USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1921 > Part 22
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My slogan for good roads is "Maintain."
1921.
Highway Maintenance.
Appropriation
$56,775 00
Dr.
Street Commissioner
$3,100 00
Bookkeeper and clerk .
2,799 16
Office expenses and telephones
431 62
Equipment, repairs, etc. .
4,416 63
Harnesses
1,575 15
New horses Tools and machinery
2,463 16
Steam rollers
592 98
Stable expenses
6,222 52
Hay, grain and feed
8,078 35
Shoeing
1,817 76
Veterinary, medicine, etc.
228 42
Repair streets, gutters, crossings
10,962 37
Repairs to bridges and approaches
470 03
Subways
624 19
Care of lanterns
1,768 07
Removal of snow and ice
5,109 66
Street signs .
1,803 38
Ledges
79 95
Care of Highway property
1,314 67
Emergency .
202 39
Automobiles, New $1,204.49
maint. $3,164.00
4,368 49
Sawing wood
624 66
Allowance for holidays .
3,217 95
Allowance for vacations
.
3,652 60
Crushed stone
2,090 21
.
700 00
302
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Sand and gravel
6,503 88
Cinders
·
246 51
Lumber
330 04
Bricks
416 04
Cement, lampblack
925 34
Gasoline, kerosine, lubricating oils
1,924 15
Fuel
533 97
Tarvią
712 92
Bills Receivable, (driveways, etc.)
3,176 00
Departmental charges, (other departments)
6,657 48
Miscellaneous
43 56
$90,173 26
Credit
33,504 99
$56,668 27
Balance
.
$106 73
Snow and Ice.
This year I have purchased some new equipment and made over some old ploughs and levelers so that now this department is ready to remove snow and keep the roads open for travel.
This department removes the snow and ice from side- walks, and sands when necessary in front of all public build- ings, grounds and schools.
121 requests and reports were attended to.
$5,109.66 was expended for the care of snow and ice. 1090 cubic yards of snow and ice were removed. 20 cubic yards of sand and 298 cubic yards of ashes were used in caring for icy sidewalks, streets and crossings.
Bridges.
I recommended last year that extensive repairs must be made to the Lowell street bridges, which was not done. These bridges must be repaired this year. The other bridges are in good condition.
Underground Wires.
Outside of a few underground connections no underground conduits were constructed this year.
Crushed Stone.
The William J. McCarthy Co. furnished 32 tons of local crushed rock at $2.00 per ton at their crusher and 5629 tons at $2.40 per ton on the line of work. Coleman Brothers 1461 tons of trap rock at $2.48 per ton on line of work. General
.
·
.
303
STREET COMMISSIONER.
Crushed Stone Co. 295 tons of trap pea stone at $2.80 per ton and 180 tons of nut trap rock at $2.50 per ton delivered on line of work.
Steam Rollers.
No. 1 roller worked 126 days.
No. 4 roller worked 66 days.
The No. 4 roller should be equipped with a road scarifier and the old No. 2 roller should be exchanged for a new fifteen ton maintenance roller.
Sidewalks Maintenance.
The old brick sidewalk on the south side of Somerville avenue from Union square westerly was removed and 460 square yards of granolithic laid, this work should be extended to Gerrior square the coming year. This same construction should be extended in all the squares. I have had some trouble in the past maintaining dirt sidewalks on hills and side-hills, but with the introduction of "K. P." mixed with pea stone and spread over these dirt sidewalks, then covered with fine gravel I find that I have eliminated all trouble in regard to these sidewalks washing out after every heavy shower.
1220.9 linear feet of edgestones were reset. 1370 square yards of brick sidewalks were relaid. 421 square yards of paved gutters were repaved and 15 square yards of granolithic were relaid.
All police reports pertaining to this kind of work are charged to this appropriation.
$8,750.04 was expended for Sidewalks Maintenance.
Street Sprinkling.
The American Car Sprinkler Company sprinkles and flushes nearly all of our main streets for $925.00 per month, eight hours per day and seven days per week. Before the war this car worked twelve hours per day and all the squares were flushed before 7 A. M. giving great satisfaction to all the store keepers by having the squares cleaned every day before their stores were opened for business.
Only one car of Non-Asphaltic oil was used this year. Tarvia B and Tarco were used on macadam streets.
I most respectfully recommend the purchase of a new auto oiling truck.
304
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Dust layers used during the year :-
193,839 gallons of Tarvia "B" (Barrett's).
67,178 gallons of Tarco (Flemmings).
6,068 gallons of McKenna's Non-Asphaltic.
950 gallons of Alden Spears Sons Non-Asphaltic.
This division of the department is self supporting. $39,972.30 was expended for Street Sprinkling.
Street Cleaning.
The scarcity of dumps has increased the cost of this division greatly. In some of the squares where a push cart man could care for the same, when he had a near dump now with the scarcity of dumps this man must have a team because the haul is so far from his work .
If some of the tenants and storekeepers who complain about rubbish in the streets would be a little more careful themselves and not throw or sweep rubbish into the streets, I know our city would have a more tidy appearance.
6,525 cubic yards of street sweepings were removed.
$27,581.70 was expended for Street Cleaning.
Suppression of Moths.
Under this appropriation the city cares for all trees both public and private, in regard to moths. Street trees are spray- ed in the spring and summer.
This year I found very few brown tail moths. The Satin moth is raising havoc with our poplar trees.
This division gives work to quite a number of men in the winter.
9,112 street trees were inspected and cared for.
12,751 private trees were inspected and cared for.
14,572 bushes were found moth infested.
5,711 fences and buildings on which moths nested.
57,118 gypsy moth nests were painted with creosote. 108 'brown tail moth nests were gathered and destroyed.
7,620 trees were sprayed by the gasoline spraying machine to exterminate the different kinds of caterpillars and beetles.
$4,399 16 was expended for the Suppression of Moths.
Shade Trees.
If the city does not appropriate any money for the setting out of shade trees, in a few years this city will not have any street trees, because of electric wires, gas leaks, permanent pav-
305
STREET COMMISSIONER.
ing, insects and sleet storms (such as we had on November 28, 1921) killing and destroying our trees. The storm of November hit nearly every tree in our city and this department attended to 450 reports and requests and had to work nights in order to clear our streets and sidewalks. The trees that were hit by this storm must be attended to in regard to cutting off the stumps of broken branches and painting the same.
72 trees were set out. 119 trees were removed. 717 trees were trimmed. 83 tree guards and supports installed.
$6,627.21 was expended for Care of Trees.
Highway Construction - New Streets.
Four new streets were constructed during the year under the Betterment Act, by contract with William J. Sullivan,, viz :
Setting edgestones 75c per linear foot.
Gutter construction $3.75 per square yard.
Construction of Macadam roadway $1.90 per square yard.
The city furnished the edgestone and tarvia binder. Straight edgestone $1.30 per linear foot. Circles $1.75 per linear foot from H. H. Fletcher Company, delivered on line of work.
Tarco X binder 141/2c per gallon from H. A. Fleming Com- pany, delivered and sprayed on work.
Nine new streets were accepted this year.
$15,750.40 was expended for New Streets.
306
NEW STREETS CONSTRUCTED IN 1921.
Street
From
To
Material
Length
Cost
Crescent street
Boston line
Hadley street
Bituminous Macadam
402
$3,130 52
Dickson street
Broadway
Fairmount avenue
271
3,268 25
Cedar avenue
Cedar street
Linden avenue
·
290
2,635 31
Spring Hill Terrace
Highland avenue
Belmont street
¥
670
5,979 42
PERMANENT PAVEMENT, 1921.
Street
From
To
Material
Sq. Yds.
Cost
Beacon street
E'ly Sacremento St. ....
R. R. Bridge
Granite Blks. on concrete base
2598.7
$19,541 07
Beacon street
Cambridge line
Cooney street
Granite Blks. on concrete base
1478
11,532 40
Broadway
Arthur street
Charlestown line
Grass plot Macadamized
2540
4,654 28
Linwood street
Congress place
Fitchburg street
Granite Blks. on concrete base
1924.8
15,001 68
Linwood street
Dix place
northerly
Granite Blks. on concrete base
1911.4
14,795 76
Tufts street
South of Glen street
Cross street
Granite Blks. on concrete base
2049
15,106 63
North street.
Already laid
Medford line
Concrete gutters
210
888 13
ANNUAL
REPORTS.
/
307
STREET COMMISSIONER.
Sidewalks Construction.
The contracts for granolithic sidewalks were let to Denis I. Crimmings and Peter Salvi, of Somerville, who furnished all the material and did the excavation at $3.25 per square yard.
Miles of edgestones, granolithic, brick and gravel side- walks in the city :-
Edgestones .
147.137 miles
Granolithic sidewalks
.
54.001 miles
Brick sidewalks
.
· 71.303 miles
Gravel sidewalks ·
.
23.006 miles
$15,372.29 was expended for Sidewalks Construction.
Highways Construction - Permanent Pavement.
Contract was let to William J. Sullivan at $7.45 a square yard, for paving with granite (4") paving blocks grouted with cement on a concrete base. He furnished all materials and did the excavating.
$81,510.95 was expended for Permanent Pavement.
Reconstruction and Resurfacing.
Eleven streets were reconstructed or resurfaced under this appropriation at an average cost of $3.32 per linear foot, by city employees.
The expense for this work is taken from the tax levy, instead of on a five year bond, thus saving a large amount of interest the city used to pay.
This kind of work makes a great improvement in our city and satisfies a number of residents and tax payers.
The Barrett Co. furnished Tar binder Tarvia "X" at 12c per gallon F. O. B. factory.
A big improvement was made on Broadway from the Charlestown line to Arthur street. The grass reserved space between the tracks of the Boston Elevated Street Railway Com- pany was removed and suitable filling with a Tarvia top was constructed, which by far gives the street a better appearance and a chance to cross the tracks wherever one desires.
$31,298.76 was expended for Reconstruction and Resur- facing.
308
SIDEWALK CONSTRUCTION.
Street
Location
Material Grano.
Sq. Yds. Cost
Auburn avenue
In front estate No. 29 .
21
$75 45
Broadway
Northerly side - Walker St. to Leonard St. Both sides - Cedar St. to Linden avenue .
807.1 177.3 12.3
577 23 39 73
Central road
In front estates Nos. 32-40
291.8
1,726 98
Cottage avenue
Southwesterly side - Russell St. to Chester St. Westerly side ·
859.7
3,248 49
Crescent street
Westerly side - Pearl St. to City line
268.5
872 63
Dickson street
Both sides - Fremont street to Broadway Both sides .
539.8
1,889 24
Highland avenue-Central St. Leonard street
Side of estate No. 941-943 Broadway ·
59.6
193 70
Lowell street
New England Breakfast Food Co.
89.1
312 18
Lowell street
In front estates No. 358-360
26.1
84
Lowell street
In front estates No. 362-364
29.3
96 23
Mallet street
Side of estate - No. 26 Bay State avenue .
68
222 00
Pinckney street
Easterly side - Perkins street to Wheeler street
132.8
500 57
Spring Hill Terrace
Both sides
329.9
1,080 68
.
.
·
·
Craigie street
336
1,092 50
Elston street
Locatelli Block
171.3
670 71
.
ANNUAL REPORTS.
2,640 08
Cedar avenue
RECONSTRUCTION AND RESURFACING. Streets Reconstructed and Resurfaced in 1921.
Street
From
To
Width
Length
Cost
Bond street
Broadway
Jaques street
40
655
$1,984 74
Boston street
Prospect Hill avenue
Walnut street
40
1242
3,372 92
Central street
Medford street
Broadway
45
1079
3,706 57
Central street
Somerville avenue
Summer street
35
1043
3,203 84
Delaware street
Aldrich street
Pearl street
40
451
980
03
Dickinson street
Springfield street
Beacon street
40
770
2,913 22
Joy street
Washington street
Poplar street
30
1121
2,521 82
Lincoln avenue
Lincoln street
Mt. Vernon street .
30
478
1,001 65
North street
Already constructed
Medford line
40
649
2,767 42
Park street
Beacon street
Somerville avenue
50
1238
7,444 91
Sydney street
Grant street
·
Temple street
40
679
1,401 64
.
.
.
·
.
STREET COMMISSIONER.
309
,
310
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Miscellaneous.
80 Granolithic driveways constructed.
70 Brick driveways constructed.
31 Edgestones dropped for driveways.
5 Driveways extended.
5 Driveways discontinued.
4 Carriage walks constructed.
Driveways are constructed, discontinued, relocated or ex- tended at the expense of the petitioners.
Length of public streets 85.281 miles.
Six horses were killed on account of disability and six horses purchased during the year.
The department maintains its own municipal repair shop for the different lines of work.
763 horses were shod during the year. Our horses, during the slippery going in the winter, must be sharp shod because we must have the sidewalks and hills sanded for others to travel on.
I have attended meetings of the Public Works and of the Board of Aldermen for consultation regarding work and petitions.
Labor.
Eight hours constitute a day.
The regular employees are given two weeks vacation and all employees twelve months Saturday half-holiday without loss of pay.
Laborers receive $4.00, drivers and chauffeurs $4.10, mechanics $4.50 and engineers $4.75 per day.
The city does its own insuring for injured laborers. There are nineteen former employees receiving pensions under the act providing for the pensioning of laborers.
There were during 1921 :-
111 permits issued to the Cambridge and Charlestown Gas Com- panies.
103 permits issued to cross sidewalks.
338 permits issued to occupy streets and sidewalks.
27 permits issued to feed horses.
29 street sprinkling complaints and requests.
189 notifications to other departments and corporations. 21 accident reports.
912 police reports.
704 brick and granolithic sidewalks repaired.
1142 miscellaneous reports and requests.
87 drain layers permits.
593 water department openings.
118 permits to open streets and sidewalks.
311
STREET COMMISSIONER.
40 danger and traffic signs erected.
25 new signs erected.
136 signs repainted.
21 streets cleaned by request.
3538 cubic yards of sand and gravel used.
2685 cubic yards of dirt removed.
1019 cubic yards of ashes used.
1203 cubic yards of old macadam used.
1086 bags of Portland cement used.
Recommendations.
I most respectfully recommend that Somerville avenue from Beacon street to Porter Station, Cambridge, be paved with granite blocks grouted on a concrete base; that Linwood street and the north side of Beacon street be completed. That the north side of Washington street from Tufts street to Charlestown line be repaved and placed on a concrete base instead of a gravel base, also on Somerville avenue between Union square and Gerrior square. I recommend the purchase of a Ford ton truck with dump body, auto truck oiler and that a fire proof garage be erected at the city stable yard.
I desire to express my appreciation of the assistance and co-operation of His Honor, Charles W. Eldridge, Board of Aldermen, Public Works Committee, Heads of Departments and employees of this department and I should also feel as if I was not doing my duty if I neglected to thank the citizens for notifying my department of defects in the streets and side- walks.
Respectfully submitted,
ASA B. PRICHARD,
Street Commissioner.
312
ANNUAL REPORTS.
REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
City Hall, Somerville, January 1, 1922.
To the Honorable, the Mayor, and the Board of Aldermen of the City of Somerville :-
Gentlemen :----
In accordance with the provisions of the City Charter, I submit herewith the annual report of the public buildings department for the year ending December 31, 1921.
The total valuation of the public property which is in the custody of the public buildings department is approximately $3,560,000.
The total expenditure for the year 1921 for the care and maintenance of this property was $228,610.13.
This amount was expended as follows :
Care and
Janitors
Fuel
Light
Repairs
Totals
School Buildings
$60,742 33
$50,368 23
$11,278 45
$39,715 19
$162,104 20
Municipal Buildings
4,673 30
2,365 06
1,754 50
2,536 35
11,329 21
Polling
Places
11 86
16 27
443 84
471 97
Police Buildings
1,990 92
1,900 39
724 03
1,064 66
5,680 00
Fire Buildings
6,245 02
3,087 59
4,703 61
14,036 22
Electrical Dept.
795 00
802 84
118 23
48 65
1.764 72
Contagious Hospital
424 00
2,610 93
574 33
1,253 25
4,862 51
Sewer Building
82 25
21 25
101 19
204 69
Sanitary Buildings
428 54
208 73
1,532 00
2,169 27
Highway Buildings .
534 78
236 54
708 72
1,480 04
City Home Buildings
2,232 86
657 46
962 71
3,853 03
Central Library
3,148 30
990 50
1,499 39
548 93
6,187 12
West Branch Library
1,378 00
568 14
467 40
353 33
2,766 87
East Branch Library
1,113 00
529 19
239 57
52 65
1,934 41
Union Sq. Br. Library.
1,113 00
693 95
298 68
65 27
2,170 90
Park Buildings
385 00
202 95
557 68
1,375 57
2,521 20
Bathhouse
1,036 97
1 50
247 17
248 67
Water Buildings
404 68
350 01
1,688 24
2,442 93
Totals
$76,799 82 $70.972 17 $22,091 61 $58,746 53 $228,610 13
Inspection of Buildings.
The Commissioner of Public Buildings is also the in- pector of buildings according to the terms of the charter and as such during the past year has made 1872 formal inspections of buildings in the process of construction.
The following table shows the number of permits issued for building operations during the year 1921 :-
1,345 20
2,382 17
Bandstand
313
COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
WARDS
Buildings
1.
2
3
4
5 35
46
106 270
Stores
6
2
....
2
3
3
8
24
Dwellings and stores
5
2
....
....
2
2
12
Garages
27
23
21
20
45
53
92
281
Storage
3
3
1
3
2
2
2
13
Sheds
13
8
1
4
7
3
10
46
Offices
2
....
....
....
2
- 4
Stables
3
1
....
2
1
3
2
12
Shops
3
..
....
....
....
2
2
7
Banks
....
....
....
....
....
....
1
1
Theatres
....
....
....
....
....
1
2
Churches
....
....
....
2
1
....
1
4
Convent
....
....
....
....
....
....
1
Bakery
1
....
....
....
....
....
....
..
....
....
....
....
1
1
Miscellaneous
6
6
1
1
....
....
2
16
Totals
105
72
38
50
95
117
237
714
Wood
Fire resisting
Totals
New Buildings
135
290
425
Alterations
233
18
251
Totals
368
308
676
38 Buildings were torn down.
WARDS
Buildings
1
2
3
4
5
6
7 Totals
Wood
65
41
16
29
43
57
135
386
Wood and Cement.
3
1
2
2
1
4
8
21
Wood and Concrete
3
1
....
....
2
1
1
8
Wood and Tile
1
....
....
....
....
...
....
1
Fireproofed Wood
1
2
....
....
3
1
3
10
Brick
3
2
....
1
1
1
4
12
Brick and Wood
1
3
....
....
1
1
2
8
Cement Block
14
12
16
11
. 32
37
58
180
Concrete
10
6
3
5
9
9
19
61
Steel
2
3
1
1
3
4
3
17
Miscellaneous
..
....
....
....
....
....
....
....
Galvanized Iron
....
....
....
....
....
1
....
1
Terra Cotta Tile
....
....
....
....
....
....
1
1
Totals
105
72
38
50
95
117
237
714
The number of plumbing permits issued during 1921, was .
Number of permits for plumbing in new buildings .
63
Number of permits for plumbing in old buildings
.
170
Number of buildings in which soil pipes were tested .
174
...
....
....
....
....
....
1
Laundry
....
....
....
....
....
1
....
3
7
Brick and Concrete
2
1
....
1
....
6
7 Totals
Dwellings
32
22
14
15
·
....
3
5
18
Manufactories
.
4
3
· .
....
1
1
1
Warehouse
1
1
The total estimated cost of the new buildings and altera- tions during the year 1921 was $1,838,455, while the estimated cost in 1920 was $1,384,456, showing an increase of $453,999.
.
233
1
Wood and Metal
314
ANNUAL REPORTS.
The total number of permits issued during the year 1921, viz. 714, was 316 more than during the year 1920, when 398 permits for new buildings and alterations were issued, show- ing an increase of 80 per cent.
There has been considerable speculative building of dwell- ings going on this year, or to be exact there were permits issued for 93 new buildings housing 204 families.
Single family houses have been altered into two family houses and some of the larger houses have been altered into small kitchenette suites. These types of alterations demand very careful inspection and supervision by this department and entail considerable more time than new construction.
On September 1, 1918, the Board of Aldermen of the City of Somerville passed an ordinance requiring a fee to be col- lected for every building permit issued by this department. In accordance with this, fees collected for building permits during the year 1921 amounted to $1840.
The Commissioner has under his charge and direction the work of maintenance and keeeping in repair all of the eighty-four public buildings of the city and the grounds in connection therewith, all janitors in the city's employ, a force of nine mechanics who perform most of the work of keeping the buildings in repair, the inspection of installation and care of all elevators, the supervision of construction of all new municipal buildings, the maintenance of the public bathing beach, and public municipal baths in the Bennett and Bingham Schools, and Lincoln Park.
The various activities in connection with the department work require a vast amount of time and attention in order to keep the property in proper condition for occupancy.
Coal.
As in the past years an invitation for bids was advertised for supplying the necessary tonnage of both anthracite and bituminous coal for the city buildings for the winter of 1921 and spring of 1922. The wisdom of this has been amply justified as there has been a large saving in money on an- thracite coal as a result of this decision.
Several bids were received and after taking the same under consideration, His Honor, the Mayor decided to accept the bid for bituminous coal from a local concern.
The bids for anthracite coal were extremely high and were rejected and it was decided to have this kind of coal pur- chased direct by this department.
315
COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
Elevators.
According to an act of the Legislature, the Building Commissioner is required to have every elevator in the city inspected yearly, and a report of the conditions and necessary repairs made to the State District Police.
Plans and specifications of all new installations of el- evators must be filed in this office and certificates of approval granted by the Commissioner.
During the year 1921, there were 138 elevators inspected and 33 orders for repairs to be made to 63 elevators, sent to the owners.
Plans and specifications were filed and applications granted for the installation of three new elevators.
School Buildings.
The maintenance and care of the school buildings has, as formerly demanded the most vigilant attention from this department and the appropriation made for that purpose has, I believe, been expended carefully and judiciously.
Every year before the summer vacation arrives this department sends out a blank to be filled in by both the principals and janitors of the schools for all requisitions and repairs needed.
These repairs and requests are taken up with the Superintendent of Schools, and taken care of in the order which he suggests so far as the appropriation will allow.
First are taken into consideration the requests and re- pairs absolutely needed for the opening of schools. Then the others are taken up in the order of their importance. This in itself is a huge task as the wants of every section must be taken into consideration.
Among the necessary repairs that were taken care of this year are the following :
Nine boilers were retubed. A number of grates were installed and repairs made on 24 other boilers.
Steam repairs were made in 18 buildings.
Plaster repairs were made in 10 buildings.
Plumbing repairs and new installations were made in 22 buildings. New water service with larger main installed in High School.
Mason repairs were made in 10 buildings besides repairs of fire boxes of boilers in nearly every building.
Eighty-three teachers' guest chairs were recaned.
One teachers' couch was purchased.
316
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Roof leaks and other roof repairs were taken care of on eleven buildings.
Carpenter repairs, such as:
Window cords.
Repairing and tightening furniture.
Fitting up two rooms in Cutler, and one each in the Morse and Bingham Schools for kindergarten, and three recitation rooms made out of Hall at the Eastern Junior High and also putting extra desks and chairs in sewing room and typewriting room.
Painting :
On all school buildings the outside doors were repainted and the basements whitewashed.
At the High School the Teachers' rooms and office walls and ceil- ings were tinted and the woodwork varnished.
Three thousand desk tops, 45 teachers' desks and 30 tables in various schools refinished and varnished.
All toilet seats finished in white enamel and several school toilets painted out.
2,500 students' chairs in several buildings refinished and varnished. Window sashes in several schools were painted and puttied.
Lighting :
Proper lighting of school rooms is a problem to which the head of this department has given considerable time and study. We have made a good start during the past three years and established a system, from experience gained by studying the methods of other cities, which we intend to follow up until every school has the proper lighting required.
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