USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1917 > Part 20
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Completion of the interior of the Central Fire Station.
Improved sanitary accommodations at Engine Two House.
Repairs to Engine Six House.
Painting interior of second story of Hose Eight House.
Painting interior of Hose Five Station.
Municipal Buildings.
The municipal buildings, consisting of City Hall and City Hall Annex, are in fair condition generally.
It will be necessary, however, to make general repairs to the front entrance porch and balustrade of the City Hall this coming year in order to save certain portions which are fast deteriorating.
The ceiling and walls of the two front staircases to the second story of the City Hall need repairing and painting.
Considerable new fittings and furniture have been re- quested by the various departments, and new sanitary accom- modations are needed in City Hall Annex.
During the past year a new desk was furnished for the
272
ANNUAL REPORTS.
President of the Board of Aldermen, City Clerk and City Mes- senger, and installed in the Board of Aldermen Chamber.
The Mayor's offices were thoroughly renovated and a new floor laid in the City Treasurer's office.
The men's toilet on the first floor was thoroughly re- modelled.
Libraries.
The Central Library and its branches are well provided for now that the Union Square Branch has been enlarged and the new building erected in' East Somerville.
There is, however, considerable needed this coming year especially in the Central Library in the way of furniture and other equipment.
Water, Highway and Refuse Buildings.
Quite extensive repairs have been made to the Highway Department Stable. The outside of the building has been painted and new gutters have been put up around the entire building.
The sanitary stable and sheds have been thoroughly re- paired and new wash stand for washing wagons completed.
Hospital Buildings.
Quite a number of necessary repairs have been attended to during the past year.
The yard has been regraded and a concrete surface laid in the clothes yard. New concrete walks have been laid to the Tuberculosis Camp to replace the board walks which had become badly rotted.
This year considerable plastering and painting are needed in both buildings and the roof of the Tuberculosis Camp will need repairing.
City Home Buildings.
Many important improvements and necessary changes have been made in these buildings.
Changes in the heating system have been completed which make a great saving of fuel possible.
A new fence has been constructed the entire length of the property on the Powder House · boulevard and North street sides.
Also considerable new furniture was purchased.
Extensive repairs have been made to the Wash-house, in- cluding a new concrete loading platform and stairs.
Police Buildings.
The exterior of these buildings has been painted during the past year, new furniture purchased, the Exemption Board
273
COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
fitted up, the cell locks made more secure, a new storage shed started and numerous other repairs made.
There is need for considerable inside patching of the plas- ter and painting to be done this coming year. Also a new heating apparatus is badly, needed in the stable.
Bathhouse.
The new bathhouse was completed and opened for the first time last June and proved a great success.
It was possible to accommodate a great many more pa- trons than ever before, thus tending to make this institution. more self-supporting.
The beach was not all that would be desired, but if en- larged from year to year and kept sanded we will in a short time have a very desirable resort of this kind.
Beside the enlargement and resanding of the beach this. coming year, we will need some new bathing suits and some; slight additional alterations in the free locker rooms.
Park Buildings.
Since the enlargement of the Lincoln Park Showers, a great many more people have been accommodated in this sec- tion of the city where the facilities of this kind are greatly ap- preciated, thus making this small outlay of money a great suc- cess.
The old building in Broadway Park is badly in need of re- pairs, and to my best judgment should be torn down and an ad- dition made to the new concrete building located in this same park.
In General.
The Commissioner of Public Buildings has had the co- operation of all branches of the City Government, including His Honor, the Mayor, the honorable members of the Board of Aldermen and all the city officials, and desires to thank them for their kindly consideration.
Respectfully submitted,
GEORGE L. DUDLEY,
Commissioner of Public Buildings ..
REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF ELECTRIC LINES AND LIGHTS.
OFFICE OF COMMISSIONER OF ELECTRIC LINES AND LIGHTS, CENTRAL FIRE STATION, January 1, 1918.
To the Honorable, the Mayor, and the Board of Aldermen of the City of Somerville :-
Gentlemen,-I most respectfully submit my ninth annual report as Commissioner of Electric Lines and Lights for the year ending December 31, 1917.
Inspection of Wiring in Buildings.
The inspection of electrical installations is of great im- portance as it is necessary that all such work must be done ac- cording to the Rules and Requirements of this office as well as to conform to the "National Electrical Code" which has been adopted as a standard for wiring in all of the principal cities in the country.
The tendency to have work done cheaply results in in- competent workmen being employed who are not familiar with these code rules and causes' a great deal of annoyance to the inspector, as several trips are required to make sure defects which are found and reported have been remedied.
The "home" electrician is also responsible for quite an amount of defective wiring, as such persons connect additional wires and lights to existing wiring and do not notify this office or have an inspection made, and such wiring is only discovered by accident or when trouble has resulted from such unapproved work.
The attachment of heating and cooking appliances to lamp sockets which are not designed to carry such loads is another source of trouble causing fuses to blow which are generally replaced by larger ones than those approved in the original installation.
These fuses when blown should be replaced with those of the same capacity and if the cause of trouble cannot be found an experienced electrician should be called in.
Separate circuits should be run for connecting flat-irons, cooking utensils, vacuum cleaners and like apparatus.
Inspections are followed up very closely and electrical wiring as a whole shows some improvement.
275
COMMISSIONER OF ELECTRIC LINES AND LIGHTS.
No work should be accepted until the inspector has been notified and his approval obtained.
Number of notifications of new work 1,015
Number of inspections of new work . 1,015
Number of re-inspections of new work 2,150
Number of inspections of old work 119
Number of defective installations of old work 12
Number of defective installations remedied 12
Number of re-inspections of old work
14
Total number of inspections 3,298
Number of permits issued to the Edison Electric
Illuminating Company for installing meters, lamps,
etc.
Fire Alarm System. 2,116
At the beginning of the year the new central office fire alarm equipment purchased last year was put into commission.
This system is of the best and latest type and is equal to any in the State.
It consists of the following :-
2- 6 circuit operating boards.
1- 5 circuit tapper board.
1- 5 circuit gong board.
2-16 circuit storage battery charging boards.
1-32 circuit protector board.
1-12 circuit automatic repeater.
1- 1 dial, 4 number manual transmitter.
2- 5 circuit puncturing registers.
13 punching registers and take up reels.
2 automatic time and date stamps.
1 master clock.
9-40 cells storage battery.
5-10 foot 4 shelf battery racks. 4 metropolitan tappers and 2 gongs.
All alarms are received in this office from the street boxes and then transmitted to the fire stations and outside bells by operators who are on duty day and night. 208 bell alarms were received and transmitted during the year.
A telephone desk with 4 trunk lines from the telephone ex- change and connecting with all the fire stations is located in the central office and telephone notifications of fire are trans- mitted to the fire station nearest the call and apparatus sent immediately.
The apparatus outside of the central office consists of the following :-
130 signal boxes.
8 tower strikers.
45 gongs.
10 punching registers.
20 tappers.
1 automatic steam whistle.
9 private telephones.
About 57 miles of overhead wires.
About 78 miles of underground wires.
276
ANNUAL REPORTS.
There has been run 19,750 feet of new overhead wire and 1,200 feet of old has been removed.
No underground wires were installed last year owing to lack of appropriation and the difficulty of securing material.
Three new boxes have been added during the year :-
Box 153 - Vacuum Company, Mystic avenue.
Box 239 - Putnam Street.
Box 721- West Adams Street, corner Chetwynd Road.
Police Signal System.
The police signal system has been given the usual constant attention and is giving excellent satisfaction.
Boxes have been thoroughly tested and all found to be in perfect working order.
The system consists of the following :-
1-4 circuit police desk.
57 street signal boxes.
4 special boxes.
About 19 miles of overhead wire.
About 13 miles of underground wire.
Supervision of Poles and Wires on the Streets.
The same 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 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 Re- Re- Re-
poles placed moved set
New England Telephone & Telegraph Co. .
·
12
48
1
3
Edison Electric Illuminating Co.
23 204 2 18
Permits given to the New England Telephone & Telegraph Company for attachments to the Edison Company's poles, 226.
Permits given to the Edison Electric Illuminating Company for attach- ments to the New England Telephone & Telegraph Company's poles, 33.
Street Lighting.
The matter of street lighting has had the same attention as in previous years and additional lights have been placed in various parts of the city.
Some new streets in the western portion of the city will re- quire lights as a large number of houses have been built and. streets developed.
Jan. 1, 1917 Jan. 1, 1918
Magnetites
129
130
Incandescents 600 c. p.
367
374
Incandescents 125 c. p.
100
103
Incandescents 60 c. p.
907
918
Incandescents 40 c. p.
5 5
277
COMMISSIONER OF ELECTRIC LINES AND LIGHTS.
Recommendations.
I respectfully recommend that additional ordinances be made to further govern the installations of electric wires and appliances in the city.
An assistant inspector be employed to be able to thorough- ly cover all old installations in the city.
Conclusion.
I wish to thank His Honor, the Mayor, the members of the Board of Aldermen, and the several departments for the courtesies received.
Respectfully yours, WALTER I. FULLER,
Commissioner of Electric Lines and Lights.
REPORT OF SANITARY DEPARTMENT.
City Hall, Somerville, January 25, 1918.
To the Honorable, the Mayor; and the Board of Aldermen of the City of Somerville :-
Gentlemen :
I have the honor to submit to you the report of the San- itary Department for the year 1917. The Sanitary Depart- ment commenced operations as a separate department on May 1, 1916, under authority of an ordinance adopted by the City Government. Previous to the above date the work had been carried on as a division of the Highway Department and before that for a number of years was under the control of the Board of Health, during which time, a period of sixteen years, the present superintendent has been in direct charge of the col- lection and disposal of ashes and offal.
The work has increased in proportion with the rapid growth of the city since 1900 until at the present time there are about eighty-five men, thirty-five horses and a varying num- ber of hired teams employed each week. At the last City Elec- tion it was voted that a Saturday half holiday be granted to the laborers and mechanics employed by the city, which I be- lieve will be appreciated by the employees of this department. Regardless of the half holiday there remains the same amount of work to be performed each week by the Sanitary Depart- ment and it has been necessary to make a re-survey of the city and divide same into the proper districts in order to make the weekly collections in five and one-half working days.
The personnel of the department consists of a superin- tendent, bookkeeper, two working sub-foremen, a yardman, four stablemen, a horseshoer, a dumpman, twenty-eight drivers, and as many laborers as are needed in the work of collecting and disposing of ashes, paper, garbage and other refuse materials.
The equipment and its valuation are as follows :
Horses
$9,000 00
Vehicles
.
13,675 00
Harnesses, blankets, etc.
2,665 00
Stable equipment, etc.
300 00
Fittings in blacksmith shop
75 00
$25,715 00
279
SANITARY DEPARTMENT.
During the year the Sanitary Department paid to the Highway Department $3,663.11 for the use of teams. Collec- tions of garbage amounted to 1,987 cords, all of which was disposed of to farmers at the department yard.
Receipts.
Sale of garbage
.
$12,301 75
Use of incinerator
1,150 00
Total
$13,451 75
COLLECTIONS OF ASHES AND PAPER.
Ashes (Cubic Yards)
Paper (Cubic Yards)
January
10,619
2,780
February
11,787
2,400
March
15,959
2,760
April
13,113
2,500
May
11,262
2,600
June
8,262
2,230
July
6,037
2,560
August
5,796
2,600
September
5,469
2,500
October
6,271
2,640
November
7,362
2,500
December
10,083
2,600
Totals
112,020
30,670
I wish to call your attention to the condition of the dump- ing privileges in the city. There is no public dump within the city limits and the only dump now in use by this department is located on Mystic avenue at the foot of Temple street. This: dump is on private land and the city is paying six hundred dol- lars per year for the privilege of dumping there and it is fast filling up. All of the collections of rubbish are dumped on pri- vate land. Some provision should be made in the near future to care for the disposal of refuse.
On an estimated population of 90,000, the cost of collecting ashes and offal was slightly under $1.19 per capita. Deducting the revenue received by the city from the sale of garbage and use of the incinerator, the per capita cost was about one dol- lar. I believe the per capita cost could be still further reduced. This department was organized for the benefit of householders and tenants primarily. The great increase in the number of stores has put a heavy burden on the department in caring for their refuse. A small charge for the collection of refuse mate- rials from manufacturing and business establishments would be fair in my opinion. Somerville would be making no prece- dent in this regard as other cities have established rates per barrel or receptacle taken from business concerns. I respect- fully submit this for your consideration with the belief that
:280
ANNUAL REPORTS.
the storekeepers and business men in general would deem it only fair and proper.
In concluding I wish to thank the members of the City Government for their co-operation the past year and the em- ployees of the Sanitary Department for their earnest and con- scientious work with the hope and trust that the workings of this department will continue to the advantage and welfare of the City of Somerville.
Respectfully submitted, EDGAR T. MAYHEW, Supt. of Sanitary Dept.
SOMERVILLE WATER WORKS.
SOMERVILLE, MIDDLESEX CO., MASSACHUSETTS.
Location: Somerville City Hall (near centre of the city) is 234 miles northerly 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 1915, census, 86,854. Present population, estimated, 90,000. 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. ZEBEDEE E. CLIFF.
Water Commissioner. FRANK E. MERRILL.
Office of the Water Department. Room 10, City Hall.
Department Buildings and Yard. Cedar street, near Broadway.
282
ANNUAL REPORTS.
REPORT OF THE WATER COMMISSIONER.
OFFICE OF THE WATER COMMISSIONER,
January, 1918.
To His Honor, the Mayor, and the Board of Aldermen :-
I present herewith my report for the year ending De- cember 31, 1917, this, being the forty-fourth annual report of the water department and my eighteenth as water commis- sioner :-
Revenue and Expenditures.
Water bills have been issued as follows :-
"Annual" water charges, amounting to .
$47,204 25
"Additional" water charges, amounting to
2,059 39
"Metered" water charges, amounting to
215,773 92:
$265,037 56
Annual and
Additional.
Metered.
Abatements and refunds on
above charges . .
$1,736 87
$582 92
2,319 79
Income from sale of water
$262,717 77
Receipts from water service assessments
$3,494 53
Receipts for labor and materials sold :-- Miscellaneous accounts ·
3,542 59
$7,037 12
Total income of water works .
·
$269,754 89
This amount was used as follows :-
For water works purposes :-
Water works maintenance . $52,410 85
Water works extension . 22,692 31
Miscellaneous accounts 3,542 57
$78,645 73
Interest on water loan bonds .
640 00
Maturing water loan bonds .
5,000 00
Metropolitan water works assessment
118,425 67
Maintenance water works buildings
1,496 99
For other municipal purposes :- Surplus to general revenue account
$65,546 50
$204,208 39
$65,546 50
$269,754 89
.
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.
283
WATER DEPARTMENT.
Department Receipts and Disbursements. WATER MAINTENANCE ACCOUNT.
Dr.
Cr.
Amount appropriated by board of alder- men ·
$55,965 00
Refund . .
18 00
Department accounts
1,141 47
Materials furnished for extension of the
water works
13,318 74
Amount expended for labor and materials
for operation, maintenance, and re- newal of the water works .
$52,410 85
Amount expended for materials used in extension of the water works
13,318 74
Miscellaneous accounts
3,542 59
Labor and materials furnished municipal departments .
1,141 47
Unexpended balance
.
29 56
$70,443 21
$70,443 21
WATER WORKS EXTENSION ACCOUNT.
Dr.
Cr.
Amount appropriated by board of alder- men .
$22,540 00
Department accounts
152 31
Labor and materials charged to Water Maintenance account
152 31
Amount expended for labor and materials used in extension of the water works Unexpended balance .
$22,526 30
13 70
$22,692 31
$22,692 31
Cost of Water Works.
The total cost of the water works on December 31, 1916, as represented by the expenditures from appropria- tions for water works extension was
$1,038,662 29
Expended during the year 1917, on extension account 22,526 30
Total expenditures, December 31, 1917 . $1,061,188 59
Water Debt.
Water loan bonds have been issued on funded debt ac- count to the amount of $1,017,000; this has been reduced by $1,106,000, leaving the water debt on December 31, 1917, $11,000.
The outstanding bonds mature as follows :-
Year.
Amount.
1918
$5,000
1919
·
4,000
1920
. 2,000
284
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Water Works Income from 1898 and its Distribution.
The water income and its distribution from 1898 to 1917, inclusive, is shown in the following table :- Total water income, years 1898 to 1917, inclusive $4,619,711 60 Distribution : -
Water Works Account.
Water Works Construction, Renewal, Maintenance and Operation $1,157,910 96
Water bonds 263,000 00
Interest 85,815 00
Metropolitan Water Assessments
1,762,852 71
Maintenance Water Works buildings 2,843 05
$3,272,421 72
Other Municipal Accounts.
Various municipal departments through specific appropriations and general revenue account . $1,347,289 88
$4,619,711 60
285
WATER DEPARTMENT.
Water Distribution System - Construction.
STREET MAINS.
Approximate number of feet of street mains in the city, January 1, 1917, (including hydrant branches and blow-offs)
536,544
Feet of street mains laid in 1917
5,808
Feet of hydrant branches laid in 1917
92
Feet of blow-off branches laid in 1917 .
34
Feet of car-sprinkler connections laid in 1917,
205
Total feet of pipe laid
6,139
Feet of street mains removed and replaced, .
2,053
Net increase in feet of pipe .
4,086
Total approximate feet of pipe in the city .
540,630
Total pipe mileage, approximately
102.39
The sizes and lengths of pipe laid and removed are as follows :-
Feet Laid.
Feet Removed.
Size.
Feet Laid.
Feet Removed.
1"
0
101
8"
1,096
30
11/2"
0
350
10"
268
0
2"
575
261
12"
2,657
0
4"
234
225
6"
820
1,086
20"
489
0
The street mains constructed and replaced during the year are as follows :-
Feet Re-
Size Re- moved. moved.
Bailey street; new construction.
8"
24
Bellevue terrace, reconstruction.
4"
13
101
1"
Broadway; new construction
2"
149
Carter terrace, new construction
6"
169
College Hill road; new construction
6"
19
Columbus avenue; new construction
6"
12
Conwell avenue; new construction
12"
22
Conwell avenue; reconstruction
10"
4
4 6"
Cummings street; new construction
8"
535
Day street (H. S.); new construction
8"
87
Fairfax street; new construction
9
Gordon street; new construction
12"
1,257
High street; new construction 12"
70
Middlesex avenue; new construction
20"
489
Morrison place; reconstruction
2"
186
186
11/2"
Mountain avenue; reconstruction
6"
261
261
2"
North street; new construction
6"
237
12"
202
North street; reconstruction
12"
1,082
1,082
6"
Porter avenue; reconstruction
2"
152 )
164
11/2"
Powder House blvd., new construction 12"
24
Rose street; new construction
8'
432
Sterling street; new construction
8'
9
Size.
Size of Pipe.
Feet Laid.
2"
6"
12 S
286
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Walnut street; reconstruction 10"
255
225
4"
10"
9
30
8" (
Woods avenue; new construction
10"
9
Hydrant and car-sprinkler branches and blow-off pipes,
331
Total
6,139
2,053
Hydrants, Gates, Etc.
Number of fire hydrants in city January 1, 1917,
1,160
Number set during the year.
24
Number removed during the year.
13
Net increase in number of hydrants
11
Total number of public fire hydrants. ..... Number of private fire hydrants, January 1, 1917
64
Number set by private companies during the year
0
Total number of private fire hydrants re- ceiving their supply from the city mains Number of gates in city, January 1, 1917 ...
1,733
Number set during the year for new streets Number of section gates set.
7
Number set on hydrant branches.
33
Number set on blow-off branches. 4
Number set on car-sprinkler connections ....
16
75
Number of street gates removed.
6
Number of section gates removed
1
7
Net increase in number of gates. Total number of gates in city.
68
1,801
Number of check-valves in city January 1, 1917
8
Number of blow-offs in city January 1, 1917
173
Number added during the year
1
Total number of blow-offs
174
Number of waterposts in city January 1, 1917 Number set or removed during the year .... ...
0
Total number of waterposts
79
Number of drinking fountains in city, Janu- ary 1, 1917
9
Number set or removed during the year .....
0
Total number of drinking fountains in city Number of car-sprinkler connections in city January 1, 1917.
0
Number installed during the year.
17
Total number of car-sprinkler connec- tions in city
17
1,171
64
15
79
9
287
WATER DEPARTMENT.
Water Services
Number of services in city January 1, 1917, (approximately) 13,420
Number laid during the year 118
Number permanently discontinued. 29
Net increase in services.
89
Total number of water services in city.
Amount received for services laid in 1917 ....
13,509 $3,494.53
Number feet service pipe in city January 1, 1917
463,682
Number feet laid during the year 4,206
Number feet discontinued. 1,321
Net increase in feet of service pipe. 2,885
Total feet service pipe in city (approxi- mately)
466,567
Total service mileage (approximately) 88.36
Size, number and length of service pipes laid in 1917 :-
5/8" 3/4" 1" 11/2" 6" 11/4" 11/2"
12-541' 87-2933' 16-520' 1-18' 2-72' 1-76' 1-26'
2
Number of fire services installed during 1917 Locations No.
Size
Sprague-Hathaway Co. (High-Service)
1 6"
Sprague-Hathaway Co. (Low-Service)
1 6"
Blow-offs
Number of blow-offs in city January 1, 1917 174
Number added during the year 3
Total number in city 177
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