Report of the city of Somerville 1918, Part 16

Author: Somerville (Mass.)
Publication date: 1918
Publisher: Somerville, Mass.
Number of Pages: 396


USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1918 > Part 16


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Total


231


HEALTH DEPARTMENT.


with the plan the lists were published in the Somerville papers each month. Much interest was at once shown by the medical profession and also by consumers who were forced to resort to bottle feeding for infants. Pint samples were taken from. the dealers' wagons and forwarded to the laboratory for analy- sis, both chemical and bacteriological, and the dealers notified of the result prior to its publication.


These monthly lists have been averaged and a table show- ing the yearly averages of each dealer follows :-


Bacteria per C. C.


Butter Fat Total Solids Maximum


Name of Dealer


Legal Standard 3.35%


Legal Standard 12.00%


Allowed Raw 500,000 Past. 100,000


Past. or Raw


Acton Farms Milk Co.


3.79


12.24


163,000


Past.


A. H. Andrews


3.71


12.09


174,000


Raw


J. Basher & Sons.


3.84


12.07


1,187,000


Raw


H. E. Bemis


3.78


12.22


108,000


Raw


H. C. Bennison


3.55


11.87


598,000


Past ..


H. A. Bergman


3.83


12.37


729,000


Past.


E. E. Breen


3.76


12.29


378,000


Past ..


A. W. Cummings


3.94


12.38


1,275,000


Raw


F. S. Cummings


3.84


12.34


136.000


Past.


J. F. Dillon


3.63


12.11


381,000


Raw


F. E. Edgerly


3.96


12.49


803,000


Raw


A. F. P. Gassett.


3.97


12.36


1,340,000


Raw


F .E . Giles


3.70


12.25


123,000


Past.


J. E. & H. J. Giroux


3.87


12.30


284,000


Raw


B. J. Griffin


3.80


12.30


360,000


Raw


J. P. Griffin


3.69


12.18


818,000


Raw


J. M. Hager & Son


3.72


12.38


536,000


Past.


F. E. Harris


3.63


12.07


365,000


Raw


H. P. Hood & Sons


3.84


12.49


73,000


Past.


Kendall Brothers


3.69


12.19


337,000


Raw


Maple Farm Milk Co


3.74


12.20


224,000


Past.


A. T. Martin


3.66


12.20


243,000


Past.


E. M. Monahan


4.00


12.62


976,000


Raw


R. J. Moody


3.71


12.16


652,000


Past.


W. F. Noble


3.98


12.41


189,000


Past.


P. O'Shaughnessy


3.77


12.26


591,000


Raw


S. E. Paige


3.74


12.21


327,000


Raw


H. A. Prescott


3.71


12.14


117,000


Past ..


T. F. Ronayne


3.75


12.14


117,000


Raw


Seven Oaks Dairy


3.79


12.51


102,000


Raw


M. P. Shattack


3.63


12.23


130,000


Raw


H. L. Stone


3.76


12.20


156,000


Past.


Swenson Brothers


3.75


12.31


117,000


Raw


F. P. & F. S. Thompson


3.81


12.40


439,000


Raw


Toothaker Brothers


3.75


12.17


133,000


Past.


Turner Centre Creamery Co


4.03


12.74


225,000


Past ..


A. S. Tyler


3.88


12.50


299,000


Raw


E. L. Tyler


3.61


12.07


242,000


Raw


D. Whiting & Sons


3.79


12.36


75,000


Past.


J. K. Whiting Co


3.76


12.27


275,000


Past.


C. A. Woodbury


3.77


12.24


94,000


Raw


232


ANNUAL REPORTS.


The higher the fat and solids the greater the food value. The lower the bacterial count, the greater care in production, better handling or more efficient pasteurization is shown. The analysis of special grades of milk supplied on request.


This method of giving publicity of the quality of the milk sold by the dealers has resulted in a marked improvement in the method of handling milk and it will be noted that only one dealer had a yearly average below the chemical standard.


It has also relieved the dealers from constantly appear- ing in court on a criminal charge as the Board of Health hoped that the publicity given the lists would be sufficient incentive to keep the milk of good standard quality. The yearly average has proven to be very satisfactory, though, at times during the year, there has been much to be desired in the bacteriological count. Taken as a whole, the experi- ment has been successful and it is hoped that during the coming year a much greater improvement will be noted. Like all experiments, the first year has been the hardest and the department feels that improvement will be much more rapid from now on.


On December 1st, Mr. George E. Plimpton resigned from the position of milk collector to accept a position in a com- mercial laboratory.


By reference to table one it will be noted that the income for the year credited to this department is the largest since the department was established. Table two shows another increase, the total work of the laboratory being in excess of any previous year.


Table 4 .- Infantile Mortality.


Year.


Births.


Deaths under 1 year, all causes.


Deaths under 1 year, enteric diseases.


Enteric Death Rate per 10,000 population under 1 year.


Population.


1914


1992


147


33


3.92


84,000


1915


1898


142


25


2.90.


86,000


1916


1952


132


23


2.58


89,000


1917


2035


136


18


2.00


90,000


1918


Returns Incomplete.


188


18


1.97+


91,000


Notwithstanding the fact that the birthrate is increasing yearly, the deaths from enteric diseases were the same as


233


HEALTH DEPARTMENT.


the previous year and shows the lowest percentage of deaths from this cause in the history of the City.


DIAGNOSTIC EXAMINATIONS. Diphtheria.


Months


Negative Positive


January


95


7


Total 102


February


76


8


84


March


118


20


138


April


78


32


110


June


63


30


93


July


72


31


103


August


40


22


62


September


70


17


87


October


50


9


59


November


146


43


189


December


136


32


168


Totals


1,032


.279


1,311


Tuberculosis.


January


29


12


41


February


20


6


26


March


38


10


48


April


32


6


38


May


26


9


35


June


15


8


23


July


15


7


22


August


11


9


20


September


10


9


19


October


17


5


22


November


15


5


20


December


18


6


24


Totals


246


92


338


January


11


0


11


February


2


0


2


March


2


0


2


April


8


1


9


June


3


1


4


July


11


2


13


August


10


0


10


September


7


0


7


October


16


3


19


November


4


2


6


December


2


0


2


Totals


90


10


100


Total Examinations 1763.


In addition to above there have been 14 examinations made for Malaria, Ophthalmia, Paratyphoid, Gonorrhea, and Pneu- monia.


Respectfully submitted, HERBERT E. BOWMAN,


Inspector of Milk and Vinegar and Acting Bacteriologist.


14


1


15


May


Typhoid.


88


28


116


May


234


ANNUAL REPORTS.


SUPPORT OF POOR DEPARTMENT


Board of Overseers of the Poor. HENRY F. CURTIS, M. D., President. ALBERT W. EDMANDS, Vice-President, (Died October 14, 1918). FRED E. DURGIN, (Appointed October 29, 1918) . MICHAEL COLL.


Committees. On Finance, Investigation and Relief, and City Home. DR. CURTIS, MR. DURGIN AND MR. COLL.


Clerks. JEAN M. HUTCHINS. CORA F. LEWIS.


General Agent.


CHARLES C. FOLSOM, (Retired December 28, 1918).


Acting General Agent. JEAN M. HUTCHINS.


City Physician. C. CLARKE TOWLE, M. D.


Warden and Matron, City Home. MR. AND MRS. J. FOSTER COLQUHOUN.


Office.


City Hall Annex, Highland Avenue.


235


SUPPORT OF POOR DEPARTMENT.


Somerville, Mass., December 31, 1918.


To His Honor, the Mayor, and the Board of Aldermen of the City of Somerville :-


Gentlemen,-The report of the acting general agent, the warden of the City Home and the city physician, with tables showing the work, are herewith submitted.


Respectfully submitted, HENRY F. CURTIS, MICHAEL COLL, FRED E. DURGIN,


Overseers of the Poor.


236


ANNUAL REPORTS.


REPORT OF ACTING GENERAL AGENT.


CITY HALL ANNEX, January 1, 1919.


To the Overseers of the Poor, Somerville, Mass :-


Gentlemen,-I submit the following as the report of the acting general agent for the year ending December 31, 1918 :-


Table No. 1. FULL SUPPORT (During the year).


In City Home, (men 49, women 32) 81


In City Home, December 31, 1918 47


In private families 19


In hospitals for the sick in other towns, cities and state 46


In care of state division minor wards (children)


10


Table No. 2. PARTIAL SUPPORT (Outside Relief).


Families


324


Persons aided (including hospital cases)


1321


Burials


·


8


Permits to State Infirmary


14


Average expense to the city for each (carriage for five) .


$2.37


Table No. 3. AID UNDER 1913 LAW (Mothers' Aid).


Number of applications from widows or deserted women .


91


Number of families aided at close of year


67


Number of children


207


Amount allowed each family, from $2.00 to $12.00 per week


Number of out-of-town families


10


Number having no settlement . . . .


.


13


COST TO CITY.


Somerville settlement


$13,988 79


Settled in other cities and towns (reside here) . 3,479 29


State


3,667 85


Somerville families living in other cities and towns . 1,163 91


·


$22,299 84


237


SUPPORT OF POOR DEPARTMENT.


Table No. 4. REIMBURSEMENTS.


Commonwealth of Massachusetts


$12,543 21.


City of Boston


2,488 93.


Brockton


118 40


Cambridge


2,578 60-


66


Chelsea


88 00


66 66 Everett


397 54


66


66 Lynn


15 00.


Melrose


170 50


Newton


105 00.


North Adams


259 80


66


66 Woburn


199 36


Town of Arlington


173 34-


Cohasset


42 67


" Duxbury


298 66.


66


Hudson


18 00.


Sterling


100 00


Individuals


100 00,


$19,697 01


Table No. 5.


SOMERVILLE HOSPITAL (Patients on City Beds).


Patients having settlement in Somerville


89.


Patients having settlement in other cities and towns 31


Patients having no settlement (chargeable to State) 45


Total number of patients sent to hospital .


165.


Money paid hospital by the City


$6,593 57


Amount reimbursed to the City and paid to the hospital for patients not settled in Somerville 1,263 26


Total paid to the hospital


$7,856 83.


238


ANNUAL REPORTS.


Table Nox 6. POPULATION AND GROSS EXPENDITURES, 1883 TO 1918, IN- CLUSIVE.


Year


Population (Estimated)


1883


27,000


$15.959 80


1884


28,000


. 17,272 52


1885


*29,992


16,430 32


1886


32,000


14,341 83


1887


34,000


13,430 89


1888


36,000


13,375 98


1889


39,000


14,610 92


1890


*40,117


15,261 14


1891


43,000


15,980 49


1892


46,000


17,015 30


1893


48,000


17,799 58


1894


50,000


19,733 13


1895


. * 52,200


20,755 46


1896


54,000


21,999 79


1897


56,000


25,681 47


1898


57,500


28,522 21


1899


60.000


28,924 39


1900


. * 61,643


Miscellaneous, $23,697 62


29,226 45


1901 .


62.500


35,793 58


1902 .


63,500


City Home, 7,396 64 (


36,063 68


1903


. 65,500


City Home, 7,548 39 (


( Miscellaneous, $20,476 54 )


27,039 65


1905 .


*69,272


City Home,


7,474 36 S


1906 .


. 72,000


City Home, 6,806 79


1907


. 74,000


City Home, 7,001 23


1908 ·


. 75,500


City Home, 6,875 56


1909 .


. 75,500


City Home. 7,562 83 6


1910


. * 77,236


City Home, 7,695 89


23,806 31


[ Miscellaneous, $16,327 56 1


24,169 59


City Home, 7,842 03 S


Miscellaneous, $19,201 33 }


28,200 30


Miscellaneous, $21,827 73


32,773 68


City Home, 10,945 95 1


1914


.


City Home, 11,200 25


56,709 63


1916


· 90,000


City Home, 11,593 41


63,353 03


1917


. 90,000


Miscellaneous, $53,653 33 City Home, 13,417 77


67,071 10


Miscellaneous, $63,420 48 )


1918


90,500


City Home,


15,411 20


78,831 68


.


·


·


.


City Home, 5,528 83


Miscellaneous, $29.171 15 1


City Home, 6,622 43


Miscellaneous, $28,667 04 )


Miscellaneous, $30,470 20 )


38,018 59


1904


.


69,500


City Home, 6,563 11 |


Miscellaneous, $17,527 88 )


25,002 24


Miscellaneous, $18,237 53


25,044 32


Miscellaneous, $17,852 20 )


24,853 43


Miscellaneous, $17,955 34


24,830 90


Miscellaneous, $16.843 17 }


24,406 00


( Miscellaneous, $16, 1 42 )


1911


. 78,000


1912 .


81,000


City Home, 8,998 97


1913


. 82,000


Miscellaneous, $35,619 68


46,819 93


1915 .


. 88.000


City Home, 11,218 65


Miscellaneous, $51,759 62


.


* Census.


·


.


85,000


Miscellaneous, $45,490 98 )


.


Table No. 7. EXPENDITURES IN DETAIL FOR THE YEAR 1918.


1918


Cash Allowance


Med. Att. and Medicine


Board.


Groceries.


Somerville Poor in other Cities and Towns.


Dry Goods and Shoes.


Burials.


Salaries.


Fuel.


Sundries.


Cash Paid Out.


Telephone.


Stationery and Printing.


Somerville Hospital.


State Institu- tions.


Other Institu- tions.


Nursing.


Somerville Poor in other Cities and Towns 1913 Law.


Total


January


$35.07


$19.14


$209.44


$885.00


$409.34


$93.54


$4.00


$3,997.85


$18.60


$27.49


February


34.00


17.30


366.11


564.80


$1,517.60


429.74


2,582.05


9.16


3.30


$6.21


$52.00


$33.75


5,616.02


March.


35.07


10.00


153.31


447.00


587.62


$25.00


454.91


41.00


2,817.86


8.93


8.75


$2,000.00


113.14


14.00


6,716.59


April


34.72


29.50


114.50


444.00


595.73


10.00


422.26


20.83


2,533.15


9.50


14.75


2,040.45


7.69


10.00


$234.75


6,521.83


May


29.07


14.91


121.94


445.00


134.17


25.00


479.91


2.80


37.08


2,769.61


8.93


14.30


1,314.27


17.00


2.00


110.49


5,526.48


June


28.72


25.28


114.50


732.46


170.50


15.00


507.26


8.33


2,478.75


9.33


522.86


105.14


2.25


177.16


4,897.54


July


30.43


13.10


116.94


396.50


843.46


59.00


430.60


8.33


2,579.24


3.68


261.43


150.55


3.00


273.34


5,169.60


August


30.43


12.68


724.17


243.00


546.47


463.25


11.33


2,831.96


19.48


25.00


661.15


8.50


5,577.42


September


30.29


18.17


97.85


291.00


56.00


430.60


14.33


2,476.50


16.21


430.95


105.14


10.25


368.00


4,345.29


October.


30.43


8.94


487.33


505.07


125.18


430.60


8.33


2,712.75


15.42


20.11


276.43


83.00


November


30.29


97.85


274.50


41.49


498.25


191.42


14.83


2,996.69


11.30


29.74


222.86


December.


30.43


50.67


451.78


170.50


167.88


427.01


199.00


8.36


1,732.50


1.63


126.43


22.00


649.09


4,037.28


Totals


$378.95


$219.69


$3,055.72


$5,398.83


$4,730.10


$190.00


$5,383.73


$486.76


$176.75


$32,508.91


$110.65


$164.96


$7,856.83


$247.45


$392.42


$139.75


$1,916.83 $63,358.33


4,703.59


34.00


104.00


4,547.22


$5,699.47


239


SUPPORT OF POOR DEPARTMENT.


OVERSEERS OF THE POOR OF SOMERVILLE


Since the reorganization in 1885.


¿Hon. Mark F. Burns, chairman, ex-officio . 1885


1888


inclusive


¡Col. Herbert E. Hill


1885


1889


66


¡Charles S. Lincoln, Esq., chairman .


1885


1887


66


¡Hon. Edward Glines


1885


1887


66


¿Charles G. Brett (president 1888-1892) 1885 Apr. 1893


Edward B. West (president May, 1894- February, 1912)


¡Daniel C. Stillson


1888 Apr. 1892


¡Hon. Charles G. Pope, chairman ex-officio


1889


1891


Nathan H. Reed (president 1893 to April, 1894


1890 Apr. 1894


¿Hon. William H. Hodgkins, chairman ex- officio


1892


1895


¡James G. Hinckley


May, 1892


1894


¡Albert W. Edmands


May, 1893 Oct. 1918 .


(Died)


+Herbert E. Merrill


May, 1894 ·


1909


inclusive


*Ezra D. Souther


1895 Feb. 1898


(Died)


Hon. Albion A. Perry, chairman ex-officio


1896


1898


inclusive


James H. Butler


March, 1898


1899


66


Hon .George O. Proctor, chairman ex-officio


1899


Henry F. Curtis, M. D.


1910 to date* inclusive


Philip Koen


1912 Nov. 9, 1916


Michael Coll


. November, 1916


to date* 66


Fred E. Durgin


October, 1918


to date*


.


Table No. 8. RECAPITULATION (Miscellaneous).


Expenditures and transfers


$63,420 48


Reimbursements


19,697 01


Net cost to City


·


.


$43,723 47


* Present member.


¡ Deceased.


Respectfully submitted,


JEAN M. HUTCHINS,


Acting General Agent.


·


.


1888


to 1912 66


240


ANNUAL REPORTS.


REPORT OF WARDEN OF CITY HOME.


City Home, January 1, 1919.


To the Overseers of the Poor, Somerville, Mass :-


Gentlemen,-I submit the following as the report of the. Warden of the City Home for the year ending December 31,. 1918 :-


Table No. 1.


Number of weeks' board of inmates .


2,442-2:


Number of males admitted during 1918


23


Number of females admitted during 1918


14


Number of males discharged during 1918 .


21


Number of females discharged during 1918


3


Number of males supported during 1918 .


49


Number of females supported during 1918


32


Number of males died during. 1918 .


9


Number of females died during 1918


5.


Number of inmates in home, December 31, 1918


47


City Home Hospital.


Number of weeks' board .


498


Number of patients admitted


35


Number of patients in hospital, December 31, 1918 .


11


Table No. 2.


Reimbursements


$10,043 73


Net expenditures


5,367 47


$15,411 20


Appropriation


14,500 00


Service transfer


911 20


15,411 20,


.


.


Respectfully submitted,


J. FOSTER COLQUHOUN,


Warden.


241


SUPPORT OF POOR DEPARTMENT.


REPORT OF THE CITY PHYSICIAN.


OFFICE OF THE CITY PHYSICIAN, Somerville, January 1, 1919.


To His Honor, the Mayor, and the Board of Aldermen :- Gentlemen,-The work of your City Physician during the year 1918 is presented in the following abstract :-


Office consultations and treatments


498


Total outside visits


1,527


Confinements .


7


Vaccinations


123


Visits at City Home


136


Attended at police station


42


Examinations :-


For legal department


22


For highway department .


15


For police department


43


For fire department .


24


For water department


2


Respectfully submitted,


C. CLARKE TOWLE,


City Physician.


242


ANNUAL REPORTS.


REPORT OF THE PLANNING BOARD


December 31, 1918.


To His Honor the Mayor and Board of Aldermen :-


Gentlemen :- In accordance with the Acts of 1913 and as required by Section 2 of Chapter 494 of said Acts, the Planning Board herewith respectfully submits its annual report and recommendations for the year 1918.


During the year 1918 two new members were appointed by His Honor, Mayor Eldridge, namely George J. Rauh and Paul R. Valentine. The Board organized for the year by re- electing William F. Riley chairman, and David J. Kelley secretary, the other members being Harrison L. Evans, George J. Rauh and Paul R. Valentine.


The Board has been mindful of the duty delegated to it by the Act of the Legislature above mentioned, which requires it to carefully consider "the resources, possibilities and needs of the city." At the meetings of the Board held every month execpt July and August various matters relating to the general welfare of the city were discussed and the Planning Board was requested by the Board of Aldermen to report to it on two orders referred to the Planning Board for its consideration.


MYSTIC RIVER DEVELOPMENT .- The first order was adopted May 9, 1918, and related "to the practicability and advisability of the use of land bordering on the Mystic River for shipbuild- ing purposes."


After careful study of the question a report was submit- ted by the Planning Board to the Board of Aldermen, a copy of which is annexed to this report and marked "A."


The Board was of the opinion "that though it is highly ad- visable to do something to stop the waste of this navigable river which is a valuable asset of the City of Somerville, vet under existing conditions the use of land bordering on the river for shipbuilding purposes is not practicable."


SOMERVILLE HONOR ROLL .- The second order was adopted Oct. 15, 1918, and related to the planning of an "Honor Roll" for Somerville men in the military or naval service of our country.


The Planning Board submitted a report which is annexed to this report and marked "B." The Board was of the opinion that the City would do well to adopt the bronze frame plan


-


243


PLANNING BOARD.


for a permanent "Honor Roll" so that "later on if the memorial hall becomes a reality this bronze frame could very easily be built into the wall of the new building with very little, if any. expense, and could then still fulfill its purpose."


The Board is still of the opinion that this is the best plan, especially in view of the fact that it can be erected in about six or eight weeks at the most.


STREET CAR SERVICE .- There is still much to criticize in the deplorable street car service furnished by the Boston Elevated Railway Company. Many complaints have been made about the lack of heat in the cars, as well as the insufficient service on all the car lines. Whatever may be said about the in- sufficient service, it is the opinion of the Board that the failure to properly heat the cars is inexcusable, and a menace to the health of the riding public, and shoul.l be immediately corrected.


ANNEXATION TO BOSTON .- With reference to the plan re- cently proposed by His Honor, Mayor Peters, of Boston, relat- ing to the annexation of several surrounding cities including Somerville, it is the sense of this Board that such action at this time would not operate to the benefit or welfare of Somerville for the reason that it would tend to a lessening of the feeling of civic pride, which now exists, and also result in a neglect of needed public improvements.


PUBLIC PARKS AND BUILDINGS .- The Planning Board again recommends that a Playground be provided on the land owned by the city known as the City Ledge to adequately care for the needs of this rapidly growing section of our city in and about the Clarendon Hill section. The Board also respect- fully calls your attention to the advisability of stopping the dumping of street scrapings and cther refuse in the ledge because of the many complaints of the nuisance thereby cre- ated.


This matter is one that will not mean any great outlay of money and will be for the benefit of a large body of our citizens.


SOMERVILLE BATH HOUSE .- The Board again respectfully calls attention to the necessity of doing something at once to make the only bathing place in Somerville more attractive and popular with the people.


The Board recommends that the hills of mud now existing be levelled off or removed, and sand dumped into the river. so as to partly overcome the muddy condition.


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ANNUAL REPORTS.


BRANCH LIBRARY, UNION SQUARE .- The approaches to and conditions existing on the grounds surrounding this branch library are still unchanged, and are not a credit to the city. In view of the fact that the other sections of our city have been provided with new branch library buildings the Board is of the opinion that sufficient money should be appropriated to make this branch library, and the grounds surrounding it, creditable to Somerville. The needs of the residents of the Union Square section should be attended to, and something done to remedy this condition.


APPROPRIATION .- The Planning Board is anxious to do all in its power to further the objects for which it was created. An appropriation of $50 was voted to the Board last year. It is obvious that this small sum is insufficient for its needs. The Planning Board was organized Jan. 9, 1914, and up to the present time it has no definite office space, and it is handicapped for lack of equipment to do its work. The Board has requested an appropriation of $200 this year, and respectfully calls attention to the necessity of appropriating this amount so that it may be able to render more valuable service to the city.


. WILLIAM F. RILEY, Chairman.


HARRISON L. EVANS, GEORGE J. RAUH, PAUL R. VALENTINE, DAVID J. KELLEY, Secretary.


COPY A.


To the Honorable Members of the Board of Aldermen :-


Gentlemen :- On May 9, 1918, and order was adopted by your honorable body, and referred to the Planning Board the following, being a copy of the said order :-


"The Somerville Planning Board is hereby re- quested to make a study and report its findings to this Board in regard to the practicability and advisa- bility of the use of land bordering on the Mystic River for shipbuilding purposes."


F. W. COOK, City Clerk.


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PLANNING BOARD.


In compliance with the foregoing order the Planning Board herewith respectfully submits the following report for your consideration.


The subject of the development of the Mystic River for commercial purposes has been discussed frequently in recent years, and efforts have been made from time to time to obtain the assistance of the National Government.


In 1892 the United States government dredged a channel in the Mystic River from the B. & M. Railroad bridge to the head of navigation or Craddock Bridge in Medford. This channel is about one hundred feet in width for about one mile, and gradually narrows in width until it is about fifty feet wide at the Craddock Bridge in Medford. At the Wellington Bridge in Somerville the channel is about fifty feet in width and the natural channel of the river at this point is about eight feet deep at mean low water. From the Boston & Maine Railroad bridge up to Craddock Bridge in Medford the river is very crooked and unsuitable for the navigation of vessels over one hundred fifty feet in length, and is not of sufficient depth to accommodate vessels of a size suitable for commercial purposes.


Somerville has about thirty-six hundred feet of water front on the Mystic River. Part of this is owned by the Boston & Maine Railroad and private parties, and another part of it is controlled by the Metropolitan Park Commission. The only shipping interest on the Mystic River in Somerville at the present time is the Somerville Coal Company, which occu- pies Dennings Wharf, so called. The river is so winding and the draft so shallow that only barges of light draft can use the river for commercial purposes.


In order to make the Mystic River suitable for launching ships which would be of sufficient size to be useful for com- mercial purposes the channel of the river must be widened and dredged, as the existing channel is obviously inadequate.


The United States government has refused to expend any money for this purpose in that part of the Mystic River running through Somerville and Medford for the following reasons :-


1. Difficulty in navigation on account of the many bends in the river.


2. The use of the largest part of the land on both sides of the river for park purposes.


3. The small number of business concerns using the river in their business either in Somerville or Med- ford.


The only section of the river worthy of consideration for shipbuilding purposes in the opinion of the Planning Board


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ANNUAL REPORTS.


is that section lying between the Boston & Maine railroad bridge, and the Wellington Bridge. The land on the river bank in this section is at present owned or controlled by the Boston & Maine Railroad.


In view of the fact that the United States government is not disposed at the present time to appropriate any money for the dredging or widening of the Mystic River and in the absence of any willingness on the part of local interests to spend money for this purpose the Planning Board is of the opinion that though it is highly advisable to do something to stop the waste of this navigable river which is a valuable asset of the City of Somerville, yet under existing conditions the use of land bordering on the river for shipbuilding purposes is not practicable.


As a remedy for this condition the Board suggests that your Honorable body urge upon our representative in Con- gress the necessity of some action towards securing an ade- quate appropriation so that this water way with the adjoining terminal facilities furnished by the Boston & Maine Railroad may be fully utilized, and the commercial interest of the City improved thereby.




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