Report of the city of Somerville 1923, Part 24

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 24


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29


Plans have been made by the various companies and filed in the city engineer's office, showing the locations of gas mains. poles. tracks and conduits in this city, which have been granted by the board of aldermen during the year ;- the work of placing overhead wire in conduits, underground, and removing poles from the streets should be extended as rapidly as possible.


In the city's squares overhead wires should be placed un- derground, immediately, and practically all poles (except for lights) removed-on the main thoroughfares many of the existing poles should be eliminated, at the present time, be- ing unnecessary.


A special ordinance should be enacted concerning city inspection on all underground work done by private com- panies or corporations and regulation as to method of street openings.


At the present time there are underground in the city's streets 18.13 miles of telephone conduits, 13.16 miles of elec- tric light conduits, 4.46 miles of electric railway conduits, Lud about 10.46 miles of underground conduits used for the city's wires.


The Cambridge and Charlestown gas companies have re- spectively 65.22 and 28.23 miles of gas mains in the city's streets.


Lines and grades have been given for laying new city water mains. New house services, many gates, hydrants, water posts and blow-offs have been located and recorded, sketches and plans made showing the same, and the water works maps corrected to date; also a large number of old water services where new meters were installed, have been located and recorded.


A number of the locations of old hydrants, gates, etc., have been found to be incorrect, a few having been removed entirely ; a new survey of the entire distribution system should


360


ANNUAL REPORTS.


be made and the maps and office records compiled. (Length of water mains, details, etc., in report of Water Commis- sioner).


Lines and grades have been given for the erection of city buildings and plans and sketches made for the laying out of surrounding grounds :- a special plan being made showing a proposed development of the West Somerville Junior High School grounds for athletic purposes.


Plans have been made where accidents have occurred on the city work, or where boundaries were in dispute and spe- cial plans and data prepared for the city solicitor's use in court cases, miscellaneous data compiled relating to the sew- ers, highways, bridges, etc., in this city for various state de- partments: and Federal, State and Municipal hearings at- tended where information was required.


All plans of estates in Somerville recorded at the Regis- try of Deeds, East 'Cambridge, including land court plans. have been copied. also titles examined, abstracts from deeds made for the purpose of assessments, and the proportional part of the cost of new work computed, and schedules of as- sessments made out showing the property owners.


A skeleton map of the city is on file in this office showing steam and electric car lines, principal streets, public buildings and locations of principal industries :- also special maps showing buildings and areas built upon previous to 1872 (when a town) and at the present time (a city more than 50 years ).


A set of block plans should be made covering the entire city area. from accurate surveys made during the past twenty- five years, and carefully compared section by section with the deed dimensions and areas recorded in the assessors' de- partment, and in this manner the correct areas of land de- determined.


This set of plans would show the area and dimensions of each lot. all houses and other buildings, sewers, catch basins, house drains, water services, gas mains, underground con- duits for wires, street lights, street railway tracks, etc., and be of great value to many city departments. Five of these sectional plans have been partially made. A separate appro- priation should be made for completing these plans.


Total number of plans on file in the office approximately eight thousand five hundred.


For the immediate improvement of conditions in this city the highway bridges and approaches over the steam railroads should be rebuilt the full width of the street at Broadway, (North Somerville) Prospect Street and Washington Street,


361


CITY ENGINEER.


near Union Square; and the steam railroad bridge over Wash- ington Street (East Somerville) reconstructed with increased head-room for street traffic,-the dangerous railroad grade crossing at Park Street should be abolished, as decreed by the courts a number of years ago.


I respectfully refer to some of the more important recom- mendations and suggestions made in reports of the city en- gineer for a number of years past, which are for the improve- ment of conditions in this city.


COMPILED TABLE OF AREAS, USEFUL FOR VARIOUS DEPART- MENTS, SHOWING A SUB-DIVISION OF CITY'S ACREAGE.


Land and water, total area city


2700 acres


Water


100


acres


Streets


480


Boulevards-City and State


22.5 ",


Squares


9


Steam railroads, locations


90


Freight, distribution areas


26


Parks 38


Athletic fields and playgrounds


38


(28) Schoolhouse lots


21


66


( 7) Fire station lots


2.5


Miscellaneous city building lots and institutions


28


66


42) Church lots


13.5


(20) Large manufacturing and mercan- tile plants


100


Tufts College Land


41.5


60


Areas vacant and refilled marsh land


100


1110


acres


Approximate dwelling area built upon Approximate number of dwellings in city, 14,500.


1590


acres


Average area to a dwelling about 4,800 square feet.


SEWER DIVISION


The designing and constructing of sewers, storm drains, catch basins, house drains, etc.,-maintenance of the drainage system and other items in this division are under the direc- tion, supervision and control of the city engineer.


Sewers were petitioned for and constructed during the year in newly laid out streets, where real estate owners com- menced extensive building operations ; approximately 130 new two-family houses and a few single houses were erected the past year on these streets.


The Boston Elevated Railway Company constructed a


1


66


362


ANNUAL REPORTS.


storm drain outlet extension across marsh land discharging into Mystic River, in the easterly part of the city, on account of filling in and improving their property.


CONSTRUCTION ACCOUNT, STATEMENT OF EXPENDITURES, 1923.


Labor (city dept.)


$2,047 30


Labor (contract)


622 73


Teaming


421 96


Materials and Supplies


2,525 34


Total Expenditure


$5,617 33


Materials from Stock (1922)


223 60


$5,840 93


CLASSIFICATION OF EXPENDITURES.


Constructing sewers (separate system)


$1,758 70


Constructing storm drains ·


522 39


Constructing catch basins .


.


2,390 97


Constructing manholes on sewers


591 07


Cost of new work


$5,263 13


Materials for other depts.


262 80


Materials on hand December 31, 1923 .


315 00


Total


$5,840 93


CREDIT.


Appropriation


$6,000 00


Balance unexpended, 1922


2,756 38


Received for materials, other depts .


262 80


Materials on hand January 1, 1923


223 60


Total


$9,242 78


Balance unexpended (over to 1924)


$3,401 85


.


·


.


.


.


·


·


.


.


.


Three sewers were completely constructed and one par- tially built during the year and also storm drains; a length of 2,206 feet (0.42 of a mile) of 20" and S" pipe, part of the work being done by department labor, the remainder by con- tract. (See attached tabular statement for 1923, showing itemized account. of work.)


The total length of the city's drainage system is 115.344 miles, and the entire cost of construction including catch basins has amounted to about $1,382,374.00, exclusive of the amount paid to the state for assessments for the construc- tion of the North Metropolitan sewerage system.


The city's assessment for the Metropolitan sewerage sys- tem for the past year was $52,644.57 on construction account


363


CITY ENGINEER.


and $53,537.71 for maintenance and operation, and the total amount paid the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for this state sewer has been $1,814,185.06 (1892-1923, both years in- clusive). The total length of the Metropolitan sewerage sys- tem mains running through the city amounts to 3.475 miles.


There are within the city's limits thirteen connections with the North Metropolitan state sewerage system, also four outlets through the city of Cambridge and three outlets through the city of Medford. The locations of the connec- tions of the city's mains with the state sewer are shown in the 1912 report, and details of construction in previous re- ports.


The 1918 report contains a compiled table of Storm Drains constructed to 1919 showing length, cost, date of con- struction, district benefited, etc.


Twenty-one catch basins have been constructed in the highways during the year, making a total of 2,076 basins in the city for street drainage purposes, constructed and main- tained as follows :-


By the city (sewer division) :-


Located in streets and subways


1,884 basins ..


Located in city boulevard


33


Located in parks (17) and other city lots (12) 29


Total catch basins constructed and main- tained by the city 1,946


By. Boston & Maine Railroad Company on railroad lo- cations 36 basins


By State, located in boulevards and highways . 130


..


166


Total catch basins in the city for storm drainage purposes . 2,112 .


The "separate system" sewers should be extended in the older sections of the city each year, as the appropriation will allow, and storm drains completed in certain localities as previously recommended :- especially in the North Somerville District, including Morrison Avenue-Highland Road area and the B. and M. railroad valley ; and at the East Cambridge line extending from the Somerville Avenue sewer and discharging into Miller's River.


Sidewalk sewers in Mossland Street should be construc- ted immediately and a section of the old sewer in Poplar Street reconstructed, relieving the continuous blocking of house drains under existing conditions.


364


ANNUAL REPORTS.


The city's drainage system will be greatly improved when all the foregoing changes are made and construction work completed.


MAINTENANCE ACCOUNT, STATEMENT OF EXPENDITURES, 1923


Labor (includes $122.50 contract)


$12,040 21


Teaming


9,737 22


Equipment and Supplies


908 81


Repairing property and tools


381 55


Total Expenditure


$23,067 79


CLASSIFICATION OF EXPENDITURES


Maintenance ' of sewers, including cleaning,


flushing,


supervision, etc. (115.3 miles)


$6,449 23


Maintenance


of catch basins, cleaning, and supervision, etc. (1946)


12,441 19


Maintenance of storin water pump, Medford Street


137 82


Changing line and grade and repairing catch basins -


529 71


Changing line and grade holes and repairing man-


124 64


Repairing old sewers


700 99


Inspection and location or house drains


894 17


New tools and supplies


701 23


Repairs of tools and property


226 55


Maintenance of sewer division yards


792 50


Telephone (2)


69 76


Total Expenditure


$23,067 79


CREDIT


Appropriation


$24,000 00


Balance unexpended


$932 21


·


Value of tools and property on hand, maintenance of Sewers, $2,000.00.


A permanent force of men, varying in number from eight to thirteen per week, and teams are kept continually at work flushing. cleaning and repairing the city's drainage system, catch basins. etc., the expense necessarily increasing yearly as lengths of sewers, storm drains and catch basins are added to the system, and the distance increased to the dumping places, which are fast diminishing, only two being available at present.


flushing,


TABULAR STATEMENT OF SEWERS AND STORM DRAINS BUILT IN 1923


LOCATION


ITEMS OF CONSTRUCTION AND COST


SEWER


SUB-DRAIN


ROCK EXCAVATION


MANHOLES


COST PER LINEAR FOOT


Name of Street


From


To


Contractor


Material Excavated


Average Cut


Size in inches


Length in


Size in inches


Length in


Cubic yards


Price per yard


Number


Average Cost


Number of Inlets


Sewer


Storm


Drain


Sub-Drain


Pipe. Cement, etc.


Sub-Drain


Engineering


Inspection


Lumber


Average Cost


per Linear Foot


Cost to City


$2.281.09 $1,739.37 $1,040.10 498.38 (1922)


Total length of public sewers in the city Jan. 1, 1924 Total length of private sewers in the city Jan. 1, 1924 . Total length of sewers in the city Jan. 1, 1924 Total length of storm drains in the city Jan. 1, 1924 Total length of the city drainage system Jan, 1, 1924 Total length of Metropolitan sewerage system mains in the city . . . . . .


507,113.9 feet == 96.044 miles 34,896.0 feet = 6,609 miles


542,009.9 feet = 102.653 miles


66,998.6 feet == 12,689 miles


609,008.5 feet = 115,342 miles


Assessment


-


Hillsdale Road Sewer


Sunset Road


Upland Road


City-Day Labor


7'-10 **


8


199.7


12


$1.68


$0.58


$0.08


$2.33


$466.14 498.38 (1922) 774.85


$1,739.37


Upland Road Sewer


Hillsdale Road


Easterly to Sewer


City-Day Labor


Gravelly Hardpan


6'- 7"


375.0


8


200.0


.......


13


0.17


0.38


0.03


0.58


115.38


$115.38


Upland Road Storm Drain


Hillsdale Road


Easterly to S. D. Built 1922


City-Day Labor


Gravelly Hardpan


5'- 8"


8


375.0


See Sewer


See Sewer


17


0.18


0.4


0.02


0.69


260 53


260.53


Rose Street Storm Drain


Centre of Wash St. { Combined Sewer)


Manhole in Washing- ton St. Sidewalk


City-Day Labor


Sand


9' 0"


8


23.4


4.67


1.59


6.2€


146.48


146.48


Frum Playground Sewer


Cedar Street


Easterly


City-Day Labor


Clayey Hardpan


4'-10"


325.0


....


0.94


0.66


1.59


517.71


517.71


Laurel Terrace Sewer


Private Lands Sewer


Easterly and Westerly


John D. Collins


Filling


S


148.0


1


7


Land of Boston Elevated Ry. Storm Drain


No. Union St. Ext. Built 1894


Private Contract


Filling


12' 0"


20


551.0


3


Materials and Labor Furnished B. E. Ry.


T


2197.1 (0.416 Miles) Sewers and Storm Drains


Excavation Pipelaying and Refilling


including


and


Total Cost


2.07


17


1.28


0.53


0.03


Built 1922


Hillsdale Road Storm Drain


Sunset Road


Upland Road


City-Day Labor


Gravelly Hardpan


6'-11"


feet


feet


1 Combi- nation


$108.24


or


3,475 miles


Materials and Labor Furnished By Owner


Mystic River


Gravelly Hardpan


-


365


CITY ENGINEER.


This question of scarcity of dumping places has con- fronted the city for some time and various schemes have been considered for efficient and economical methods of disposal but no feasible plan has been provided.


Approximately 3,360 cubic yards of material have been removed from the catch basins and hauled to dumps during the year, at an average cost of about $3.70 per cubic yard ($1.60 removal-$2.10 teaming) and the average cost per mile for cleaning and flushing the drainage system, including catch basins, has amounted to about $164.00. There are about twenty catch basins (average) to a mile of roadway in this city and the approximate cost of cleaning, flushing, and gen- eral maintenance per basin has been $6.40 the past year.


Another demonstration of machine cleaned catch basins, similar to last year, was conducted for a few days-an auto- truck cleaning machine ("orange peel grab" lift equipment) removed material in less time than could be done by day labor, but the cost per cubic yard exceeded the hand work-the result being speedier cleaning; one of these machines could be used advantageously in this city about one-quarter of the time. during the year.


A number of repairs have been made and sections rebuilt on some of the old sewers, alterations made in the outlets and overflows, and extra manholes built for the purpose of improving the system.


Many catch basins and manholes have been repaired and grade or line changed.


Three hundred and thirty-seven permits have been issued to licensed drain layers for connecting buildings with main sewers and storm drains; seventy three being for repairs, alterations or extensions, all of the work being done under the supervision of the city's inspector.


Many of these repairs and alterations were made neces- sary by the growth of tree roots in the private drain pipe. In several cases, these private drains were relaid with iron pipe and lead joints, which is the type of construction recom- mended by this department, where drain connections have become stopped on account of tree roots.


Certain persons are licensed as drain layers by the city and are under bonds, for the purpose of laying and repairing these private drains :- none others are permitted to do this work.


Reference to data concerning each drain connection with the public serwer is on file in this office, and time and expense could be saved by the owner, by applying directly to this de- partment for investigation and advice, where trouble exists.


366


ANNUAL REPORTS


A number of car track catch basins and underground conduit manholes have been connected with the city's drainage system.


There are to date about 17,149 private house drain con- nections with the city's drainage system.


Repairs have been made to the automatic machinery, tanks, copper floats, tide gates, etc., constructed and installed more than twenty-five years ago in brick masonry chambers, where the city's mains are discharging into the state sewer.


A better system of grease traps should be installed in the premises of some of the larger manufacturing plants and ren- dering companies to prevent large amounts of grease and waste products from escaping into the city sewer mains and at various times has partially blocked sections of sewers-the past year a number of loads of heavy grease has been scraped and removed from the sewers at a considerable expense.


During the year the sewer division has done considerable miscellaneous work for other city departments and outside companies, furnishing material and labor, and being partially reimbursed for the same.


Some of the old trunk sewers which were constructed many years ago are in a dangerous condition ; sections where the arch is badly cracked and liable to collapse any time, should be immediately rebuilt.


PARKS AND PLAYGROUNDS DIVISION


The care, superintendance and management of the city's parks and public grounds is under the direction of the city engineer, who is also, at the present time, a member of the Public Welfare and Recreation Commission.


About seventy-four acres are maintained as parks and playgrounds and approximately a mile of city boulevard; 64 acres are owned by the city and certain areas owned by pri- vate parties are turned over to the city for recreation pur- poses, also satisfactory arrangements have been made for a number of years whereby the city has the use of Tufts College playfields during the summer vacation months, and skating areas in the winter. Approximately two thousand trees of various varieties are located on these grounds.


These areas when completely developed will compare favorably with other cities in the vicinity.


Some of the larger parks and playgrounds have been re- named in honor of Somerville young men who lost their lives in the World War ;- also where a number of streets intersect,


367


CITY ENGINEER.


(making a small square) some of these areas have been named in honor of Somerville heroes.


An additional area, situated between the Western Junior High School building and Broadway, has been named the Walter Ernest Shaw Playground,-in honor of a West Somer- ville young man who was killed in the late war while on active duty at Chateau Thierry.


MAINTENANCE ACCOUNTS, STATEMENT OF EXPENDITURES, 1923


Playgrounds


Parks


$4,700 85 Labor


$8,243 62


424 13 Teaming


763 65


402 10 Equipment-Improvement-Supplies


873 38


915 96 Repairing property and tools


415 28


102 09 Fountains and Bubblers-Maint. (Paid Water Dept.)


104 29


Trees-Plants-Floral Decorations


633 26


Flagpoles-Flags-Painting


152 28


$6,545 13


Total Expenditures


$11,185 76


CLASSIFICATION OF EXPENDITURES


Playgrounds and


$ 560 12 ·Central Hill Park (13.1 acres)


Parks $2,702 95


620.95 Saxton C. Foss Park (formerly


. Broadway


1,693 62


1,557 86


Park) (15.9 acres) Broadway Parkway (1.6 acres) Lincoln Park (7.2 acres)


1,247 30


66 75 Prospect Hill Park (2.6 acres)


1,791 56


4 00 Tufts Park (4.5 acres)


1,090 73


Paul Revere Park (0.02 acres)


131 07


Belmont Street Park (0.4 acres)


584 33


Powder House Boulevard (0.9 mile long) .


709 17


Powder House Square Parkway (0.2 acre) Cemetery, Somerville Avenue (0.7 acre)


220 00


1,597 26 Dilboy Field (formerly Somerville Field) Alewife Brook )11.5 acres) 333 61


815 48 Richard Trum Playground, Cedar Street and Broadway (4.3 acres) ·


209.43


85 25 Playground, Glen Street and Oliver Street (1.0 acre + 1.5 acres private land) .


20.00


367 66 Playground, Kent Street and Somerville Ave- nue (0.8 acre) .


103 31


238 98 Playground, Poplar Street and Joy Street (0.5 acre)


8 00 Playground, Beacon Street near Washington Street (0.2 acre)


35 67


224 63 Playground, Fellsway East (2.5 acres private land)


189 65


at


123 30


Recreation


368


ANNUAL REPORTS.


398 19 Tufts College Land, Summer and Winter Play- ground (5 acres) . Total expenditure, maintenance (73.5 acres) 64 acres city property + 9 acres private land, 0.7 acre cemetery and 0.9 mile boulevard, and 0.54 mile parkway roads


$6,545 13


$11,185 76


CREDIT


Playgrounds and Recreation


Parks


Appropriation for Parks


$11,200 00


$6,600 00 Appropriation for Playgrounds .


.


$54 87


Balance Unexpended


$14 24


The city's assessment for Metropolitan parks and boule- vards for the year 1923 amounted to $17,858.13 on construc- tion account, and $48,443.17 being the proportional cost for maintenance and operation; in addition to this the city's special assessment for the Charles River basin construction and maintenance amounted to $9,843.61; for the improvement of Alewife Brook and maintenance of same $1,054.72 and for the maintenance of Wellington Bridge across Mystic River, $3,251.80. The total of these assessments amounts to $80,451- 43, being Somerville's proportional payment to the State on account of the Metropolitan park system for the year 1923.


The total assessment paid to the State for parks and boulevards amounts to $1,070,725.17, January 1, 1924 and the length of State boulevard at present constructed in this city consists of seven-tenths of a mile of double roadway, located in the easterly part of the city and extending between Broad- way and Mystic River, and one and two-tenths miles border- ing Mystic River and Alewife Brook located in the westerly part of the city.


A special state commission has been appointed to report a route and estimated cost of constructing a boulevard and traffic road, which will probably pass through the easterly part of this city,-the "Northern Gateway" and connections ; using Cross Street the entire length from Central Square to Mystic Avenue for heavy traffic.


A war memorial has been erected on Trum Playground, located at the northeasterly corner, constructed of concrete and granite with a bronze tablet on which is inscribed the names of dead heroes formerly residing in the vicinity.


An historical tablet formerly located on the northerly


369


CITY ENGINEER.


side of Main Street at the top of Winter Hill has been re- moved and located in Paul Revere Park.


A Section of Powder House boulevard where the road- way had deteriorated, about 1600 feet in length, has been re- constructed with an asphaltic macadam wearing surface (the first reconstruction work done since the original construc- tion in 1901.) New hardy growth trees should replace the old poplar trees the entire length of this boulevard immedi- ately, the abutting property owners paying for the trees, this department the cost of planting.


About $1,000 was spent in reconstructing fences on some of the principal parks-a granolithic sidewalk was construc- ted on the Liberty Avenue side of Tufts Park.


Athletics in general have been very active during the year and the baseball "diamonds," football fields, tennis courts and athletic apparatus located on the various playfields have been in constant use.


During the Daylight Saving period "twilight" baseball has been exceedingly popular, practically all of the city's fields being used, and at Lincoln Park and Tufts College grounds games were scheduled for every evening during the season with crowds in attendance. Approximately 500 games were scheduled on the city's playfields during the year.


Additional seats have been erected at Lincoln Park and Trum Playground and hockey rinks of regulation size were: constructed in the winter season.


A new concrete field-house and public comfort station has been constructed at Trum Playground and shower baths have been maintained at this playground and the baths located at Lincoln Park have been kept open certain evenings during: each week; more of these baths should be established at the. various fields. Wading pools for the children have been maintained at these two places.


Tennis courts have been in use at Dilboy Field, Foss, Central Hill and Lincoln parks.


Kent Street playground could be enlarged by using the westerly sidewalk and a portion of the street area.


Special supervision was provided by the Welfare and Recreation Commission during the months of July and August especially for the children's activities, to make the playgrounds popular and successful ;- the summer gardens were abandoned and an extra appropriation should be made for improving, reconstructing and renovating these park areas, especially on Central Hill.


The Metropolitan District Commission has furnished


370


ANNUAL REPORTS.


band concerts, certain evenings during summer months, at Foss Park.




Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.