USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1921 > Part 23
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The extension to the present service has been installed in the Prescott, Knapp, Northern Junior High and Hanscom School buildings.
Changes were made in nine rooms in the High School building by enlarging and lowering the present lighting fixtures.
Heating :
At the Bell School additional radiation has been installed in a basement room, thus bringing the temperature of this room up to a satisfactory standard for school purposes.
At the Eastern Junior High School a new connection has been in- stalled between the heat and fan ducts which has obviated the objec- tionable noise made by the motor and fan.
A new hot water system has been installed in the cooking-room of the Northern Junior High school, thus filling a much needed want.
At the Bennett School, a new 500-gallon hot water boiler and heater have replaced the gas hot water heater for shower baths which has already nearly paid for itself besides giving an unlimited supply of hot water.
Furniture :
Owing to changes in grades in several of the school build- ings, we have been obliged to change several rooms of furniture during the past year as follows :
1
317
COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
One room in Bingham School.
Two rooms in Knapp School.
One room in Baxter School.
One room in Bennett School.
New furniture has been purchased, including teachers' desks, and chairs, 75 guest chairs, two new couches, and pupil's desks and chairs for grade schools.
New tablet arm chairs have been purchased for recitation rooms of the several junior high schools.
Folding chairs have been purchased for the several school halls, thereby filling a much needed want and saving of money in transporta- tion.
We now have Halls equipped as follows :
Eastern Junior High
200 Folding Chairs
Southern Junior High
.
100
66
Western Junior
High
200
66
66
Knapp School
100
66
66
Burns School
75
66
Bingham School
250
66
66
Brown School
100
66
Cutler School
100
66
66
High School .
.
1,400
66
These halls are meeting the community requirements of their several districts for public meetings and for social and community work, as well as adding to the general educational work of the various schools.
Fire Department Buildings.
There has been considerable work done and many im- provements made in the several fire department buildings.
The apparatus floor of Engine Six House has been re- modelled. The horse stalls have been done away with, thus making a large repair shop in the rear, enclosed with a parti- tion with large doors, so that the apparatus may be run into the shop from the main floor.
At the Union Square Fire Station, the floor framing was reinforced to sustain the weight of the new apparatus.
Engine Six House has been thoroughly painted outside. Heating :
A new steam heating plant was installed in Engine Six House, doing away with the old combination heater. Additional heating sur- face was installed making provisions for alteration for new sleeping quarters which are anticipated with the growth of the house.
.
200
66
Northern Junior High
Bennett School
100
300
Carr School
318
ANNUAL REPORTS.
At Hose 8 House, a new steam heating plant was installed, doing away with the old combination heater which was wholly inadequate to properly heat the building. Additional heating surface was added providing for shop in the rear of the apparatus floor, also for rooms on the second floor.
The most pressing needs for this year will be the fol- lowing :
New boiler in Engine Two.
Changes on 2nd floor of Engine 6, making new sleeping quarters, Chief's room and recreation room.
New floor in shop, Central Station, and apparatus floor, Engine Two.
Several other minor repairs are being considered and will be carried out as far as necessary.
I urgently recommend something being done at Engine Four House. This building is in such bad shape that it does not seem wise to spend any money on repairs, and as a fire station is needed in this locality, I urgently recommend it being torn down and a modern building erected on a new site where the land is less valuable, thus making a vacant lot for commercial purposes which will bring in much needed revenue to the city. There is much material in the present building which could be used in the new.
Municipal Buildings.
The municipal buildings consisting of City Hall and City Hall Annex, are in fair condition generally.
Considerable new fittings and furniture have been re- quested by the various departments.
During the past year only such repairs as were absolutely necessary were attended to.
I most urgently recommend the connection of the heating plants of the City Hall and City Hall Annex with the Central Heating Plant which would save considerable coal.
Libraries.
Very few repairs were necessary at any of the libraries the past year as the buildings are in very fair condition.
The exterior of the East Somerville Branch Library build- ing was repainted with two coats and much of the furniture refinished.
At the West Somerville Branch Library the roof has received much needed repairs.
319
COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
There is also quite a little new furniture required this year which is much needed.
Water, Highway, Sanitary and Sewer Buildings.
Water Buildings :
A new heating plant has been installed in the Water Department building, and the old boiler and pump removed, making a shop out of the old boiler room. This called for the installation of considerable new radiation, allowance for which was made when the boiler was installed.
The new boiler was set up in the basement making a gravity heating plant, doing away with the pump and receiver, thus allowing the plant to be operated on any pressure from vapor to 15 pounds, according to weather conditions.
Highway Buildings :
A new heating plant has been installed in the shed now used as a garage with an upright boiler large enough to take care of addi- tional heating surface when required.
A new building should be erected for a garage of first class construction, properly heated, to take care of the ever increasing demands for motorized apparatus.
The Highway, Sanitary and Sewer Buildings call for many repairs. Stall bottoms must be replaced, roof and other repairs made each year.
Hospital Buildings.
General repairs were made this last year in these build- ings as follows :
Quite extensive repairs were made to piazzas, steps, etc. and some painting was done on the interior.
There is still much to be done, however, in order to keep these buildings in proper sanitary condition,
City Home Buildings.
These buildings are old buildings and continually in need of repairs and replacements.
Considerable work has been done in the past year and there is still more to be done this year.
During the past year a new henhouse has been added to the farm buildings enabling the Overseer to handle a much larger line of poultry. The piggery has been altered over so that this building may also be used for poultry.
320
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Besides these repairs considerable furniture had to be purchased.
Request has been made by the Overseers of the Poor for quite an amount of work to be done this coming year.
Police.
There have been many needed repairs made to this build- ing during the past year, but there are still more needed, which we hope to accomplish this coming year.
Additional furniture has been bought and a new office fitted up for the inspector in charge of automobile listing, which is required by law.
I urgently recommend that a new heating plant be install- ed in the stable and garage in the rear. This is needed to properly heat these buildings as the heater in the stable is beyond repair and there is no heat in the garage.
Bathhouse.
The public bathhouse on the Mystic River at Wellington Bridge was opened and maintained as usual this year with a good attendance.
We were able to secure 500 tons of sand for the resanding of the beach which was greatly appreciated by the patrons.
I would recommend building a permanent breakwater to save this building from being undermined. Every year the bank is being cut into by the rough water during the winter, until a part of the fence, recently erected by the Metropolitan Park Commission, is undermined.
The present bathing beach should be dredged out so as to have water at low tide.
Park Buildings.
This coming year the building located in Broadway Park will need considerable attention in the way of repairs as the building leaks badly and new sills must be installed.
I heartily recommend the erection of a permanent band- stand in Broadway Park, as it is fair to assume that we will continue to have more band concerts here in the future than in the past, and there is no permanent place to have such affairs in the city.
An addition has been made to the appropriation for a new recreation building to be located in Recreation Field, West
321
COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
Somerville, this building to have toilet facilities for the public and locker and shower bath rooms for the various athletic teams.
Drawings have been made by the Building Commissioner for such a building and an appropriation of about $10,000 stands available to be used this year.
In General.
The Building Commissioner 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.
322
ANNUAL REPORTS.
REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF ELECTRIC LINES AND LIGHTS.
Somerville, Mass., January 1, 1922.
To the Honorable, the Mayor and the Board of Aldermen of the City of Somerville.
Gentlemen : -
I most respectfully submit my thirteenth annual report as Commissioner of Electric Lines and Lights for the year end- ing December 31, 1921.
Inspection of Wiring in Buildings.
The number of installations of wiring for light, heat and power have increased materially over last year, consequently requiring a greater number of inspections.
More new buildings have been erected and more old build- ings have been wired than last year.
The rules and requirements of the "National Electrical Code" under which all work is done necessitates a most careful and systematic inspection of all installations of electrical work to make sure that all of the requirements have been lived up to.
The work as a whole shows an improvement and no fires have resulted that can be laid directly to defective wiring.
I again call attention to the practice of attaching flat irons, washing machines and cooking appliances to lighting fixtures which cannot be too strongly condemned.
It not only overloads the circuit but requires the replacing of proper fuses, which are placed to properly protect the fix- tures and sockets, with larger fuses to carry the additional load and are not approved.
Separate circuits should be run for such attachments.
Any changes in the original wiring or connected load should be reported immediately to the inspection department.
Number of notifications of new work . 1741
Number of inspections of new work .
2367
Number of re-inspections of new work 246
Number of inspections of old work 100
Number of defective installations of old work
10
Number of defective installations remedied 10
Number of re-inspections of old work
26
Total number of inspections
2739
323
COMMISSIONER OF ELECTRIC LINES AND LIGHTS.
Number of permits issued to the Edison Electric Il- luminating Co., for installing meters, lamps, etc. 3316 Number of permits issued to the Malden Electric Co. 1 Number of permits issued to the Charlestown Gas & Electric Co., 1
Fire Alarm System.
The Fire Alarm System is in first class condition and is giving excellent service.
The ice storm of November 28th and 29th, caused consid- erable damage to the Fire Alarm System but it was kept in working order throughout the entire storm.
Some replacements of equipment are necessary.
The storage batteries which supply current for the Fire Alarm System have been in constant use since 1917 and will have to be replaced this coming year.
266 bell alarms have been received and transmitted during the year.
Over the central telephone desk with connections to each Fire Station 564 calls for fire have been received and telephone alarms sent to the different stations.
3 A. D. T. alarms have been received at headquarters and transmitted over our own system to the Fire Stations.
The central office equipment 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 transmiter. -
- 5 circuit punching registers. 2
13 punching registers and take up reels.
2 automatic time and date stamps.
1 master clock.
940 cells storage battery.
5-10 foot, 4-shelf battery racks.
4 metropolitan tappers and 2 gongs.
The apparatus outside the central office consists of the following :
131 signal boxes.
8 tower strikers.
45 gongs.
10 punching registers.
20 tappers.
1 automatic steam whistle.
9 private telephones. About 60 miles of overhead wires.
About 78 miles of underground wires.
324
ANNUAL REPORTS.
2800 feet of new twisted pair wire has been run and 2000 feet of old overhead wire has been replaced by new.
No new underground wires were installed last year but provisions are made to continue the work during the present year.
Police Signal System.
The Police Signal System is giving the same excellent service as in former years.
Boxes have been thoroughly tested and found to be in good working order. Some replacements have been made this past year and some others will have to be made this year on ac- count of wear.
The system consists of the following :
1 -4 circuit police desk.
59 street signal boxes.
4 special boxes. .
About 1912 miles of overhead wires.
About 13 miles of underground wires.
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 num- ber of defective poles have been replaced by companies own- ing same. New poles have been placed in locations granted for the purpose of supplying lighting and telephone service and abandoned poles have been removed.
New poles
Re- placed
Re- moved
Re- set
New England Telephone & Telegraph Company .
1
12
1
2
Edison Electric Illuminating Company Boston Elevated Railway Company Permits given to the New England Tel. & Tel. Co., for attachments to the Edison Company's poles
32
74
5
2
11
1
16
239
Permits given to the Edison Electric Ill. Co., for attachments to the New England Tel. & Tel. Com- pany's poles
107
Street Lighting.
The matter of street lighting has had the same atten- tion as in previous years and additional lights have been placed in various parts of the City.
More lights are required in the western part of the City as some new streets are inadequately lighted.
325
COMMISSIONER OF ELECTRIC LINES AND LIGHTS.
Our contract with the Edison Company for street light- ing having expired, the cost of street lighting has been material- ly increased, necessitating economy in the placing of new lights.
Additional spot lights have been installed at places where traffic officers are posted and are of great assistance to them.
The new "white way" system of lights is being installed in Union Square and will soon be in use.
The number of Street lights January 1, 1922, are as fol- lows :
134 Magnetite lights. 376-600 C. P. lights. 117-125 C. P. lights. 945- 60 C. P. lights.
Recommendation.
I respectfully recommend that an assistant inspector he employed to enable the department to more thoroughly cover all old installations of electrical wiring 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 many courtesies received.
Respectfully yours,
WALTER I. FULLER,
Commissioner of Electric Lines and Lights.
326
ANNUAL REPORTS.
REPORT OF SANITARY DEPARTMENT
January 25, 1922.
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 Sani- tary Department for the year 1921.
Collection of Ashes and Paper.
Ashes (Cubic Yards)
Paper (Cubic Yards)
January
16,255
3,280
February
12,032
2,960
March . .
14,300
3,240
May
.
9,005
3,300
June
6,240
3,775
July
6.045
3,800
August
7,115
4,150
September
7,025
3,920
October
7,890
4,000
November
8,215
3,640
December
8,485
3,590
Totals
113,344
42,695
During the year the Sanitary Department paid to the Highway Department $6,601.59 for the use of teams. Collec- tions of garbage amounted to about 2,100 cords, all of which was disposed of at the department yard.
Departmental Revenue.
Sale of garbage
$9,960 00
The equipment and its valuation 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
.
April
10,737
3,040
.
327
SANITARY DEPARTMENT
The incinerator plant was damaged by fire in January. It has been restored and the paper and combustible materials are being disposed of at the incinerator building. Ashes are collected principally by automobile trucks, deemed necessary as there are no nearby dumps. There is no public dump with- in the city limits and those now used by this department are located in the city of Medford and are subject to the rules and regulations of the Medford Board of Health.
Respectfully submitted, EDGAR T. MAYHEW, Supt. of Sanitary Department.
L
11
328
ANNUAL REPORTS.
REPORT OF THE LICENSE COMMISSION.
To His Honor the Mayor,
Dear Sir :-
The License Commission respectfully begs leave to submit to you and the people of our city the following report of its engagements and activities during the year 1921. The commis- sion entered upon the second year of its activities with a wider knowledge of conditions, gained through personal inspections of the licensed locations.
The practise of transferring licenses without a fee was discontinued this year and the fee for second hand automobile licenses increased so that the revenue from licenses granted by this commission was more than doubled.
Applications from Common Victuallers, Lord's Day, Lodging House, Inn Holders, Druggist and Automobile Dealers Licenses were received and acted upon by the Commission as herein set forth.
Common Victuallers.
87 Applications Received.
85 Licenses Granted.
2 Applications Rejected. Licenses Transferred.
16 Licenses Revoked.
Lord's Day.
203 Applications Received.
190 Licenses Granted.
13 Applications Rejected. Licenses Transferred.
27 Licenses Revoked.
Lodging House.
42 Applications Received.
40 Licenses Granted.
2 Applications Rejected. Licenses Transferred.
2 Licenses Revoked.
Inn Holders.
2 Applications Received.
2 Applications Granted. Applications Rejected. Licenses Transferred. Licenses Revoked.
-
329
LICENSE COMMISSION.
Automobile Dealers' Licenses.
39 Applications Received. 39 Licenses Granted. Applications Rejected. Applications Transferred. Licenses Revoked.
Third Class Liquor Licenses.
19 Licenses Granted.
The following is a financial statement of the receipts and expenditures of the Commission for the year 1921.
Receipts.
Appropriation from City Government .
$525 00
Fees from Licenses Issued
2,198 25
Gross Receipts
$2,723 25
Expenditures.
Salaries of Assistants
$400 00
Supplies and Postage
124 54
$524 54
524 54
Balance
$2,198 71
Net Revenue.
Fees Received
$2,198 25
Appropriations used
$524 54
Balance of Appropriation Returned .
46
525 00
Net Revenue
$1,673 25
Respectfully submitted,
EUGENE M. CARMAN, Chairman, WILLIAM H. SMITH, WILLIAM J. SHANAHAN.
330
ANNUAL REPORTS.
.
SOMERVILLE WATER WORKS.
SOMERVILLE, MIDDLESEX CO., MASSACHUSETTS. Settled, when part of Charlestown, 1630. (Home of Colonial Governor John Winthrop). Incorporated a town, 1842. Established a city, 1872.
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, 1920 census, 93,033. Present population, estimated, 95,000. 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. CHARLES W. ELDRIDGE
Water Commissioner. FRANK E. MERRILL
Office of the Water Department. Room 10, City Hall.
Department Buildings and Yard. Cedar street, near Broadway.
331
WATER DEPARTMENT.
ADMINISTRATION OF WATER WORKS VESTED AS FOLLOWS:
1868-1871 SOMERVILLE MYSTIC WATER COMMITTEE (5) Acts 1868; Chap. 202
1872 -1890 SOMERVILLE MYSTIC WATER BOARD (5)
. Acts 1871; Chap. 182
1891-1897 SOMERVILLE MYSTIC WATER BOARD (3) Acts 1890; Chap. 218
1898-1899 BOARD OF WATER COMMISSIONERS (3) Acts 1898; Chap. 33
1900 WATER COMMISSIONER (1) Acts 1899; Chap. 240
332
ANNUAL REPORTS.
REPORT OF THE WATER COMMISSIONER.
OFFICE OF THE WATER COMMISSIONER, January, 1922.
To His Honor, the Mayor, and the Board of Aldermen : -
I present herewith my report for the year ending Decem- ber 31, 1921, this being the forty-eighth annual report of the water department and my twenty-second as water commission- er
Revenue and Expenditures. Water bills have been issued as follows : -
"Annual" water charges, amounting to .
$38,716 75
"Additional" water charges, amounting to
1,147 10
"Metered" water charges, amounting to .
218,857 65
$258,721 50
Abatements and refunds on above charges: Changes from "Annual" to "Meter" basis,
$4,382 53
Uncollectible
307 88
Other reasons
231 29
Carried forward for collection ·
70 69
4,992 39
Income from sale of water
$253,729 11
Receipts; water service assessments
$5,408 19
Receipts; labor and materials sold: -
Misc. accounts charged $6,838 40
Abatements:
Uncollectible $410 31
Other reasons 16 23
Carried forward 38 79
465 33
6,373 07
11,781 26
Total income of water works .
$265,510 37
This amount was used as follows : -
For water works purposes : -
Under Control of the Water Commissioner.
Water Works
Mainte-
nance
$60,987 29
Water Works extension 15,958 54
Miscellaneous accounts · 6,373 07
$83,318 90
.
333
WATER DEPARTMENT.
Not Under Control of the Water Commissioner.
Metropolitan water works assessment
$133,989 84
Maintenance water works buildings . 2,442 93
$136,432 77
For other municipal purposes : -
Not Under Control of the Water Commissioner.
Surplus
$45,758 70
$265,510 37
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.
Department Receipts and Disbursements.
WATER MAINTENANCE ACCOUNT.
Appropriations made by Board of Aldermen . Credit on refund . $ 75
$68,875 00
Credit on materials exchanged 440 00
440 75
Department accounts; receipts
550 63
Water works extension account; receipts
12,294 13
Amount expended for labor and materials for operation, maintenance, and renewal of the water works .
$60,987 29
Amount expended for materials used in ex- tension of the water works . .
12,294 13
Miscellaneous accounts ·
6,373 07
Labor and materials furnished municipal de- partments ·
550 63
Refund and exchange; Contra
440 75
Transfer by Board of Aldermen to other de- partments .
625 00
Balance: Unexpended
889 64
$82,160 51
$82,160 51
WATER WORKS EXTENSION ACCOUNT.
Appropriations made by Board of Aldermen Amount expended for labor and materials used in extension of the water works Balance: unexpended
$16,100 00
$15,958 54
141 46
$16,100 00
$16,100 00
334
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Cost of Water Works.
The total cost of water works on December 31, 1920, as represented by the expenditures from appropriations for water works ex- tension was . ·
$1,079,248 19
Expended during the year 1921, on extension account .
15,958 54
Total expenditures, December 31, 1921 . $1,095,206 73
Water Works Income from 1898 and its Distribution.
The water income and its distribution from 1898 to 1921, inclusive, is shown in the following table: -
Total water income $5,665,709 55
Distribution : -
Water Works Account.
Water Works Construction, Renewal,
Maintenance, Operation and Miscellane-
ous Accounts
$1,434,373 07
Water bonds
274,000 00
Interest .
86,575 00
Metropolitan Water Assessments .
2,277,789 74
Maintenance Water Works buildings 8,292 26
$4,081,030 07
Other Municipal Accounts.
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