USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1922 > Part 13
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Prices were higher for the same grade of coal than dur- ing 1921, owing to these troubles and lack of supply, but the mild weather during the year 1922 made the total cost of fuel $15,623.25 less than in 1921.
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 ele- vators must be filed in this office and certificates of approval granted by the Commissioner.
During the year 1922, there were 144 elevators inspected and 36 orders for repairs to be made to 64 elevators, sent to the owners.
Plans and specifications were filed and applications granted for the installation of 3 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 de- partment sends out a blank to be filled in by both the princi- pals and janitors of the school buildings for all requisitions and repairs needed.
These repairs and requests are taken up with the Super- intendent 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 in the Fall. Then the others are taken up in the order of their importance.
194
ANNUAL REPORTS.
This in itself is a huge task as the wants of every section must be taken into consideration.
Among the necessary repairs taken care of this past year are the following :
Five boilers were retubed. A number of grates were installed and repairs made on 16 other boilers.
Plaster repairs were made in 13 buildings.
Plumbing repairs and new installations were made in 14 build- ings.
New water service with larger main installed in Brown School.
CARPENTER WORK:
It is with great pleasure that the Commissioner can re- port many much needed repairs in all the school buildings during the past summer vacation. Much of this work was accomplished with our own carpenters and a great deal by outside contractors. These repairs consist in general of the following :
Installing window sashes Replacing window cords Repairing and tightening furniture Replacing worn stair treads
Erecting fences
Extensive alterations and changes in several buildings.
At the High School, room 301 has been fitted with raised platforms for seats, a new silver screen erected and electric attachments run for a new stereopticon lantern, new folding chairs installed, thus making a complete assembly room for stereoptican purposes.
At the Boys' Vocational School on Tufts Street, the walls of the Machine Shop have been fitted with plaster board and sheathed with hard pine, tinted and varnised, a new type of lighting fixtures installed and new curtains fitted to the windows. This work has added greatly to the warmth of the building and gives a more comfortable and lighter shop for the pupils.
PAINTING.
It was possible this year to have several buildings painted both on the interior and exterior, and the Commissioner hopes this coming summer to extend this work. Special attention has been given to the selection of tints for the interior work in order that the best lighting effects might be obtained in order to relieve any possible eye strain.
195
COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
Early in the summer invitations were issued to several master painters to submit estimates for interior painting at the Carr, Lowe, Lincoln, Burns, Durell, Forster, Glines, Edgerly, High and Baxter School buildings. There were eight bids received and the awards were made as follows:
William Stern Lincoln
John Lingard. Burns, Glines and Edgerly
August Johnson & Co Forster, High and Baxter
Walter J. Godfrey Carr, Lowe and Durrell
The interior of the Cummings School was painted earlier in the year by F. M. Rogers & Co. at a cost of $497.
In the same manner estimates were obtained for exteri- or painting at the Carr, Cummings, and Hodgkins School buildings, and awards were made as follows:
William Stern Hodgkins F. M. Rogers & Co. Cummings
James L. Flynn. . Carr
The cost of this painting was $6955.
On all school buildings the outside doors were repainted, all basements were whitewashed, all toilet seats painted with white enamel, and in several buildings the entire toilets were repainted.
About 2500 desk tops and over 50 teachers' desks and tables were refinished and varnished. Over 2000 students' chairs were refinished and varnished.
WINDOW SHADES.
The shade problem is another big item in connection with the maintenance of buildings. During the past year in twenty- four of the buildings, over 300 new shades have been installed replacing torn or otherwise damaged ones.
LIGHTING.
At the request of the Superintendent of Schools and the Supervisor of Continuation Schools, a new system of in- direct lighting has been installed in the rooms at the High School used for the continuation classes for sewing purposes, which has met with great approval.
At the Highland School additional lights have been in- stalled in the halls, office and toilets.
The Lincoln School building has been wired throughout for electricity and new fixtures installed.
196
ANNUAL REPORTS
The Bell School building has been wired throughout and new fixtures installed.
At the Boys' Trade School, the lights have been lowered and new shades installed to give better lighting effects.
There have been several minor changes in the lighting system of other buildings which practically completes the electrical program for the year.
As there are several of the older buildings in the city that are very much in need of adequate means of lighting, it is the hope of the Commissioner to continue this work dur- ing the coming summer and be able to report several other buildings completed in the next annual report.
HEATING.
Many necessary repairs have been made to the heating plants of several buildings during the past summer and there are still more repairs and changes which we desire to make in order that the plants may be more effective.
At the Cummings School a new furnace was installed.
At the Lincoln School the boiler was repaired and en- larged so that this year it has not been necessary to close school on account of cold rooms. Five boilers have been re- tubed and a number of grates installed together with repairs on sixteen other boilers.
In fifteen buildings steam repairs have been made owing to leaky and defective pipes or fittings.
The fire boxes and practically all boiler settings have been repaired or renewed.
Fuel savers have been tried in several of the buildings with no marked success.
BLACKBOARDS.
At the Cutler School. new slate blackboards and mould- ings were installed at a cost of $300.
In thirteen of the older buildings where paper black- boards are still used, which have to be resurfaced practical- ly every year, repairs were made by the Baker School Special- ty Company of West Somerville, at a cost of $606.62.
ROOFS.
Eighteen roof leaks were taken care of, several gutters and conductors replaced and other roof repairs made on several buildings. The ventilating hoods on top of vent stacks above the roofs on five buildings were repaired or replaced.
197
COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
There is a possibility during the coming year of the necessity for replacing the entire slate roof on at least two buildings and also one tar and gravel roof.
SCHOOL YARDS.
During the past summer extensive repairs have been made to the school yards.
At the Bingham School, the grade of the yard has been raised by a fill thus preventing the water from overflowing on the adjoining property, resurfacing with an asphalt pave- ment and cutting away the sidewalk making a cement drive to the coal bin windows, doing away with the necessity of carrying in the coal, which improvement will pay for itself in a short time.
At the Brown School a new tar and macadam coal drive was made and the grade of the school yard was raised to pre- vent the surface water from flowing into the basement.
At the Burns School the old tar concrete drive was re- placed with a tar and macadam to prevent the coal teams from cutting into same.
At the Lowe School a retaining wall was erected and the pitch of the yard changed to prevent water from running over the neighbor's property and cutting away the banking.
At the Forster School a new tar and macadam driveway was constructed.
At the Hanscom, Highland and Prescott Schools, the yards were recoated.
The contract for the above work was awarded to James H. Fannon at a cost of $3072.
FURNITURE.
Owing to changes in some of the school buildings, it has been necessary to change several rooms of furniture during the past year.
A number of new teachers' desks and chairs have been purchased and a great many new pupils' desks and chairs have been installed to replace damaged or worn out furni- ture.
At the Boys' Trade School fifty new metal lockers have been installed filling a much needed want and doing away with the old wooden lockers which were a fire menace.
FIRE ALARM.
In four of the school buildings a new and distinct type of fire alarm has been installed, the current for same being taken direct from the Edison Electric current instead of from
198
ANNUAL REPORTS.
batteries. The buildings so equipped are the Highland, East- ern Junior High, Prescott and Lowe Schools.
It is the hope of the Commissioner to be able to equip other school buildings in a similar manner this year.
Fire Department Buildings.
There have been numerous repairs and improvements made in the fire buildings of the city.
The abolishing of Hose Eight Station on Marshall Street caused changes to be made in Hose Two Station at the cor- ner of Cross Street and Broadway, and the purchase of addi- tional furniture.
The exterior of Engine Two, Ladder Two and the Cen- tral Fire Station buildings have been painted by our depart- ment painters.
Interior painting has been done in Hose 5, Engine Two and the Central Fire Stations.
At Engine Six Station, the sleeping quarters have been thoroughly renovated. The old hay loft has been fitted up for sleeping quarters which fills a most pressing need and now gives windows on three sides while the old quarters had windows on one side only. A new room has been fitted up in the front of the building for the District Chief, and the old bath renovated and a new shower installed.
At Engine Two, new heating apparatus has been in- stalled.
At the Central Fire Station, new piping for a cold water supply has been installed.
New landing pads for sliding poles have been replaced in several of the stations.
A new roof was put on the Central Fire Station, and all cornices repaired and replaced where necessary.
New steel lockers have been purchased for several build- ings.
New chairs have been purchased for the recreation rooms at Union Square, Engine Two and Ladder Two Stations, and new desk chairs for the floor men at Union Square, Ladder Two, Engine 6 and the Central Stations.
The Commissioner recommends the following consider- ations for this coming year :
Removal of the gas heaters used for heating water, and the installation of tanks connected with a coal heater, of sufficient capaci- ty for summer use, and connected with the heating plant for winter
199
COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
use. This would mean a great saving of gas, which is at present quite an expense.
New cement floors in the apparatus rooms at Union Square, Engine Two, Ladder Two and Engine Six.
Several minor repairs and some painting at Engine Four, al- though I urgently recommend that this building be replaced by a new one as it is in such bad shape that it does not seem wise to spend much on repairs. As a fire station is needed in this vicinity, I recommend that this station be torn down and a new one built on less valuable land, and this lot sold for commercial purposes. Much of the material in the old building could be made use of in a new one.
Municipal Buildings.
At the present time plans are being made for an addition to the present City Hall, the departments of which have been crowded for space for some time. From the plans shown an- other wing will be added to the present building and the entrance changed to the side, carrying out the style of archi- tecture of the original building. This will give sufficient room to house the departments some of which are at present in the Annex.
During the past year the exterior walls of the G. A. R. section of City Hall Annex have been painted.
The heating plant has been connected to the central heat- ing system, doing away with the use of the old boiler in the Annex, and thus effecting a considerable saving of fuel.
New electric lighting fixtures have been installed in the offices of the Superintendent of Schools and the Overseers of Poor.
Additional radiation has been installed and a new flag case completed and set up in G. A. R. Hall.
Libraries.
Very few repairs have been made to the library buildings this year.
The interior of the Central and West Somerville Branch Libraries are in such a condition that they will need painting throughout in the near future.
Some roof repairs will be necessary at the Central Li- brary after this past winter.
Considerable furniture is needed this coming year.
Water, Highway, Sanitary and Sewer Buildings.
WATER BUILDINGS.
Considerable work has been accomplished at these build- ings during the past year and there is need of still more. A
200
ANNUAL REPORTS.
concrete floor is needed in the shop and the windows need to be enlarged to give proper light.
HIGHWAY BUILDINGS.
A new tar and gravel roof has been laid on the garage and blacksmith shop, and an additional area of the shed en- closed for garage purposes. General repairs were made to the interior of the building.
SANITARY BUILDINGS.
The office at the Sanitary Stable has been painted on the interior and exterior and fitted with new furniture. A new tar and gravel roof must be put on this year, and extensive plumbing repairs made.
SEWER BUILDINGS.
The Sewer Building has been repaired generally, a new roof was laid, new floors in the shop and new sash. These repairs will eliminate spending money on this building for several years.
Hospital.
General repairs have been made to the hospital buildings. New stairs have been built extending to the hospital wards, and to both front and rear piazzas of the scarlet-fever ward.
The chimneys have been pointed and a portion of the roof reshingled. There is still considerable work to be done in these buildings and it is hoped that it will be possible this coming year to do some interior and exterior painting.
Police Buildings.
Many needed repairs were made during the past year. Extensive interior painting was done including the offices and cell rooms. New lighting fixtures were installed in the outer office, guard room, clerk of court's and the court room. In the Judge's office a new metal ceiling was installed and the room repainted.
A new counter was built in the room occupied by the Clerk of Court.
Several steel lockers were installed to replace the old wooden ones.
A new heating plant has been installed in the stable of adequate size to take care of the additional wooden garages.
Bathhouse.
The public bathhouse on the Mystic River at Wellington Bridge was opened and maintained as usual this year with a good attendance.
201
COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
About 500 tons of sand were purchased for resanding the beach.
A change was made on the men's side of the bathhouse by installing separate showers and toilets for the boys' quar- ters, thus excluding the boys from the men's locker rooms which seems to be a much better arrangement.
It is hoped that the same change may be made on the women's side of the building this coming summer.
Park Buildings.
The total amount 'expended on our Park Buildings dur- ing the year 1922 was $1520., and of this amount $1337. was spent for attendant, fuel and light, laundry and supplies, leaving a balance of only $183. as having been spent for ac- tual repairs.
It will be necessary this year however, to spend consider- able on the hot water heater for the shower baths at Lincoln Park, as we are only able at present to supply hot water for three of the twelve showers.
The wooden storage building in Broadway Park was re- moved during the year; this saved considerable expense for repairs.
Bids have been received and the contract awarded to Mulcare and Graves of Cambridge for the erection of a new Park building in Richard Trum Playground at a cost of $5172. The plans for this building were made by the Commis- sioner of Buildings, and they provide comfort stations for men and women, storage space for the Park Department, all on the street level, while beneath on the playground level, there will be a large dressing room and shower baths for the athletes together with a heater room. It is expected that this building will be finished about the 15th of June.
The Park building for Dilboy Field has not been started as yet owing to insufficient funds, but plans made by the Commissioner are on file in his office and it is expected that this contract will be awarded 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 sumbitted,
GEORGE L. DUDLEY,
Commissioner of Public Buildings.
202
ANNUAL REPORTS 1
BOARD OF HEALTH
ORGANIZATION - 1922 ROBERT M. LAVENDER, Chairman resigned April 13, 1922 C. A. C. RICHARDSON, M. D., Chairman
appointed April 13, 1922
WARREN C. BLAIR
JOHN E. GILLIS, M. D.
resigned April 13, 1922
WESLEY M. GOFF
appointed April 13, 1922
Clerk and Agent to Issue Burial Permits LAURENCE S. HOWARD
Assistant Clerk OLIVE M. STANLEY
Agent GEORGE 1. CANFIELD
Medical Inspector and Bacteriologist FRANK L. MORSE, M. D.
Inspector of Animals and Provisions CHARLES M. BERRY, V. S.
Inspector of Milk and Vinegar HERBERT E. BOWMAN, Ph. G.
Milk Collector WILLIAM H. WALLIS
Plumbing Inspector DUNCAN C. GREENE
School Nurse GRACE M. ANDREWS, R. N.
.
Assistant School Nurse GLADYS M. GRANT, R. N.
Health Nurses
HELEN B. BERRY, R. N. MARY L. SCOTT, R. N. GRACE E. PICKERING, R. N.
Matron at Contagious Hospital LILLIAN E. GOULD, R. N.
203
HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
Office of the Board of Health, City Hall Annex, January 1, 1923.
To His Honor, the Mayor, and the Board of Aldermen :- -
Gentlemen :-
We respectfully submit the following as the forty-fifth annual report of the Board of Health in which is presented a statement, tabulated and otherwise, of the sanitary condi- tion of the city and the business of the board for the year ending December 31, 1922.
Nuisances
A record of the nuisances abated during the year, in compliance with notices issued by the board, or under the board's direction, is presented in the following table : Complaints referred from 1921 21
Complaints received during 1922
474
495
Complaints referred to 1923 .
25
Nuisances abated in 1922
470
Second and third notices sent
25
Received during 1922
474
Total notices sent
499
In addition to the above, 334 dead animals have been removed from the public streets and private premises. Many nuisances have been abated on verbal notice from the agent, without action by the board, of which no record has been made. Each spring the whole city is examined, and cellars, yards and alleyways where rubbish and filth have collected are required to be cleaned.
Record of Licenses and Permits Issued
COWS. One application was received for a permit to keep one cow, which was granted.
GOATS. Eight applications were received for permits to keep twenty-one goats, all of which were granted. The fee is one dollar for each goat.
HENS. Seventy-six applications for permits to keep 1235 hens were received. Fifty-seven to keep nine hundred and ninety-seven hens were granted, and nineteen permits were refused. One license to keep six hens was revoked.
GREASE. Twenty-one applications were received for permits for twenty-four teams to collect grease, which were granted. The fee is two dollars for each team.
204
ANNUAL REPORTS.
MELTING AND RENDERING. Three parties have been licensed to carry on the business of melting and render- ing, for which a fee of one dollar is charged. One license to render under Section 154 of Chapter 111 of the General Laws was granted.
MASSAGE AND MANICURE. Thirty-four persons have been licensed to practice massage and manicure. The fee is one dollar for each license.
SALE OF ALCOHOL. The statutes provide that no person firm or corporation other than a registered druggist shall engage in the business of manufacturing, buying, sell- ing or dealing in methyl alcohol, or wood alcohol, so called or denatured alcohol, or any preparation containing more than three per cent of any of the said alcohols, without be- ing licensed so to do by the Board of Health.
Under the provisions of this act fifteen licenses have been issued. A fee of one dollar was received for each license.
BOTTLING. CARBONATED BEVERAGES. Chapter 303, Acts of 1921 provides that no person shall engage in the manufacture or bottling of carbonated non-alcoholic bever- ages, soda waters and mineral and spring water without a permit from the board of health. Nine such permits were granted, a fee of ten dollars being charged in each case.
DAY NURSERY. One license was issued to establish and maintain a Day Nursery for which a fee of one dollar was charged. Application was made for the renewal of a license to maintain a nursery, which was not granted by the board of health.
Stables
No person has the legal right to erect, occupy or use any building in this city, as a stable, without obtaining a license from the board for such occupancy. Each applica- tion is referred to the Agent of this board and no license is granted unless all regulations of the board are complied with. The following is a record of applications received and licenses granted :
Applications pending from 1921
7
Applications received during 1922 .
11
18
Licenses granted
9
Licenses refused
.
.
2
Licenses pending
.
11 7
205
HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
Board of Infants
Fourteen applications having been made to the State Department of Public Welfare for licenses to care for chil- dren in this city were referred to this Board under provisions of Chapter 119 of the General Laws. Thirteen of these ap- plications were approved for the care of twenty-six children and one was returned without the approval of this board.
There were 1019 deaths and fifty-six stillbirths in the city during the year, as specified in the following table :
Deaths at Somerville Hospital 96
Deaths at hospital for contagious diseases 19
Deaths at home for aged poor (Highland Avenue) 49
Deaths at city home
9
Deaths at other institutions
38
-
206
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Mortality in Somerville in 1922
January.
February.
March.
April.
May.
June.
July.
August.
September.
October.
November.
December.
Total.
I. EPIDEMIC, ENDEMIC AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
1A Typhoid Fever
7 Measles
8 Scarlet Fever
1
2
3
9 · Whooping Cough
1
3
5
1
·2
1
3
1
1
3
1
6
19
3
5
21 Erysipelas
2
22
Acute Poliomyelitis
1
1
24
Epidemic Cerebro Spinal Meningitis
1
1
2
4
3
1
1
2
5
3
1
1
2
3
5
31
1
1
1
II. GENERAL DISEASES NOT INCLUDED ABOVE
43
Cancer Buccal Cavity
44 Cancer of Stomach & Liver
5
1
2
3
4
4
3
3
3
5
1
34
1
2
1
2
3
3
1
1
1
1
4
20
1
1
2
1
..
...
1
2
1
1
12
49 Cancer of other Organs.
13
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
1
1
13
1
1
1
1
4
8
1
1
2
3
III. DISEASES OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM AND ORGANS OF THE SPECIAL SENSE.
70 Encephalitis
71A Simple Meningitis
72 Locomotor ataxia
73 Other Diseases of the Spinal Cord.
74 Apoplexy
14
9
7
9
13
6
9
10
2
1
5
4
92
75 Paralysis without specified cause
75A Hemiplegia.
80 Infantile Convulsions
84 Cretinisn
IV. DISEASES OF THE CIRCULA- TORY SYSTEM.
88
Endocarditis and Myocar- ditis (acute)
2
1
9 1
1
6
5
7
10
2
43
1
2
1
2
1
15
12
17
10
15
9
10
14
8
6
11
8
25
145
9
20
17
7
12
13
12
11
7
8
7
13
136
1
1
2
1
1
2
1
9
1
1
2
1
1
3
. 1
1
6
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
3
1
1
89 Angina Pectoris
90 Other Diseases of the Heart
91B Arterio Sclerosis
92 Embolism and Thrombosis 94 Diseases of the Lymphatic System
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
52 Chronic Rheumatism
57 Diabetes Mellitus.
58A Pernicious Anæmia.
65A Leukemia.
69 Other General Diseases
1
1
1
1
6
3
2
1
1
1
1
3
1
3
3
1
1
2
...
... ...
1
1
1
4
2
2
..
1
10 Diphtheria.
11 Influenza
1
1
31 Tuberculosis of the Respira- tory System
32 Tubercular Meningitis
38 Syphilis
1
45 Cancer of Intestines, etc .....
46 Cancer of Female Genital Organs
47 Cancer of breast.
48 Cancer of the Skin
3
1
4
2
1
4
1
207
HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
Mortality in Somerville in 1922 .- continued
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