Report of the city of Somerville 1922, Part 12

Author: Somerville (Mass.)
Publication date: 1922
Publisher: Somerville, Mass.
Number of Pages: 472


USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1922 > Part 12


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West


Highland ave.


Arlington Br. R. R.


Private.


30


266.


200


tSidewalk in Somerville.


... ..


Washington av. Washington st. Northerly


30 to 40


Length


200


178


ANNUAL REPORTS.


Table Showing the Location, Length and Width of Public and Private Streets .- Concluded.


Street


From


To


Public or


Width in


Length


Private


Feet Public Private


Winslow ave.


College ave.


Clifton st.


Public.


40


1,123


....


Winter


College ave.


Holland st.


Public.


30


402


Winter Hill cir. Broadway


Northeasterly


Private.


25


....


583


Wisconsin ave. Broadway


Penn. ave.


Public.


50


499


...


Woodbine


Centre st.


Westerly


Private.


30


........


461


Woodbine Ex.


End of above


Lowell st.


Private.


35


........


.


...


*Woodstock (Extension)


(Ext'n.)


Private.


40


920


Wyatt circle


Wyatt st. around to Wyatt st.


Private.


20


.. .


315


Wyatt .


Concord ave.


Lincoln pkway Public


40


496


....


Yorktown


Cambridge line


N. E. line


Public.


40


294


Yorktown


Malvern ave.


Northerly


Private.


40


...


Court


39 Adams st.


Southeasterly


Private.


8


....


90


·Court


Albion st.


Central st.


Private.


12


216


Court


11 Albion st.


Northeasterly


Private.


9


178


Court


21 Albion st.


Northeasterly


Private.


10


....


100


Court


292 Broadway


Southwesterly


Private.


15


....


188


Court


Buena Vista rd.Easterly


Private.


15


....


59


Court


12 Carlton st.


Southeasterly


Private.


25


....


168


Court


113 Central st. Southeasterly


Private.


20


....


117


Court


36 Craigie st.


Westerly


Private.


25


126


Court


59 Craigie st.


Easterly


Private.


23.63


129


Court


58 Dane st.


Easterly


Private.


10


70


Court


20 Dimick st.


Southwesterly


Private.


39.25


. .


171


Court


35 Lexingtonave Northerly


Private.


21


90


Court


66 Lowell st.


Westerly


Private.


25


101


Court


78 Lowell st.


Westerly


Private.


25


....


75


Court


Sacramento st. Southeasterly


Private.


25


....


318


Court


335 Somervilleav Northerly


Private.


15


....


60


Court


10 Stone ave. Northwesterly.


Private.


20


113


Court


Windsor st. ex. E'ly and W'ly


Private.


20


370


Court


Washington ave Franklin st. Total


Private.


6


95


459,284


81,856


....


.


....


90


Court


612 Broadway


Southwesterly


Private.


20


....


145


Court


Cambria st.


Northerly


Private.


9


....


75


Court


112 Central st. Northwesterly


Private.


10


....


150


Court


227 Columbia st.Northwesterly


Private.


10


....


Conlon ct.


Windsor st. ex. Private.


20


...


1 .


Court


91 Franklin st. Westerly


Private.


12


...


. . .


. . ...


101


Court


101 Medford st. Easterly


Private.


8


....


....


....


...


*Proposed.


Public, 85.7622 miles [includes 1.406 miles of City Boulevard and Park Roadways, 2.331 miles of State Boulevard (Metropolitan Park Commission), and 1.596 miles State Highway]; private 15.1037.


Total length of streets in the city, 100.8659 miles.


212


*Woods ave.


North st.


Pow. House Bd. Private.


40


1,135


Woodstock


Victoria st.


Alewife brook


Public.


40 to 32


403


177


Winthrop ave.


Mystic ave.


Middlesex ave. Private.


40


...


Victoria st.


Tannery st.


....


240


Court


136


N. E. line


Malvern ave.


100


179


CHIEF ENGINEER FIRE DEPARTMENT.


REPORT OF CHIEF ENGINEER OF FIRE DEPARTMENT


Somerville, Mass., January 22, 1923.


To the Honorable, the Mayor, and the Board of Aldermen,


Gentlemen, - In compliance with the City Ordinance, I have the honor of submitting, for your information, the annual report of the fire department for the year ending December 31, 1922:


Alarms of Fire.


Number of bell alarms


279


Number of still alarms


652


Total alarms


931


Number in excess of 1921


82


Value of buildings at risk


$651,750 00


Insurance on buildings


794,000 00


Damage to buildings .


120,652 84


Value of contents


728,686 67


Insurance on contents


748,198 00


Damage to contents .


336,299 89


Total value at risk


1,380,436 67


Total insurance .


1,542,198 00


Total damage


456,852 73


Approximate per capita loss


4 80


List of Probable Causes.


Ammonia leak


1


Assault


1


Automatic


5


Automobile


35


Awning


1


Back draught


1


Bonfire


51


Broken gaspipe


5


Brush and leaves


6


Careless electrician


1


Careless Painter


3


Careless Plumber


2


Careless Roofer


1


Careless smokers


22


Carelessness with candle


6


Carelessness with gas


5


Carelessness with matches


13


Cat in tree


2


Children playing with matches


17


Cigars, cigarettes and pipes .


8


Coke bin .


1


Covering on steam pipe .


2


Defective heaters, chimneys, etc. Dry room .


40


2


Dump fires


103


180


ANNUAL REPORTS.


Electric cars


14


Electric wires and appliances .


18


False alarms


35


Fireworks


3


Friction


1


Frozen water front


1


Fumigating


2


Garage


3


Gasoline leaking


2


Gasoline on street .


1


Gas stove and range


4


Gasoline tank explosion .


1 87


Grease in blower


2


Heating oil on stove .


1


Horse in pit


3


Hot ashes in wooden receptacle Incendiary


31


Jack-O-Lantern


1


Kettle of fat or meat


11


Leaking illuminating gas


5


Leaking kerosene


2


Lightning


1


Lime .


1


Liquor stills


3


Mailing letter


1


Oil heaters, lamps and stoves Out of town


99


Overflow of oil, fuel


2


Overheated furnace and stove


12


Paper lantern .


2


Person locked out


3


Rags on stove .


1


Rekindle


4


Removing paint from auto


2


Rescue of man on roof .


1.


Rubbish in cellar and barrel Salamander


18


Spark from chimney


13


Spark from boiler


1


Spark from locomotive


13


Smoking in bed


1


Spark on roof .


14


Spark from open fireplace Sprinkler alarm


5


Sweepings in register


2


Smoke mistaken for fire .


24


Spontaneous combustion .


10


Second and Third Alarm


7


Tar barrel and kettle


3.


Test


3


Thawing water pipe .


6


Train wreck


1


Wood and paper near stove


7


Unknown


10


Unnecessary


69


.


·


.


931


1


2


13


Grass fire


6


181


DEPARTMENT.


Engine 1.


Engine 2.


Engine 4.


Engine 6.


Hose 3.


Hose 5.


Hose 7.


Hose 8.


Ladder 1.


Ladder 2.


Ladder 3.


Totals.


Bell alarms


214


165


95


50


125


69


93


91


101


85


95


279


Still alarms


84


21


24


163


64


42


64


144


16


9


21


652


Miles traveled


298


3331/2


198


210


2231/2


16912


339


126


151


188


24221%


Feet of 21/2 in. hose


19,600


13,600


5,850


7,750


186 9,000


8,000


24,670


Feet of chemical


10,600


3,850


8,750


12,000


9,500


4,750


56,200


Feet of ladders


40


36


60


168


46


60


1,274


1,855


1,526


5,055


Extinguishers


18


6


16


21


39


14


19


18


6


7


164


Gallons of chemical .


1,760


375


920


1,400


1,560


1,200


1,330


741


9,286


At other stations


8


Out of town


12


8


34


3


2


38


2


-


99


Rubber covers used .


2


-


1


-


4


8


14


CHIEF ENGINEER FIRE


.


.


3


1


1


2


1


-


33,000 6,750


121,470


182


ANNUAL REPORTS.


In Memoriam


LEBARON EMERY


Permanent


Appointed December 22, 1897 Died March 28, 1922


ELMER C. SHIERE


Permanent


Appointed November 14, 1899


Died November 30, 1922


183


CHIEF ENGINEER FIRE DEPARTMENT.


Manual Force.


The manual force consists of one hundred and twelve (112) permanent men, during the year two men have been retired and placed upon the pension list and two have died ; three men have been added from the eligible list of the Civil Service. The roster of the department is as follows :


1 Chief Engineer.


1 Deputy Chief.


2 District Chiefs.


7 Captains.


1 Master Mechanic.


10 Lieutenants.


3 Enginemen.


87 Permanent men.


Apparatus.


1 Second size, horse drawn, steam fire engine,


1 Horse drawn, combination chemical and hose wagon,


1 Tractor drawn, second size, steam fire engine,


1 Motor driven, 900 gallon pumping engine and hose wagon,


1 Motor driven, triple combination pumper and chemical engine,


5 Motor driven, combination chemical and hose wagons,


1 Motor driven, combination ladder truck and chemical,


2 Motor driven, ladder trucks,


. Motor driven, supply and wrecking car,


1 Automobile, Chief's car,


1 Automobile, Deputy Chief's car,


1 Automobile, District Chief's car,


1 Automobile, Master Mechanic's car,


1 Horse drawn ladder truck, in reserve,


1 Horse drawn, combination chemical and hose wagon, in reserve.


Horses.


Six horses are continued in the department being neces- sary for the operation of the apparatus in Engine 4 station; they are in very good condition, having been selected from the nineteen that were in service the previous year.


Hose.


The amount of serviceable hose is but 8,500 feet of two and one half inch double jacket rubber lined water hose and 1,950 feet of three quarter inch chemical hose. There has been 3,000 feet of new two and one-half inch purchased and 2,800 feet condemned, 1,100 feet of which was destroyed by acid while working at a fire at the Prison Point yard of the Boston & Maine R. R. There must be at least 2,000 feet of new hose purchased the coming year to maintain, any where near, the necessary amount.


184


ANNUAL REPORTS.


Brief Resume.


Two fires, one in the Medina Building in March and the other in the supply or stock building of the Boston Elevated Ry. in December, totalled $375,000, leaving but $75,000 to be distributed throughout the entire year classified, by months, as follows, -


January


.


$39,344 27


February


4,844 30


March


80,615 95


April


7,095 00


May


1,949 54


June


17,536 34


July


932 50


August .


950 00


September


652 00


October


3,430 00


November


1,966 75


.


December


297,536 09


$456,852 73


There have been twenty-six fires with an insurance loss in excess of $1,000. as follows, -


January 6, 5:15 P. M. 128 Linwood Street, White truck owned by C. Bowen & Sons, damage $1,300. Cause, filling gasoline tank.


January 8, 3: 10 P. M. Box 119, 38 Pearl Street, dwelling owned and occupied by John H. Meaney, damage to building $1,003, to contents $100. Cause, going to clothes closet with lighted candle.


January 25, 10: 57 A. M. Box 47, 2-2a West Street, dwell- ing owned by John Pierce, occupied by Patrick McCarthy et al., damage to building $936.75; to contents $188.05. Cause, oil stove in bathroom.


January 26, 6: 20 P. M. Box 341, 9-11 Stickney Avenue, factory owned and occupied by Edward F. Kemp, damage to building $3,748, to contents $9,385. Cause, woodwork too near chimney.


January 28, 9:54 P. M. Box 113, B & M. R. R. yard at Prison Point, 5 Passenger coaches, 1 baggage and 1 pay- master's car destroyed, damage $13,750. Cause, overheated stove in pay car.


January 29, 12: 29 A. M. Box 225, 6-8 Bow Street, Bacon Hall building owned by Herbert Jay, occupied by R. H. Missereau et als. damage to building $752, to contents $4,- 510.75. Cause, unknown, started in rubbish in fruit store cellar.


185


CHIEF ENGINEER FIRE DEPARTMENT.


February 4, 2:07 P. M. Box 42, B. & M. R. R. freight yard off Kent Street, empty freight car belonging to N. & W. R. R. damage $1,100. Cause, set by boys.


March 5, 12-44 A. M. Box 443, a general alarm was sounded for this fire, Medina Building 6-12 Davis Square owned by John Medina Estate, occupied by stores and apart- ments ; Miss Catherine Perkins was suffocated at this fire ; damage to building $34,371.30; to contents $27,061.09. Prob- able cause, careless smoker in basement.


March 10, 7:37 P. M. Box 225, 332 Somerville Avenue, store and tenement owned by E. M. Gladstone; occupant Wm. Mendelson, Jeweler, damage to building $50, to contents $1,- 080. Spontaneous combustion.


March 17, 7:25 A. M. Box 19, 13 Joy Street, dwelling owned by F. G. Articary and occupied by same, damage to building $1,249, to contents $500. Cause, spark on shingle roof.


March 18, 8:17 A .. M. Box 36, 140 Central Street, dwell- ing owned by Dr. Charles F. Maguire, occupants, Alex. F. Morgan and George Simpson, damage to building $1,704, to contents $1,194. Cause, children going to closet with match.


March 24, 3:33 P. M. Box 114, a second alarm was sounded for this fire, 50-56 Joy Street, hay and coal sheds owned and occupied by Colbert Bros., damage to buildings $8,560, to contents $7,650. Cause, spark from a locomotive.


April 6, 8:39 P. M. Box 24, 535 Winsor Street, wood sheds owned by Waitzkin Bros. occupant Barron Bros. bundle wood, damage to building $2,820, to contents $3,335. Cause, unknown.


June 14, 3: 06 A. M. Box 428, a second alarm was sounded for this fire, 29-31 Newberne Street, factory building owned by F. B. Horseman, occupants Griffin-Weene Bag Co. et als. damage to building $4,585, to contents $12,324.34. Cause unknown, sprinkler valves were closed.


October 19, 2:52 A. M. Box 14, 50 Tufts Street, stable owned by D. Mulcahey, occupied by John Bergman, damage to building $650, to contents $1,000. Cause, liquor still caught fire.


October 31, 9:31 P. M. Box 212, Boynton Yard, three freight cars of B. & M. R. R. damage $16,265. Cause, set by boys.


December 2, 8:36 P. M. Box 46, 681-685 Somerville Avenue owned by J. E. Locatelli, occupied by Morris Saval et als. damage to building $2,300, to contents $2,000. Cause, carelessness with matches.


December 6, 11 : 14 A. M. Box 43, 28 Forest Street, dwell- ing owned by Lenno Zammarchi, occupied by owner, damage


186


ANNUAL REPORTS.


to building $1,006, to contents $198. Cause, overheated fur- nace.


December 6, 6:19 P. M. Box 443, 90 Dover Street, store owned by Parke Snow Corp. occupied by A. L. Gaudet, damage to building $449, to contents $1,786.65. . Cause, carelessness with matches.


December 10, 4: 42 A. M. Box 156, in rear George Street, Charlestown, stock building owned by Boston Elevated Ry. a total loss, damage to building $11,900, to contents $250,000. Cause, unknown.


December 11, 7: 07 P. M. Box 27, 370 Somerville Avenue, Drug store owned and occupied by Charles S. Lombard, dam- age to building $856, to contents $1,642.74. Cause, gas plate too near woodwork.


December 12, 10:27 A. M. Box 117, 78-84 Broadway. block of stores owned by J. I. Miller et als. occupied by J. T. Connor Co. et als. damage to buildings $2,435, to contents $4,- 442.03. Cause, rubbish on top of furnace.


December 14, 6:27 A. M. Box 114, 39 Poplar Street. dwelling and shed owned and occupied by Abram Greenberg. damage to building $1,086. to contents $316. Cause, un- known.


December 15, 9:23 P. M. a general alarm was sounded from Box 42, 285 Beacon Street, coal and wood yard and buildings owned and occupied by J. P. O'Neil, damage to buildings $5,100, to contents $6,200. Cause, unknown.


December 20, 2:30 A. M. Box 21, 4b South Street, store and tenements owned by A. S. Scotti, occupants Nic Cremaldi et als, damage to building $904, to contents $300. Cause, cigarette thrown under counter.


December 31, 11:14 P. M. Box 427, a second alarm was sounded for this fire, stable and shed owned and occupied by Gilman Express Co., John E. Palmer Prop. damage to build- ing $2,000, to contents $4,900. Nineteen horses were killed at this fire. Cause unknown.


Dump fires. This class of alarms amounts to practically one-sixth of the total alarms of the year and has required the services of one or more pieces of apparatus for hundreds of hours, thereby taking them from the stations and positions assigned them for the extinguishment of legitimate fires ·and uncovering their respective districts to an unnecessary and dangerous extent. An ordinance, of a restrictive character, should be made to reduce this hazard.


Defective heaters, chimneys and smoke pipes. Owing to the shortage of coal and the use of many makeshifts for fuel, the conditions of heaters and chimneys will rapidly become a source of grave danger, every owner and tenant of shop and


187


CHIEF ENGINEER FIRE DEPARTMENT.


home should give his personal attention to inspecting and keeping clear and clean boiler tubes, smoke pipes and chim- neys thereby materially reducing this class of causes of fire, . inasmuch as a chimney fire being centrally located in a build- ing makes a disagreeable, dirty and dangerous fire and results in a considerable loss to building and especially to contents.


False alarms and bonfires. I should be delinquent in my duties if I failed to mention this class of alarms, each year I have called attention to their great number and the attendant danger and expense, during the past year there have been several cases, in the Police Court, of persons sounding false alarms and in some instances a punishment has been imposed ; I strongly urge continued and greater efforts towards investi- gation and prosecution of this class of criminals, that this unnecessary abuse of apparatus and equipment be reduced.


Recommendations.


I again recommend the discontinuance of the present Engine No. 4 Station, at the corner of Grove Street and High- land Avenue, and the erection of an up-to-date station for the housing of the motor equipment necessary to make this station effective; the horse-drawn apparatus consisting of a steam fire engine and a horse-drawn combination chemical and hose wagon should be replaced with a motor pumping engine and a motor double tank combination chemical and hose car; the efficiency of such an equipment is unquestioned and the ex- pense of operation will be 85% less than the horse-drawn, comparison being made with like equipment at Engine No. 2 Station, Engine 2 and Hose 8 requiring $202.82 for gasoline and oil as against $1,440.02 for feed, shoeing, harness repairs and veterinary service at Engine No. 4 Station.


A new car for the use of the District Chief should be provided to replace a ten year old roadster that was purchased second-hand seven years ago.


In Conclusion.


In concluding my report I wish to thank His Honor the Mayor and the Board of Aldermen for their confidence and consideration ; to the officers and members of the department commendation is due for their zeal and success in the per- formance of their duties.


Respectfully submitted,


SEWALL M. RICH,


Chief Engineer.


188


ANNUAL REPORTS.


REPORT OF SANITARY DEPARTMENT


March 3, 1923.


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 Sanitary Department for the year 1922.


Collection of Ashes and Paper.


January


12,760


3,760


March


13,755


3,520


April


9,780


3,310


May


9,150


3,850


June


8,000


5,100


July


7,350


4,800


August


5,890


4,100


September


5,970


3,700


October


6,688


4,010


November


8,510


3,680


December


11,790


3,980


Totals


.


109,913


47,230


Departmental Revenue.


Sale of Garbage


$2,853 45


Manure


20


Horses, dump carts, offal wagons, etc. .


3,739 79


$6,343 24


During the year the Sanitary Department paid to the Highway Department $4,197.30 for the use of teams and $828.00 for board of horses.


.


February


Ashes (Cubic Yards)


Paper (Cubic Yards)


10,270


3,420


189


SANITARY DEPARTMENT.


Commencing June 12, 1922 the garbage has been col- lected by a contractor, the contract price being $33,000 per year for five years with a yearly increase of $300.


The paper and combustible materials are being disposed of at the incinerator plant. Ashes are collected principally by automobile trucks, deemed necessary as there are no nearby dumps. There is no public dump within 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.


190


ANNUAL REPORTS.


REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS.


City Hall, Somerville, January 1, 1923.


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, 1922.


The total valuation of the property which is in the custody of the public buildings department is approximately $3,591,206.


The total expenditures for the year 1922 for the care and maintenance of this property was $232,089.59.


This amount was expended as follows :


Janitors


Fuel


Light


Care and Repairs


Totals


School Buildings .


$58,242 59


$39,877 15


$10,077 77


$59,497 50


$167,695 01


Municipal Buildings


5,170 97


1,629 13


1,527 05


3,254 95


11,582 10


Polling Places


1 40


28 56


679 12


709 08


Police Buildings


1,961 19


1,177 38


718 97


2,500 51


6,358 05


Fire Buildings ..


4,809 86


3,110 06


7,776 62


15,696 54


Electrical Dept. Bldg.


880 00


208 12


139 68


159 86


1,387 66


Contagious Hospital


416 00


1,599 78


420 88


1,011 20


3,447 86


Sewer Buildings


44 00


49 13


489 18


582 31


Sanitary Buildings .


88 20


187 96


370 30


646 46


Highway


Buildings


703 42


221 57


899 06


1,824 05


City Home Buildings


1,933 99


694 37


1,686 14


4,314 50


Central Library


3,068 00


1,169 08


1,167 88


547 08


5,952 04


West Branch Library


1,408 00


519 31


397 81


142 97


2,468 09


East Branch Library


1,101 00


155 38


205 07


53 15


1,514 60


Union Sq. Br. Library


1,122 48


445 52


290 43


264 05


2,122 48


Park Buildings


378 00


175 50


551 29


414 77


1,519 56


Bathhouse


1,025 09


1,506 40


2,531 49


Bandstand


412 87


412 87


Water Buildings


811 70


318 84


194 30


1,324 84


$74,773 32


$55,348 92


$20,107 32


$81,860 03


$232,089 59


.


...


...


Inspection of Buildings.


The Commissioner of Public Buildings is also the in- spector of buildings according to the terms of the charter and as such during the past year has made 2688 formal in- spections of buildings in the process of construction.


191


COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS.


The following table shows the number of permits issued for building operations during the year 1922: -


WARDS


Buildings


1


2


3


4


5


6


7 Totals


Dwellings


38


49


25


25


45


49


189


420


Stores


10


4


5


3


7


6


9


44


Dwellings & Stores


2


2


2


2


1


3


3


15


Garages


42


32


36


38


44


65


154


411


Storage


7


7


1


7


1


3


4


30


Manufactories


1


7


....


2


....


..


Sheds


6


6


....


2


1


1


5


21


Offices


3


2


..


....


...


....


5


Stables


2


2


3


....


....


10


Shops


3


..


...


....


1


....


...


....


2


Gasoline Stations


....


....


....


2


2


....


2


6


Greenhouse


....


....


....


....


....


....


1


Creameries


2


....


....


....


....


1


5


Theatres


....


....


....


....


....


1


1


2


Stores and Offices


....


1


....


....


....


....


1


3


Miscellaneous


2


2


1


2


....


....


7


Totals


. 120


113


73


94


103


132


378


1013


Wood


Fire-resisting


Totals


New buildings


226


441


667


Alterations


296


27


323


Totals


.


.


23 buildings torn down


WARDS


Buildings


1


2


3


4


5


6


7 Totals


Wood


61


70


30


41


48


58


210


518


Wood and Cement


....


....


....


....


1


4


7


12


Wood and Concrete


1


....


....


1


1


....


3


6


Fireproofed wood


1


4


4


3


....


1


2


15


Brick


4


5


4


6


2


8


10


39


Brick and wood


3


2


....


1


1


1


....


8


Brick and Concrete


5


4


....


2


3


3


7


24


Cement block


25


15


29


26


27


45


118


285


Concrete


19


7


2


12


6


6


17


69


Steel


1


6


4


2


10


5


3


31


Wood and glass


....


....


....


....


....


....


Stucco


....


....


....


....


....


....


1


1


Wood and Stucco


....


....


....


....


4


....


....


4


Totals


·


120


113


73


94


103


132


378


1013


...


2


Halls


....


1


1


....


....


....


Chemical Laboratory


....


....


. . .


....


7


14


Churches


2


Bakery


1


....


2


....


3


....


1


3


....


1


1


1


2


....


....


1


2


Warehouse


.


.


522


468


990


·


.


.


1


1


....


.


10


192


ANNUAL REPORTS.


The number of plumbing permits issued during 1922, was. 415 Number of permits for plumbing in new buildings . 223 .


· Number of permits for plumbing in old buildings . .


· 192


Number of buildings in which soil pipes were tested . . 341


The total estimated cost of new buildings and altera- tions during the year 1922 was $3,136,602, while the estimated cost in 1921 was $1,838,455, showing an increase of $1,298,- 147.


The total number of permits issued during the year 1922, viz. 1013, was 299 more than during the year 1921, when 714 permits for new buildings and alterations were issued, showing an increase of 41 per cent.


There has been considerable speculative building of dwell- ings going on this year, or to be exact there were permits issued for 194 new buildings housing 401 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 alteration 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 1922 amounted to $2618.


The Commissioner has under his charge and direction the work of maintenance and upkeep 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 eleven 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 build- ings, 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 depart- ment 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 was sent out for bids for supplying the necessary tonnage of both Anthracite and Bituminous coal for the city buildings for the winter of 1922 and the spring of 1923.


Owing to mine troubles and railroad conditions, it was impossible to obtain bids for fuel this year. Lack of high


193


COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS.


grade soft and Anthracite coal in Boston markets made the situation look quite uncertain. However, the Commissioner succeeded in obtaining through several local Boston concerns a very high grade of New River soft coal at an exceedingly low price.


There are, however, several plants where it is almost impossible to obtain any results from soft coal. It has been possible, however, to keep these plants supplied with Anthra- cite coal.




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