USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1926 > Part 18
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
Applications were received and acted upon by the Com- mission as follows :
Garage Licenses
379 Applications received.
346 Licenses granted and issued.
32 Applications leave to withdraw.
1 Application laid over to 1927.
-
302
ANNUAL REPORTS
Lord's Day Licenses
278 Applications received.
241 Licenses granted and issued.
4 Transfers of location granted.
29 Applications leave to withdraw.
1 Transfer of location leave to withdraw.
3 Applications laid over to 1927.
Fees for the above licenses granted and issued, amount- ing to $1,899.00 were paid over to the Ciy Treasurer.
Respectfully submitted,
EUGENE M. CARMAN, Chairman WM. H. SMITH, WM. J. SHANAHAN, Licensing Commission.
Attest :
R. A. KEYES, Secretary.
303
BOARD OF APPEAL
BOARD OF APPEAL
January 31, 1927.
To the Honorable the Mayor, and the Board of Allermen of the City of Somerville :-
Gentlemen :-
The Board of Appeal respectfully submits the following report of its work during the year ending December 31, 1926.
The members of the Board met, in conjunction with His honor the Mayor, on January 3, 1926, and organized by the election of Hon. Leonard B. Chandler as Chairman and Mr. Walter T. Littlefield as Secretary; the second and fourth Wed- nesday of each month being designated as regular meeting days, the same to convene at 9.30 o'clock in the morning.
The Board proceeded to function immediately after or- ganization and the first regular meeting convened Wednesday, February 10, 1926.
During the year, twenty seven (27) meetings of the Board were held at which sixty-four (64) cases of appeal were considered, after a public hearing before the Board, duly ad- vertised and all persons deemed interested notified.
Forty-two (42) of the cases mentioned were decided fa- vorably. Nineteen (19) cases decided adversely and Three (3) cases given permission to withdraw appeal.
All of these cases involved a decision derogating from the provisions of the Building Zone Ordinance or Ordinance No. 109 known as the Fire District Ordinance, under the powers of the Board authorized by Section 27a of Chapter 40 of the General Laws, Acts of 1924 and the Board has endeavored to be fair in its decisions, to all appellants and other persons in- terested, having in mind at all times the importance of care- ful consideration of any derogation under its powers.
304
ANNUAL REPORTS
We believe and are thoroughly satisfied that on all de- cisions rendered, such decisions have been merited both as to the evidence presented and the practical consideration of the locations and other features involved.
The Board has received the assistance of His honor the Mayor, the City Solicitor and the Commissioner of Public Buildings in its work and desires to express its sincere ap- preciation for such agreeable co-operation and help.
Respectfully submitted,
LEONARD B. CHANDLER, Chairman, WALTER T. LITTLEFIELD, Secretary, FREDERICK A. DUTTON, ROSCOE E. ESTES, FREDERICK J. WHITE.
Attest,
WALTER T. LITTLEFIELD, Secretary.
305
ELECTRIC LINES AND LIGHTS
REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF ELECTRIC LINES AND LIGHTS
-
Somerville, Mass.
January 1, 1927.
To the Honorable, the Mayor and the Board of Aldermen of the City of Somerville.
Gentlemen :-
I most respectfully submit my eighteenth annual report: as Commissioner of Electric Lines and Lights for the year ending December 31, 1926.
Inspection of Wiring in Buildings.
Installations of electrical wiring and appliances in build -- ings have been given the same careful inspection as hereto- fore.
The work as a whole is satisfactory and as far as possible- fire and life hazards have been eliminated.
The increased use of electrical appliances some of which are improper, necessitates the closest possible scrutiny.
This applies particularly to oil burners of which a con- siderable number have been installed in the past year.
While a few fires have resulted from the use of these appliances improved methods of installation make them prac- tically safe.
I again call attention to the promiscuous use of appli- ances and extensions attached to lighting fixtures often caus- ing the protective fuses to be destroyed and these fuses are then replaced with unapproved ones.
Electrical work of any character should not be accepted by the customer until it has been inspected and approved.
This department has one inspector who is kept busy on new work but another inspector is necessary to properly cover all old installations which are deteriorating every year and should be brought up to standard.
306
ANNUAL REPORTS
Number of notifications of new work 3469
Number of inspections of new work 5115
Number of re-inspections of new work 1061
Number of inspections of old work
45
Number of defective installations of old work
14
Number of defective installations remedied 10
Number of re-inspections of old work 10
Total number of inspections 6231
Number of permits issued to the Edison Electric
Illuminating Co. for installing meters, lamps, etc. 3912
Fire Alarm System
The Fire Alarm System is in excellent condition but some of the older apparatus should be replaced.
365 bell alarms have been received and transmitted dur- ing the year.
770 telephone calls for fire were received and fire de- partment sent.
3 A. D. T. alarms were received and transmitted.
The central office equipment consists of the following :-
2- 6 circuit operating boards.
1- 5 circuit tapper board.
1- 5 circuit gong board.
2-16 circuit storage battery charging boards.
1-32 circuit protector board.
1-12 circuit automatic repeater.
1- dial 4 number manual transmitter.
2- 5 circuit punching registers.
13 punching registers and take up reels ..
2 automatic time and date stamps.
1 master clock.
950 cells storage battery.
5 10 foot 4 shelf battery racks.
4 metropolitan tappers and 2 gongs.
The apparatus outside the central office consists of the following :-
139 signal boxes.
7 tower strikers.
45 gongs.
10 punching registers.
20 tappers.
8 private telephones.
About 67 miles of overhead wires and 82 miles of under- ground wires.
307
ELECTRIC LINES AND LIGHTS
Four new boxes have been installed.
No. 315 Edgar Avenue, corner Jaques Street.
No. 316 Temple Road, corner Puritan Road.
No. 317 Ten Hill Road, corner Gov. Winthrop Road. No. 318 Ten Hill Road.
20,600 feet of overhead wire has been run and 2.000 feet of old wire removed.
6,000 feet of underground cable was installed.
Police Signal System
The police Signal System is in good condition after 14 years of service.
Some trouble has been found with old signal boxes but service has not often been interrupted.
A number of boxes have been overhauled and parts re- placed.
One new box has been installed on Morrison Avenue at Highland Road.
A new register and time stamp for the signal desk have been installed.
New batteries are needed and desk overhauled.
The system consists of the following :-
1-4 circuit police desk.
About 16 miles of overhead wire.
3 special boxes.
60 street signal boxes. About 18 miles of underground cable.
Supervision of Poles and Wires on the Streets
The same attention has been given to the condition of poles and wires on the streets as in previous years. A num- ber of defective poles have been replaced by the companies owning same.
New poles have been placed in locations granted for the purpose of supplying lighting and telephone service and aban- doned poles have been removed.
New underground conduits have been laid by the Edison Co. on Highland Avenue from Willow Avenue to School Street and overhead wires are to be removed.
308
ANNUAL REPORTS
New Poles 3
Re- placed 80
Re- moved
Re- set
New England Telephone & Telegraph Co. Edison Electric Illuminating Co.
73
102
22
2
Boston Elevated Railway Company ... Permits given to the New England Tel.
2
2
& Tel. Co. for attachments to the Edisons Company's poles 20
Permits given to the Edison Electric Ill. Co. for attachments to the New England Tel. & Tel. Company's poles 44
Street Lighting
A number of new lights have been added and some have been changed.
The new Northern Artery, soon to be opened for public traffic will be lighted by 55-1500 C.P. lamps.
The number of street lights January 1, 1927 are as fol- lows :-
216 Magnetite lights. 391 600 C.P. Lights. 24 1000 C.P. lights. 391 600 C.P. lights.
1004 60 C.P. lights.
Recommendation
I respectfully recommend that another assistant inspec- tor be employed to enable the department to more thoroughly cover all new and old installations of electrical wiring in the City. This is imperative as with the increase of new elec- trcal installations and the time required to inspect same, old work cannot be properly checked up.
Conclusion
I wish to thank His Honor, the Mayor, the members of the Board of Aldermen and the several departments for the many courtesies received.
Respectfully yours, WALTER I. FULLER,
Commissioner of Electric Lines and Lights.
1
309
LAW DEPARTMENT
REPORT OF THE LAW DEPARTMENT
To the Honorable the Mayor and the Board of Aldermen of the City of Somerville :
The annual report of the law department for the year ending December 31, 1926, is as follows :
With the committee on legislative matters I helped pre- pare a revision of the building ordinance and with the city clerk a general revision of all ordinances.
In order to prevent further dumping of refuse matter at Clarendon Hill on land of the city of Somerville and land of the city of Cambridge situated in Somerville I drew an ordi- nance which was passed by the board of aldermen and a regu- lation which was made by the board of health and the general subject of improving conditions at the existing dump was taken up with representatives of the state board of health and of the city governments of the two cities.
An attempt by the city of Woburn to secure legislation that would require the construction of a large drain in that city at the expense of the metropolitan sewerage district was successfully opposed. An act was passed for the extension of the metropolitan water district, a special commission being created to have the matter in charge.
Court proceedings of various kinds have been brought in regard to the zoning ordinance adopted in the year 1925 in which the application of the ordinance, not its validity, has been involved.
A report by Ralph M. Smith, Esquire, assistant in this department, is submitted herewith as a part of this report. I attended to all civil cases in which the city was interested brought in the Somerville District Court of which he is one of the justices.
Yours very respectfully,
FRANK W. KAAN,
City Solicitor.
310
ANNUAL REPORTS
I beg to submit the following report for the year 1926 on that portion of the City Solicitor's work which was en- trusted to my charge.
Street Accident Notices
Pending December 31, 1925 51
New notices received 58
Disposed of and settled 48
Pending December 31, 1926
61
All of the pending notices have been investigated and all available facts are on file.
Street Accident Cases in Superior Court
Fending December 31, 1925 17
New cases entered 15
Disposed of and settled 8
Cases pending December 31, 1926
24
Of the cases still pending in Court one was tried out be- fore a Jury and by direction of the Court the verdict was entered for the defendant after the case had been submitted to the Jury for the purpose of assessing damages. The Jury assessed damages in the sum of $3000 and the case is to be reported to the Supreme Court on questions of law. Attor- neys for the plaintiff have not yet prepared the report and the case is still pending.
Title Examination
Two titles have been examined during the year, one on Powder House Boulevard and one on Mt. Vernon Avenue, the latter one being a very extensive title which occupied some sixty days actual work at the Registry.
Collection Matters
Pending December 31, 1925 27
Received
27
Disposed of and settled 23
Pending December 31, 1926
31
Four suits have been brought during the year on collec- tion matters and there are seven suits still pending in Court.
In addition to the above I have attended one hearing before the the Public Works Department at the State House and have also attended hearings on fifteen claims before the
311
LAW DEPARTMENT
Finance Committee of the Board of Aldermen, have approved bonds, contracts, etc., in the absence of the City Solicitor, and have had several conferences and given oral opinions to vari- ous department heads.
Respectfully submitted,
RALPH M. SMITH.
312
ANNUAL REPORTS
REPORT OF SANITARY DEPARTMENT
January 22, 1927.
To the Honorable, the Mayor and the Board of Aldermen of the City of Somerville.
Gentlemen :
The report of the Sanitary Department for the year 1926 is respectfully submitted herewith.
Collections of Ashes and Paper
Ashes (Cubic Yards)
Paper (Cubic Yards)
January
19,381
3,700
February
18,216
3,700
March
16,466
4,060
April
15,168
3,700
May
12,090
4,000
June
10,013
3,780
July
9,797
3,900
August
8,943
3,880
September
9,400
4,500
October
11,850
3,960
November
12,348
3,880
December
14,640
3,880
158,312
46,940
During the year the Sanitary Department paid to the Highway Department $3,362.41 for the use of teams and $1,390.50 for board of horses.
The paper and combustible materials are being disposed of at the incinerator plant, the city receiving a revenue of $400. per year for the paper. The garbage is collected by con- tract, twice a week from May 15th to October 15th and once a week for the period from October 15th to the following May 15th.
The city has purchased the old Coleman ledge property
313
SANITARY DEPARTMENT
off Edgar avenue which can be used for a temporary place to dump ashes and non-combustible refuse. The department is making good progress towards cleaning up the Clarendon Hill dump.
The non-combustible materials are being collected princi- pally with automobile trucks on account of the distance to the Medford dumps which are being used by this department subject to the rules and regulations of the Board of Health of the City of Medford.
Respectfully submitted,
EDGAR T. MAYHEW, Supt. of Sanitary Dept.
314
ANNUAL REPORTS
REPORT OF THE CITY ENGINEER
OFFICE OF THE CITY ENGINEER,
CITY HALL, SOMERVILLE, JANUARY 20, 1927.
To His Honor, the Mayor, and the Board of Aldermen :-
Gentlemen,-In accordance with the city ordinances, the following report of the work done and expense incurred for the year ending December 31, 1926, by the Engineering De- partment and appropriations under my charge and supervi- sion, including the accounts of city engineer, sewers construc- tion, sewers maintenance, parks maintenance, playgrounds maintenance, and other public works, is herewith presented : -the 54th annual report-my thirty-first report as city engi- neer.
ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
In previous reports the general work, charter require- ments and city ordinances relating to the duties of the city engineer have been fully described-he shall be consulted in relation to public improvements of every kind when the advice of a civil engineer would be of service. City Engineer is also Supt. of Sewers and Supt. of Parks and Grounds.
Divisions
Appropriations and Transfers
Expenditures
Balances
City Engineer
$14,900 00
...
$14,860 99
$ 39 01
Sewers Maintenance ..
25,150 00
$ 28 25
*24,912 93
265 32
Sewers Construction ..
56,818 48
97 05
54,073 07
2,842 16
Parks Maintenance ... .....
14,400 00
** 13,580 08
819 92
Playgrounds Maint. ...
10,720 00
695 96
11,407 08
8 88
Playgrd. Improvement and
4,427 70
24 56
4,130 02
322 24
Purchase
Additional
Land
2,100 00 ...
2,100 00
...........
*$2,275 transferred to other divisions.
** $ 300 transferred to Maintenance of Buildings.
(Expenditures in the various divisions are shown in de- tail in the city auditor's annual report.)
315
CITY ENGINEER
CITY ENGINEER DIVISION, CLASSIFICATION OF EXPENDI- TURES, 1926
Sewers and Storm Drains,-comprising surveys, estimates, profiles, lines, grades, titles, plans, assessments, all enginering work relating to same and supervision .... Highways,-comprising plans, estimates, titles, profiles, lines and grades, inspection of paving and all other engineering work relating to the department 1,551 93 ... Sidewalks,-comprising profiles, lines, grades, measure- ments, inspection, titles, costs and assessments 118 90
$2,057 81
Water Works,-comprising lines, grades, locations of mains, gates, hydrants, services for buildings, and other matters relating to the department 272 46
Parks and Playgrounds,-comprising surveys, plans, esti- mates, profiles, and grades, including laying out of parks, playgrounds, boulevard and supervision 312 27 Public Buildings,-comprising surveys, estimates, lines and grades, and other work relating to construction and laying out of grounds 73 30
Street Numbering,-comprising locations of buildings, plans, assigning street numbers, etc. 680 10
Street Lines and Grades,-comprising establishing of lines, grades, and miscellaneous data given partes for building and grading
49 09
Bridges and Grade Crossings,-comprising surveys, plans, profiles, estimates, lines and grades, etc.
26 67
City Survey,-comprising establishing of street lines, ac- ceptance plans, and miscellaneous survey work for city map, etc.
636 28
Middlesex Registry and Land Court,-comprising copying of plans, and abstracts from deeds and examination of titles filed at East Cambridge, also tracing of street acceptance and sewer taking plans, filed for record Private Corporations, Railway, Telephone, Electric Light and Gas Light Companies,-comprising grades, plans, profiles and office notes, locations of poles and con- duits
80 74
Office Work,-comprising record of all locations, indexing, typewriting, bookkeeping, calculations, reports, and general draughting
1,534 69
Miscellaneous Work,-comprising designs, sketches, etc., relating to various schemes for committees 75 24
Northern Artery (cross-town boulevard) special work 265 28 ... Holidays. Vacations and Sickness 793 95
Engineering,-General departmental expenses (all divi- sions) comprising city engineer's salary, auto, tele- phone, car fares, and supplies 6,165 50
Total
$14,860 99 Value of field instruments, tools and office instruments, $1,800.00.
157 45
Setting Stone Bounds and Brass Rods,-defining street lines and city boundary lines 9 33
316
ANNUAL REPORTS
The total cost of maintaining the Engineer's Division since it was established, 1872-1926, both years inclusive, has amounted to $493,922.56.
Six assistants have been employed the greater part of the year, on engineering work.
A number of plans have been made during the year for street acceptance and eleven streets were accepted as public highways under the betterment act; and there are plans for acceptance of thirteen private streets on file in this office, that for various reasons have not been made public ways.
Surveys, calculations, estimates and plans have been made for taking land, buildings and private property for various purposes in certain sections of the city.
Some of the old main thoroughfares should be renum- bered their entire length, so as to eliminate half numbers and letters now being used, also certain streets, continuing in bordering cities where numbers conflict.
The Northern Traffic Artery (so called) a combination of boulevard and traffic road extending across the easterly end of the city, has been nearly completed during the year by the State Metropolitan District Commission. Land and buildings were taken, for widening Somerville Avenue on the northerly side from the East Cambridge line to Medford Street, on the easterly side of Medford Street to Chester Avenue (opposite Greenville Street) thence by a bridge over the B. & M. R. R. tracks and across private lands to Broadway at Fellsway East, which was widened on the easterly side to Mystic Avenue and continuing to Middlesex Avenue by widening Winthrop Ave- nue on the easterly side, a length of 9,250 feet (13/4 miles) in Somerville and varying in width from 60 feet to 140 feet -- portions of Aldrich, Dana and Edmands Streets were taken and Flint Street deadended.
The city desired a change in the Commissioners' plans whereby a large brick building,-located on the southerly side of Somerville Avenue near the Cambridge line, and encroaching into the newly laidout boulevard about 25 feet,-was removed ; also another change in the plans was requested whereby Gil- man Street would remain a through street by carrying the new boulevard over said street by a bridge-this was accom- plished by the city contributing $15,000.00 approximately one- half cost of the alteration.
Betterment assessments have been levied, by the state,
317
CITY ENGINEER
on adjacent property owners. When construction is com- pleted the city is to maintain this traffic artery.
In conjunction with this new thoroughfare, the city should immediately widen the street in front of the Central Fire Station at the junction of Medford Street and Highland Avenue-a much needed improvement.
The locating of the First National Stores, Inc. at the junction of Mystic and Middlesex Avenues requires the widen- ing of North Union Street as a public way and the immediate paving of this street and a section of Mystic Avenue and re- locating the electric railway tracks in the centre of the street.
STREETS ACCEPTED AS PUBLIC HIGHWAYS IN 1926, UNDER THE BETTERMENT ACT
Name of Sreet Ward
From
To
Width in ft.
Length
Date of Acceptance
Bailey Road
4
Ten Hills Rd. (Ext.) .......... Temple Road
40
879.6
June
29, 1926
Edgar Avenue
4
Main
Meacham
50
850.2
July
10, 1926
Gov. Winthrop Road
4
Ten Hills Rd. (Ext.)
Temple Road
40
751.4
June
29, 1926
Highland Road
5
Morrison Avenue
Arlington Br. R. R.
70
107.4
Sept. 24, 1926
Irvington Road
7
Mystic Valley Pkwy.
Medford Line
40
484.0
June
29, 1926
Kensington Avenue
4
Blakeley Avenue
.Mystic Ave.
40
729.5
Oct.
15, 1926
Puritan Road
4
Ten Hills Road
Temple Road
40
622.9
June
29, 1926
Putnam Road
4
Ten Hills Road
Temple Road
40
494.4
June
29, 1926
Ten Hills Road
4
Puritan Road
Temple Road
25-40
813.1
June
29, 1926
Upland Road
7
Hillsdale Road
Curtis
40
655.0
April
24, 1926
Warwick Place
5
Warwick
`lyde
30
312.7
Nov.
18, 1926
Total
(1.268 miles)
6,700.2
..
..
318
ANNUAL REPORTS
in ft.
..
..
319
CITY ENGINEER
LENGTH OF STREETS
Miles
* Public
88.802
Private
13.044
Total length of streets
101.846
*Includes 1.406 Miles City Boulevard and Park Roadways 4.331 Miles State Boulevard 0.97 Miles State Highway
In the 1910 report, tables were published showing old names of certain streets as formerly known, and names of public Squares in the city ; the names of some of these Squares have been changed recently, and new Squares added.
LENGTH OF PUBLIC STREETS IN EACH WARD
(Newly adopted ward lines)
Miles
Ward one
13.883
Ward two
14.655
Ward three
10.674
Ward four
13.350
Ward five
11.481
Ward six
11.874
Ward seven
12.879
Total length of public street in the city
88.802
Street "Markers"- (Stone Bounds) (Brass rods set in cement sidewalks.)
There are at the present time a total of 663 bounds or brass rods set for defining street lines, and this work should be continued as much as possible each year. These bounds are also of great convenience in establishing permanent "Bench Marks" throughout the city for giving grades.
Previous reports will show location of all street bounds set.
STREETS CONSTRUCTED UNDER BETTERMENT ACT
Type of construction Granite Edgestone, Concrete Gutters and Roadway of broken stone base and asphaltic mixed top- "Simasco" (Simpson Bros. Corp. patent.)
Width of roadway
Length in feet
Bailey Road
26.7
879.6
Boston Avenue
26.7-33.3
525.5
Gov. Winthrop Road
26.7
751.4
Hardan Road
26.7
183.4
320
ANNUAL REPORTS
Irvington Road
26.7
484.0
Puritan Road
26.7
622.9
Putnam Road
26.7
494.4
*Smith Avenue
15.0
213.4
Ten Hills Road
20.0-26.7
813.1
Upland Road
26.7
655.0
Total
(1.065 miles)
5,622.7
* Asphaltic penetration
Average cost $11.10 per linear foot.
Assessments have been levied on abutting property owners for approximately one-half of the cost of constructing these streets.
STREETS SURFACED WITH WARRENITE (Warren Bros. Patent) Laid on top old and new concrete base.
Square Yards
Length
Boston Avenue (northeast side) from Medford line to Medford line (Mystic River) (with- out concrete base)
1,772.8
948.0
Broadway from Teele Square to Arlington line
6,307.8
1,984.0
Summer Street and Bow Street from Walnut
St. to near Central St.
10,134.0
2,740.2
Total
(1.074 miles)
18,214.6
5,672.2
The total length of permanent paved streets in the city amounts to 18.268 miles.
Permanent street pavement should be extended as rapidly as possible, using old granite blocks, re-cut and laid on a con- crete base-the best and most economical pavement for this city.
Grades were given and measurements taken for the re- construction of ten streets with a bituminous wearing surface, a length of 7,002 feet.
In constructing the new bituminous streets and grano- lithic sidewalks, 11,419.4 feet (2.16 miles) of new edgestone were set.
TABLE OF STREET CONSTRUCTION
** Streets paved with granite blocks.
Square Yards 210,117 20,958
Miles 8.780 1.290
Streets paved with vitrified brick
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.