Report of the city of Somerville 1923, Part 22

Author: Somerville (Mass.)
Publication date: 1923
Publisher: Somerville, Mass.
Number of Pages: 468


USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1923 > Part 22


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95 trees were set out. 178 trees were removed. 311 trees were trimmed. 17 tree guards and supports installed.


$5,343.49 was expended for Care of Trees.


Highway Construction-New Streets


Where new streets are constructed the abuttors pay half the cost of constructing the street, gutters, edgestones and sidewalks. The city has two years from the time they are accepted as public streets to construct the same.


Six new streets were constructed during the year under the Betterment Act, by contract with James H. Fannon, viz :


Setting edgestones 80c per linear foot.


Gutter construction $3.75 per square yard.


Construction of Macadam roadway $1.65 per square yard.


The city furnished the edgestone and tarvia binder. Straight edgestone $1.18 per linear foot. Circles $1.45 per linear foot from S. & R. J. Lombard, delivered on line of work.


Montezuma Asphalt binder 19c per gallon from Trimount Oil Company, delivered and sprayed on work.


Six new streets were accepted this year. $36,828.49 was expended for New Streets.


Sidewalk Construction


The city employees constructed all the granolithic side- walks where the abuttors paid for half the cost, at an average cost of $2.90 per square yard. This price includes excavating and all material furnished. Some granolithic sidewalks were constructed where the owners were anxious to have same and paid the entire cost, the sidewalks were constructed by con- tractors hired by the owners, under my supervision.


332


ANNUAL REPORTS.


Miles of edgestone, granolithic, brick and gravel side- walks in the city :-


Edgestones


149.162 miles ·


Granolithic sidewalks


57.384 miles


Brick sidewalks


70.697 miles .


Gravel sidewalks .


20.779 miles


$13,314.46 was expended for Sidewalks Construction.


NEW STREETS CONSTRUCTED IN 1923


Street


From


To


Material


Width


Cost


Bailey street .North street


West Adams street


.... Bituminous Macadam


40


$4,631 77


Eustis street Beacon street Cambridge line


30


1,528 57


Gordon street North street


. Alewife Brook Parkway


40


14,268 35


Maple avenue School street


southeasterly


40


3,626 90


.Pennsylvania avenue .. Wisconsin avenue


.Cross street


66


40


3,683 42


Rose street


..... Washington street .Lewis street


40


5,573 69


West Quincy street .... Bailey street


Medford line


..


40


3,459 19


PERMANENT PAVEMENT


Street


From


TO


Material


Sq. Yds.


Sq. Yd.


Medford street


Washington street


.Central square Granite Blks.,


concret base


1240


4.40


Prospect street


B. & M. R. R. slope .... Washington street


3647.7


2.40


Somerville avenue


.... S'W'ly side, Union Sq ... Opp. Central street


5319


3.00


Somerville avenue


.... N'th'ly side, Union Sq ... near Granite street


3915.8


3.40


66


..


P


333


STREET COMMISSIONER.


Cost Per


66



SIDEWALKS CONSTRUCTION 1923


Street


Location


Cost


Beacon street


In front estate No. 94 .


·


$498 44 ·


553 56 Bow street In front estate No. 65-81 and No. 379-381 Somerville avenue . · Westerly side of Broadway at Trum Park 251 82 ·


City Road


Curtis street


Southerly side Powder House Blvd. to Electric avenue


777 63 .


Curtis street


Westerly side of Sunset road to Medford line . .


1,188 83


Cross street


Pearl street to Broadway


30 94


Garrison avenue


Both sides to estate No. 34-36


1,910 00


Highland avenue


In front estate No. 104-106 .


212 74


Highland avenue


In front estate No. 409-413 .


253 38


Highland avenue


In front estate No. 410-420


290 47 909 53


Liberty avenue


Westerly side Broadway to Powder House terrace


1,189 36


Marshall St .- Bradley St. ..


At North Eastern Junior High School


1;323 43 558 56


Medford street


Southwesterly side South street to Ward street where not laid


179 53


Minnesota avenue


Southeasterly side between estates No. 33-41 ·


·


.


.


697 83


Pearl street


Easterly side Crescent street to Mt. Vernon street .


624 32


Pennsylvania avenue


Northeasterly side Rhode Island avenue to Connecticut avenue


223 04


Spring street


Northwesterly side Pitman street to estate No. 29


482 29


Spring street


Southeasterly side in front estate No. 31-33


.


.


119 57


Prospect street


Easterly side Webster avenue to R. R. bridge .


505 25


Prospect street


Southwesterly side Prospect Pl. to B. & M. R. R. property ·


365 57


Woodstock street


Northerly side at estate No. 63-65 Waterhouse street .


177 19


.


.


.


.


Morrison avenue


Southwesterly estate No. 42 to Highland road .


·


·


.


334


ANNUAL REPORTS


Maple avenue Both sides School street to near Marshall street


,


335


STREET COMMISSIONER.


Highways Construction-Permanent Pavement


A large sum was appropriated for this account and a great improvement was made on some of our main and through streets. C. W. Dolloff and Company was the lowest bidder on Permanent Pavement for removing old granite pav- ing blocks, recutting and placing on a new concrete base, blocks to be cement grouted.


Of all the improvements this year in street construction, the greatest was on Prospect street, one of the streets on the route to the North and South shores. This street was con- structed a few years ago, by contract, with a concrete base and penetration tar top which after a short duration began to crawl, making the street very rough to drive over. This year the city employees removed the tar top and C. W. Dolloff Company laid recut paving blocks grouted on the old concrete base for $2.40 a square yard, blocks furnished by the city and cut by the contractor. Medford street from Central square to Washington street was widened and granite paving blocks were laid on a new concrete base, this street is also on the North and South shore route.


$53,536.73 was expended for Permanent Pavement.


Rconstruction and Resurfacing


The work under this appropriation consisted of the re- construction of Dartmouth street and a portion of Powder House Boulevard from Leonard street to approximately three hundred feet northwest of Packard avenue with bituminous macadam at a cost of $1.42 per square yard.


On Broadway from the Charlestown line to Cross street and from Cedar street to the Boston and Maine R. R. slope on the northeasterly side, the old surface was removed by the City and resurfaced by the Warren Brothers Company with Warrenite bitulithic wearing surface at $1.85 per square yard. On Broadway from Cross street to the Charlestown line the space between the tracks was resurfaced with bitum- inous macadam.


$34,219.66 was expended for Reconstruction and Resur- facing.


Miscellaneous


156 Granolithic driveways constructed.


94 Brick driveways constructed.


31 Edgestones dropped for driveways.


3 Driveways extended.


2 Driveways discontinued.


336


ANNUAL REPORTS.


Driveways are constructed, discontinued, relocated or ex- tended at the expense of the petitioners.


Length of public streets, 100.89 miles.


Five 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.


I have attended meetings of the Public Works and of the Board of Aldermen for consultation regarding work and peti- tions.


Permits


There were during 1923-


151 permits issued to the Cambridge and Charlestown Gas Companies.


149 permits issued to cross sidewalks.


401 permits issued to occupy streets and sidewalks.


17 permits issued to feed horses.


18 street sprinkling complaints and requests.


191 notifications to other departments and corporations. 28 accident reports.


1052 police reports.


683 brick and granolithic sidewalks repaired.


1161 miscellaneous reports and requests.


62 drain layers permits.


763 water department openings.


166 permits to open streets and sidewalks.


42 danger and traffic signs erected.


22 new signs erected.


82 signs repainted.


63 streets cleaned by request.


4176 cubic yards of sand and gravel used.


3201 cubic yards of dirt removed.


884 cubic yards of ashes used.


1130 cubic yards of old macadam used.


4135 bags of Portland cement used.


50 cubic yards loam used.


Recommendations


Many of my recommendations of 1922 were voted on by the City Government this year and appropriations for the same were made and the work completed or started, namly :- Somerville avenue, Broadway and Prospect street. I most respectfully recommend that the northwesterly side of Wash- ington street from the Boston line to Tufts street be repaved by removing the old paving blocks from a gravel base, recut blocks and place same on a concrete base and groute the blocks, this kind of work was started on Somerville avenue


337


STREET COMMISSIONER.


from Union square to Park street and to Granite street and I hope the improvement will be extended to Wilson square this year. Broadway from Teele square to the Arlington line the tar top should be stripped off the concrete base and a new bituminous mixed top constructed. Cross street from Pearl street to Central square should be widened and the same kind of improvement and paving started on this street in 1922, should be completed, also if Cross street from Broadway to Mystic avenue was constructed this would make a good cross town street for heavy travel and would connect with two state highways running to the north and west of our city.


This department is badly in need of a new fire proof garage.


My acknowledgments are due to the Mayor and Board of Aldermen and heads of departments for their courtesy and consideration in matters pertaining to the business of this department, also for the co-operation of all the employees of the department and citizens of the city.


Respectfully submitted,


ASA B. PRICHARD,


Street Commissioner ..


338


ANNUAL REPORTS.


REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS


City Hall, Somerville, January 1, 1924.


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, 1923.


The total valuation of the property which is in the custody of the public buildings department is approximately $3,861,160.


The total expenditures for the year 1923 for the care and maintenance of this property was $250,837.62.


This amount was expended as follows :


Janitors


Fuel


Light


Care and Repairs


Total


School Bldgs.


$58,316 47 $52,259 57


$9,904 36 $62,858 97 $183,339 37


Municipal Bldgs.


4,829 35


1,050 42


1,284 96


5,996 16


13,160 89


Polling Places


00 : 00


4 95


396 50


409 45


Police Bldgs.


1,958 93


1,661 95


870 97


1,116 20


5,608 05


Fire Bldgs


4,365 52


2,883 66


4,065 41


11,314 59


Electrical Bldgs.


745 75


49 26


1,077 55


1,872 56


Contagious Hosp.


1,354 76


439 20


2,344 63


4,138 59


Sewer Bldgs.


79 70


77 83


84 35


241 88


Sanitary Bldgs.


88 77


158 71


454 01


701 49


Highway Bldgs.


651 03


208 94


1,916 46


2,776 43.


City Home Bldgs.


1,412 12


760 35


3,064 00


5,236 47


Central Library


3,048 80


851 86


1,273 01


1,783 76


6,957 43


W. Br'ch Library


1,360 34


584 34


409 65


221 36


2,575 69


E. Br'ch Library


1,110 00


236 31


190 52


208 15


1,744 98


Union Sq. Library


1,119 00


565 33


254 98


643 07


2,582 38


Park Bldgs.


378 00


351 34


269 59


2,251 86


3,250 79


Bathhouse


1,096 57


1,451 01


2,547 58


Bandstand


..


416 19


384 42


1,368 17


2,168 78


Water Bldgs.


...


...


210 22


210 22


$73,217 46 $66,682 96 $19,425 36 $91,511 84 $250,837 62


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 over 3500 formal in- spections of buildings in the process of construction.


339


COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS.


The following table shows the number of permits issued for building operations during the year 1923 :-


Buildings


1


2


3


4


5


6


7 Totals


Dwellings


30


50


28


31


55


54


188


436


Stores


5


10


....


5


1


6


7


34


Dwelling


Stores


5


2


1


1


1


1


....


11


Garages


38


32


31


44


50


73


164


432


Storage


11


7


....


5


7


3


2


35


Manufactories


1


5


2


1


....


1


3


13


Sheds


3


7


....


4


1


1


....


16


Offices


1


3


....


....


...


....


6


Stables


1


1


....


....


....


....


....


2


Shops


....


1


....


....


....


....


....


1


Churches


1


1


....


....


....


2


Gasoline Stations


....


1


....


1


....


....


....


2


Bakery and Laundry


1


....


....


...


....


....


....


2


Schools


1


....


....


....


....


....


2


Hotel


....


1


....


....


....


....


....


1


Restaurant


..


....


....


....


....


....


1


1


Apartments


....


....


....


1


....


....


1


Printing Plant


....


....


....


1


....


....


....


4


Bathhouse


....


....


....


....


....


1


....


1


Bank


....


....


....


....


....


....


1


1


Miscellaneous


1


....


....


3


1


3


....


8


Torn down


5


2


1


3


3


4


4


22


Totals


.


104


127


66


103


121


148


373


1042


New buildings


196


Fire-resisting 459


655


Alterations


337


28


365


Totals


533


487


1020


WARDS


Buildings


1


2


3 30


48


65


66


195


530


Wood and Concrete


2


1


....


....


....


...


....


1


1


2


3


2


11


Brick


7


6


2


2


4


8


7


36


Brick and Wood


1


....


2


1


....


3


2


9


Brick and Concrete


2


....


....


....


....


1


4


Brick and Stone


1


...


....


....


....


1


2


Cement Block


36


29


25


41


42


59


152


384


Cement Block and Brick


2


1


2


....


....


Cement Block and Stone


....


....


....


....


...


....


Concrete


3


2


1


1


....


....


1


8


Concrete and Iron


1


....


....


....


....


....


....


1


Steel


1


3


4


4


8


6


10


36


...


....


....


....


1


1


4


Laundry


....


1


1


....


....


....


1


Barn


....


1


....


....


....


....


1


Boiler Rooms


3


....


1


....


..


....


...


..


....


....


....


1


Concrete, brick and wood .


1


....


4


5


6


7 Totals


Wood


50


76


3


Fireproofed wood


2


....


....


....


1


3


8


1


Wood


Totals


Bakery


10


1


1


2


2


1


WARDS


340


ANNUAL REPORTS.


WARDS


Buildings


1


2


3


4


5


6


7 Totals


Steel


and Wood


.


....


..


....


..


....


....


Iron


1


....


....


....


1


2


Wood and Iron


1


....


....


....


....


....


....


1


Wood and Stucco .


....


....


...


....


1


4


Totals


104


127


66


103


121


148


373 1042


The number of plumbing permits issued during 1923 was . Number of permits for plumbing in new buildings .


492


· 225


Number of permits for plumbing in old buildings . Number of buildings in which soil pipes were tested .


267


377


The total estimated cost of new buildings and alterations during the year 1923 was $3,185,356, while the estimated cost in 1922 was $3,136,602, showing an increase of $48,754.


The total number of permits issued during the year 1923, viz 1042, was 29 more than during the year 1922, when 1013 permits for new buildings and alterations were issued, show- ing an increase of 2.8 per cent.


There has been considerable speculative building of dwell- ings going on this year, or to be exact there were permits issued for 152 new buildings housing 353 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 dpartment. In accordance with this, fees collected for building permits dur- ing the year 1923 amounted to $2553.


The Commissioner has under his charge and direction the work of maintenance and upkeep of the eighty-four public buildings of this city and the grounds in connection there- with, all janitors in the city's employ, a force of eleven me- chanics who perform most of the work of keeping the build- ings 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.


1


1


....


2


1


341


COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC : BUILDINGS.


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 1923 and the spring of 1924.


The contract for bituminous coal was given to the Com- monwealth Coal Company of Boston and the contract for anthracite coal was given to the Somerville Coal Company.


Both of the above firms furnished a chemical analysis of the coal which they agreed to supply. A sample from each delivery was sent to the Arthur D. Little Company for analy- sis and where sample did not equal the required analysis a credit was received.


Elevators


According to an act of the Legislature, the Building Com- missioner is required to have every elevator in the city in- spected 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 1923, there were 151 elevators inspected and 31 orders for repairs to be made to 61 elevators, sent to the owners.


Plans and specifications were filed and applications grant- ed for the installation of 7 new elevators.


School Buildings


The maintenance and care of the school buildings has, as formerly, demanded the most vigilant attention from this de- partment and the appropriation made for that purpose I be- lieve has 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 import-


342


ANNUAL REPORTS.


ance. This in itself is a huge task as the wants of every sec- tion must be taken into consideration.


Among the necessary repairs taken care of this past year are the following :


Two boilers were retubed. A number of grates were installed and repairs made on 18 other boilers.


Plaster repairs were made in 13 buildings.


Plumbing repairs and new installations were made in several buildings.


New water service with larger main installed in Knapp 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 the girls' gymnasium has been altered into two class rooms, new blackboards and lighting fixtures installed, additional heating surface put in to meet condi- tions, walls and ceiling tinted and new furniture bought.


In basement of North wing the "family metal shop" was changed into a class room and the required new furniture in- stalled.


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 light effects might be obtained in order to relieve any possible eye strain.


Early in the summer invitations were issued to several master painters to submit estimates for interior painting at the Edgerly, Highland, Bingham, Perry, Prescott and Bell School buildings. There were eight bids received and the awards were made as follows:


343


COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS.


F. W. Rogers. Bell and Edgerly


Walter J. Godfrey . Bingham and Perry


William Stern. . Highland


August Johnson & Co. Prescott


In the same manner estimates were obtained for exterior painting at the Forster, Perry, Bell, Prescott and High School buildings, and awards were made as follows:


William Stern High School


F. M. Rogers. Forster and Prescott


James L. Flynn Perry and Bell


The cost of this painting was $6480.


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.


The interior of the Proctor and Bennett Schools have been painted and varnished by the painter employed by this department.


About 3000 desk tops and over 75 teachers' desks and tables were refinished and varnished. Over 1500 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 400 new shades have been installed replacing torn or otherwise damaged ones.


GLASS SETTING. -


The replacing of broken glass is one of the big items in connection with the maintenance of School Buildings. Dur- ing the past year it has taken most of the time of one painter to reset broken glass.


LIGHTING.


At the High School further installation of indirect light- ing has been carried out so that rooms used for evening school now have a very efficient lighting arrangement .


Owing to the opening of several of the school buildings for social center and evening school work the Commissioner found it necessary to install electric lights.


344


ANNUAL REPORTS.


The Bennett School has been fitted out with a service of sufficient size to take care of the entire building, but at the present time only the Halls, Basements, Toilets and other rooms used in the evening have been fitted with fixtures. The same arrangement has been completed at the Morse and Bing- ham Schools.


There have been several 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 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. Two boilers have been re- tubed and a number of grates installed together with repairs on eighteen other boilers.


In several 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.


The Commissioner would recommend a system of heat con- trol be put into the High School, also direct radiation in- stalled in that part of High School known as the Latin Annex. The installation of this equipment would mean a great sav- ing of coal as well as avoiding overheated class rooms.


Also the installation of a steam heating system at the Morse School doing away with the seven antiquated furnaces now in use.


BLACKBOARDS.


At the High School, new slate blackboards and mouldings were installed in the new basement rooms.


In the older buildings where paper blackboards are still


345


COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS.


used, which have to be resurfaced practically every year, re- pairs were made by the Baker School Speciality Company of West Somerville, at a cost of $195.49.


ROOFS.


Roof leaks were taken care of, several gutters and con- ductors replaced and other roof repairs made on several build- ings by our own mechanic.


The High School roof has been extensively repaired dur- ing the past year. The roof of the auditorium has been flashd up from the gutter several feet with copper to prevent back- ups which have caused the unsightly condition of walls.


The roof of the Bennett School, together with the metal cornice, have been thoroughly repaired and should last many years.


Repairs were made to the roof gutters and conductors at the Knapp School, and this roof is now in good condition.


There is a possibility during the coming year of the neces- sity of replacing the entire slate roof on at least two build- . ings and also one tar and gravel roof.


BASEMENT FLOORS.


During the past summer new cement floors have been laid in the Cummings, Forster, Pope and Prescott Schools to replace old worn out and defective floor coverings, thus giv- ing a smooth, clean surface.


SCHOOL YARDS.


The resurfacing of the school yards is another problem of importance to this department.


After trying out brick paved, asphalt covered and Mac- cadam prepared yard coverings, and finding them not entire- ly satisfactory owing to the danger of children falling on same, the commissioner, after further investigation of this subject, has come to the conclusion that a Tarvia prepared surface is the best, as this surface remains smooth and clean.




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