .
BartholomewBurke
Hardpan
8.0
....
109.11
109.11
Aldrich street
Charles A. Keley
Rock, hardpan, sand
12.5
1.42
1,212.26
1,212.26
Private lands (storm-drain)
2
2.71
636.88
.
Near Pennsylvania ave
0.67
219.21
219.21
Pearl street
Day labor
Pipe laid in invert of storm-drain
65.50
14
0.90
...
283.25
1
*Broadway (s. side)
1
1
4
*Separate system sewer.
-
345
CITY ENGINEER.
By Boston & Maine Railroad Company on railroad loca-
tions
33 basins By state, located in boulevards 52
85
Total catch basins in the city for storm drainage pur-
poses
1,789
Metropolitan Sewer Connections. All of the city's con- nections with the North Metropolitan state sewerage system are in good condition. No new main connections have been re- quired.
Wherever the city's "combined system" sewers are con- nected with the Metropolitan sewer the flow is automatically regulated so that in times of storms the connection closes and the discharge continues through the old channels to the rivers ; the "separate system" connections are always in operation under all conditions. The locations of the connections of the city's mains with the state sewer are shown in the 1912 report.
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 and com- pletely closed an average of 366 hours per year and partly closed 400 hours per year, for the past fourteen years. In the 1912 report a table shows the cut-off as recorded each year.
The city's assessment for the Metropolitan sewer system for the past year was $44,811.87 on construction account and $24,913.50 for maintenance, and the total amount paid the com- monwealth of Massachusetts for this state sewer has been $957,- 146.19 (1892-1913, both years inclusive). The total length of the Metropolitan sewerage system mains running through the city amounts to 3.475 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 vicinity of North Somerville, where buildings and new streets are being rapidly constructed, should continue, the outlet for this district being through the city of Medford into Mystic river; and in connection therewith, the boundary line between Somerville and Medford should be changed in the vicinity of Pearson road and Boston avenue, so that this outlet, Two Penny brook, can be improved by Somer- ville, and the covered channel extended to the Boston & Maine railroad, to conform with the work already done within the pres- ent 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
346
ANNUAL REPORTS.
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 sewers may be constructed in the valley along the location of the Southern division of the Boston & Maine railroad, be- tween 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 drain- age, and would abolish two syphons under the railroad tracks.
The proposed storm drain would be of great benefit to the railroad company, and give relief to sections of the city's over- charged drainage system during heavy storms by diverting through this proposed conduit the proper drainage area which is now flowing in other directions.
Maintenance Account. STATEMENT OF EXPENSES, 1913.
Maintenance of sewers, including cleaning
and flushing (107.9 miles)
$3,291 05
Maintenance of catch basins, cleaning and flushing (1,704) .
8,567 24
Changing line and grade and repairing
catch basins
141 61
Changing line and grade and repairing manholes
107 71
Repairing old sewers
668 24
Inspection and location of house drains
218 78
New tools and supplies .
311 63
Repairs of tools and property
229 06
Maintenance of sewer division yards and buildings
549 71
Sundry expenses, car fares, telephone, etc.
85 41
Total debit
$14,170 44
CREDIT.
Appropriation
$13,000 00
Transfer from Parks Maintenance account,
700 00
Amounts received from other departments and accounts,-materials furnished
470 49
Total credit
$14,170 49
Balance unexpended .
05
Value of tools and property on hand used in maintenance of sewers
$1,500 00
A permanent force of men and teams are kept continually at work flushing, cleaning and repairing the city's drainage sys- tem, catch basins, etc., the expense necessarily increasing yearly as lengths of sewers, drains, and catch basins are added to the system, and the distance increased to the dumps.
About 5,525 cubic yards of deposit have been removed from the catch basins and sewers during the year, at an average cost
347
CITY ENGINEER.
i
of $1.55 per cubic yard, and the average cost per mile for clean- ing and flushing the drainage system, including catch basins, has amounted to $109.90.
Fifty-one catch basins and fifty-four 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 fifty permits have been issued to licensed drain lavers for connecting buildings with the main sewers, forty-one 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 15,349 private drain connections with the city's drainage system.
During the year the sewer department has done consider- able miscellaneous work for other city departments and outside companies where alterations and new construction work have been required, furnishing materials and labor, and being reim- bursed for the sanie to the amount of $470.49.
PARKS AND PLAYGROUNDS DIVISICN.
At the present time there are twenty separate parcels of land located in all parts of Somerville, used for parks and play- grounds, amounting to 75.0 acres, and also a boulevard about one and one-third miles in length maintained by the city. In- cluded in this total area are playgrounds where the land is owned by private parties and leased to the city, for use, in the following localities: On Fellsway east, 2.5 acres; Knowlton street, 1.5 acres ; Tufts College land, 4.6 acres ; and the cemetery lot on Somerville avenue, .? acre. Satisfactory arrangements have been made during the past year whereby the city has the use of Tufts College playfield during the summer vacation months.
Four of these larger pleasure parks are famous histor- ically.
There are eight baseball "diamonds" and three football fields in use and under the city's supervision, as well as numer- ous smaller playgrounds, on which are located an outdoor gym- nasium, running track, tennis courts, and various kinds of ath- letic apparatus for recreation and rest, where children can play and enjoy themselves and are safe from the dangers of a thickly-settled city.
These areas are constantly in use by the many athletic teams, the games being arranged for and regularly scheduled on the various grounds throughout the season, about three
.
348
ANNUAL REPORTS.
hundred ball games being provided for by schedule the past year.
The larger areas have been policed by regular officers from the police department, when required, the expense being paid from the police appropriation; trees and shrubs added to the various grounds, and bulbs, plants, and flowers furnished in their seasons, and during the winter time ponds flooded for skating when the weather was favorable.
This area of parks and playgrounds compares favorably with other cities, Somerville being very small in area and the mnost denselv populated city in the state, averaging about 20,000 in population to a square mile.
At Lincoln park shower-baths have been installed, at Mason street playground and Somerville field tennis courts constructed, and granolithic sidewalks have been constructed on a section of Powder House boulevard.
On the easterly end of Central Hill park a new Public Library building has been completed and the surrounding grounds should be laid out and re-graded, permanently, accord- ing to a well-designed and harmonious plan.
On several of the playhelds concrete buildings should be constructed in place of some of the old wooden structures, ad- ditional apparatus provided on some of the principal parks and playgrounds for the smaller children's pleasure, where a regu- lar park employee can have the care of the same, and some of the smaller playground areas should be enclosed by wire fencing for the protection of children.
At the westerly end of Lincoln park a wading pool having an area of not over 3,000 square feet could be constructed, with a concrete bottom and side walls, at a small cost. This would be a source of much enjoyment to a very large number of chil- dren in the immediate vicinity, and maintained exclusively for their use.
In certain localities of the city well-lighted playgrounds, during the summer evenings, should be maintained for the young men and women working in the factories daily.
The city has become so densely populated that portions of some of the larger park areas should be utilized for public recreation and physical training purposes ; Broadway park (northerly end), ball field and children's playground; Central Hill park, tennis courts and children's playground; Tufts park, children's playground, gymnastic apparatus, etc.
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