Report of the city of Somerville 1930, Part 34

Author: Somerville (Mass.)
Publication date: 1930
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 574


USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1930 > Part 34


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The erection of a drill tower and the purchase of necessary equipment to properly educate and instruct the Department members in the modern methods of efficient fire fighting.


The acceptance of Chapter 351 of the Acts of 1930 by the City Government which authorizes the City to purchase uni- forms for the members of its Fire and Police Departments.


The passing of an ordinance forbidding the laying of fire resisting shingles or coverings over the old wooden shingles on the roof of buildings within the City limits.


The installation of new Fire Alarm Signal boxes in the vicinity of the following locations :


502


ANNUAL REPORTS


Brastow Avenue, corner of Porter Street.


Elm Street, corner of St. James Avenue. Shore Drive, corner of Crest Hill Road. George Street yards, Boston Elevated Railway. Warwick Street, near the Agar Manufacturing Co. College Avenue, corner of Morrison Avenue. Lowden Avenue, corner of Mallet Street.


Broadway, corner of Paulina Street. Broadway, corner of Garrison Avenue.


Curtis Street, corner of Chetwynd Road. Cameron Avenue, corner of Malvern Avenue. Powder House Boulevard, corner of Burnham Street.


Alewife Brook Parkway, corner of Woods Avenue.


Columbus Avenue, corner of Stone Avenue.


CONCLUSION


My sincere appreciation is hereby expressed to His Honor, Mayor John J. Murphy, the Public Safety Committee, the City Government as a whole and to the various other municipal Departments.


The Officers and members of the Department have my commendation and sincere thanks for the efficient and faithful manner in which they have performed their duties during the past year.


Respectfully submitted,


JOSEPH A. CRIBBY, Chief Engineer Somerville Fire Dept.


503


FIRE DEPARTMENT


FIRE PREVENTION BUREAU Located at Fire Headquarters


Somerville, Mass., January 1, 1931.


JOSEPH A. CRIBBY,


Chief of Department,


Sir :


I have the honor to submit the sixth annual report of the Fire Prevention Bureau of the Somerville Fire Department for the year ending December 31, 1930.


There were 7429 original inspections, of the different mer- cantile and manufacturing establishments, garages, apartment and tenement houses, theatres and the cellars of some of the private dwellings throughout the city.


Of the 7429 original inspections, there were 501 cases re- ported for correction and written notices were issued and each case followed up until rectified. Conditions over which the fire department has not control were reported to either the Building Commissioner, Wire Commissioner, Board of Health or the Gas Companies.


Respectfully,


JOSEPH F. GREENE, Lieutenant in Charge of Bureau.


Respectfully submitted,


JOSEPH A. CRIBBY, Chief Engineer.


1930


Engine Co. No. 1


Engine Co. No. 2.


Engine Co. No. 3


"Engine Co. No. 4


Engine Co. No. 6


Hose Co. No. 7.


Hose Co. No. 5


Ladder Co. No. I


Ladder Co. No. 2


54 37 OgLadder Co. No. 3


Ladder Co. No. 4


Totals H


323


Still alarms


86


169


120


53


125


71


60


90


81


75


984


Miles traveled


447


394


315


210


317


225


159


249


259


207


329


3,311


Feet Hose used


20,300


45,200


22,400


12,500


17,600


8,450


10,800


137,250


Chemical hose


16,000


16,100


31,100


8,750


7,500


11,000


8,000


2,250


100,700


Feet of ladders


60


20


22


40


4,054


2,934


1,520


2,093


10,743


Extinguishers


8


16


18


16


14


19


2


8


7


2


110


Gallons of Gasoline.


675


909


656


432


315


320


110


235


220


150


295


4,317


Gallons of Oil


9


40


16


17


15


8


4


5


6


5


7


132


Out of town


15


35


12


5


48


6


9


4


2


4


1


141


Covers used


6


1


8


11


10


3


39


ANNUAL REPORTS


..


..


504


Bell alarms


103


505


SEALER OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES


REPORT OF THE SEALER OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES


OFFICE OF SEALER OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES


City Hall, Somerville, January 1, 1931


To HIS HONOR, THE MAYOR, AND THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN :-


The following report of the Sealer of Weights and Measures for the year 1930 is respectfully submitted .-


Work of Weights and Measures Department for 1930


Adjusted


Sealed


Not Sealed


Con- demned


Platform over 5000 capacity ....


......


51


......


......


Platform under 5000 capacity


53


363


12


11


Counter


4


456


7


10


Spring


1


685


......


23


Computing


......


562


8


19


Slot Personal Weighing


....


42


...


...


...


......


Beam


......


16


2


......


Weights


Avoirdupois


27


2894


....


4


Apothecary


......


699


.....


19


Metric


......


174


2


Capacity Measures


Vehicle Tanks


59


...


..


......


Dry


......


19


...


..


......


Liquid


......


2782


20


50


Gasoline Pumps


11


367


29


15


Gasoline Meters


......


...


......


Oil Pumps


......


98


604


......


Molasses Pumps


......


15


. ......


Quantity measures on Pumps


......


1795


......


Yard Sticks


......


..


...


Wood Baskets


4


.....


......


Cloth Measuring Devices


......


5


......


......


Taxi Meters


......


......


......


Total


48


11297


682


158


1


Prescription


......


55


...


...


......


14


127


4


......


15


506


ANNUAL REPORTS


Inspections other than sealing:


Number of scales and measures in stores


142


Number of Pedler's scales 63


Number of Junk scales


6


Number of Ice scales


14


Number of Gasoline devices


127


Number of Pedler's Licenses


115


Taxi Meters


39


Coal Certificates


3


Condemned for repairs or replacement on road:


Number of scales and measures inspected and C D ....


51


Number repaired or replaced and sealed 21


Number not reported ready for sealing


30


Condemned for repairs or replacement at office :


Number of scales and measures inspected and C D ....


74


Number repaired or replaced and sealed


57


Number not reported ready for sealing


17


Gasoline Station Tests:


Total number of calls


183


Number of different stations


120


Number of call backs to stations previously inspected


62


Number of pumps retested and inspected


127


Total number of gallons of gas drawn for tests


12932


Average gallons of gas drawn per pump


311/2


Total number of pumps inspected


410


Number of pumps sealed


37S


Number of pump non-sealed


22


Number of pumps C D


2


Total number of oil pumps


702


Number of oil pumps sealed


98


Number of oil pumps non-sealed


604


Summary of tests and inspections:


Total Number


Correct


Under


Over


Loaves of Bread


153


86


27


40


Packages of Butter


183


148


32


3


Coal in Paper Bags


9


9


....


....


Coal in Transit


3


....


....


3


Confectionery


15


15


....


....


Dry Commodity


412


354


51


7


Bags of Flour


161


64


79


18


Fruits and Vegetables


204


138


51


15


Ice


1


...


1


....


Meats and Provisions


199


125


63


11


Total


1340


939


304


97


507


SEALER OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES


Other Inspections:


Marking of Food Packages


304


Marking of Bread


153


Paper or Fibre Cartons


130


Milk Jars 275


Wholesale Milk Cans


175


Metal Ice Cream Containers


500


Taxi Meters


39


Miscellaneous :


Complaints Investigated


6


Total Number Licenses Issued


263


Amount paid City Treasurer for Pedlers' Licenses. $ 834 00


Amount paid City Treasurer as Sealing Fees ... 1,032 38


Applications inspected and signed for Special Licenses:


Special City Licenses


17


County


75


State


68


Disabled Veterans


17


Transfers


30


Total


207


508


ANNUAL REPORTS


May I respectfully call to your attention again the need of a public scale, for reweighing purposes. The department is greatly handicapped in reweighing of coal in transit by having to direct vehicles to different parts of the City to weight loads on privately owned scales that have been sealed previously by this department.


B. S. ABBOTT,


Scaler of Weights and Measures.


509


ELECTRIC LINES AND LIGHTS


REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF ELECTRIC LINES AND LIGHTS


January 1, 1931.


To the Honorable, The Mayor and the Board of Aldermen of the City of Somerville.


Gentlemen :-


I most respectfully submit the twenty-sixth annual report of the Electrical Department for the year ending December 31, 1930.


Inspection of Wiring in Buildings


The same rigid inspections of electrical wiring and at- tachments thereto have been carried on as in previous years.


The increased uses of unapproved and improperly con- structed appliances have caused serious life and fire hazard, but due to the new re-inspection system inaugurated this year electrical fires have been cut down to a minimum.


Electric circuits are a potential life and fire hazard and the greatest care has been taken in the inspection of all in- stallations. A large number of cases of poor work have been found, and have either been removed or remedied.


Number of advisatory inspections before work is


started


440


Number of inspections without notifications 300


Number of inspections of new work 3,448


Number of re-inspections on new work 604


Number of defective conditions not remedied 201


Number of re-inspections of old work 1,220


Total number of inspections 6,213 Number of permits issued to the Edison Electric Ill.


Co. for installing meters, lamps, etc. 882


(On re-inspections of old work at least two calls on each notice were made.)


510


ANNUAL REPORTS


Fire Alarm System


The Fire Alarm System is in excellent condition but a number of the older fire boxes should be replaced.


315 Box alarms have been received and transmitted dur- ing the year.


8 A. D. T. alarms.


684 telephone calls were received and the fire department sent.


7 two alarm fires and 1 three alarm occurred.


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- 1 dial 4 number manual transmitter.


13-


2- 5 circuit punching registers and take up reels. punching registers and take up reels.


2- automatic time and date stamps.


1- master clock.


962- cells storage battery.


5- 10 foot 4 shelf battery racks.


4- metropolitan tappers and 2 gongs. 2- motor generators.


Apparatus outside the central office consists of the fol- lowing :-


151 signal boxes. 7 tower strikers.


45 gongs.


10 punching registers.


20 tappers.


10 private telephones.


3 traffic horns.


About 68 miles of overhead wires and 85 miles of under- ground wires.


Four new boxes have been added during the past year.


Box 343-Shore Drive Box 4522-Contagious Hospital Box 2152-High School Box 245-Wyatt and Merriam Sts.


511


ELECTRIC LINES AND LIGHTS


A new emergency truck was purchased this year and fully equipped for Fire Alarm repairs and Traffic Signal work.


27,000 feet of overhead wire has been run and 29,000 feet of old wire removed.


A number of the Fire Alarm boxes are of the old type and I recommend their replacement with a new type of Fire Alarm box.


I recommend that a new 6 dial transmitter be installed in the operating room so that a system of coding fire alarm calls from large manufacturing plants may be transmitted to the Fire Department so that they may know the building or part of the building from which the alarm was sounded.


Police Signal System


The Police Signal System is in good condition after 18 years of service.


A number of boxes have been overhauled and parts re- placed.


As it is planned to build a new police station I recommend an entire new police signal system and I further recommend that larger cables be installed so that wires will be available for traffic control wires, citizen call wires, or audible signals for the Police Department.


The system consists of the following 1-4 circuit police desk. About 18 miles of overhead wire.


3 Special boxes. 64 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.


512


ANNUAL REPORTS


New Poles


Re- moved


Re- set


New England Telephone & Telegraph Co.


5


Re- placed 62 251


6


2


Edison Electric Illuminating Co. ...


30


7


0


Boston Elevated Railway Co.


1


....


1


3


Permits given to the New England Tel. & Tel Co. for attachments to the Edi- son Company's poles


35


....


....


....


Permits given to the Edison Electric Ill. Co. for attachments to the New


England Tel. & Tel. Company's poles ....


14


....


....


....


Street Lighting


A number of new lights have been added and some have been changed.


The number of street lights January 1, 1931 are as fol- lows :-


287 1500 C. P. lights.


55 1000 C. P. lights.


488 600 C. P. lights.


250 11 C. P. lights.


178 100 C. P. lights.


1006


80 C. P. lights.


A survey is recommended with the view of standardizing the type of pole and lamp, and to plan for better lighting in the city.


Traffic Lights


The installation and maintenance of Traffic Lights has been transferred from the Executive Department to this De- partment, and a program planned, the completion of which is expected early in 1931.


One maintenance contract was terminated December 1, and the balance were terminated December 31, with the ex- ception of the signal located at Broadway and Alewife Brook Parkway, which is leased on a five year contract.


I wish to thank His Honor, the Mayor, and the members of the Board of Aldermen and the several departments for the many courtesies received.


Respectfully yours,


JOHN F. KNIGHT,


Commissioner of Electric Lines and Lights.


513:


INDEX


INDEX


Appeal, Board of, Report of 409


Assessors, Board of. Report of


492


Valuation of Real Estate and Personal Property 492


Supplementary Assessments


492


Valuation of Exempted Property


492


Warrants


493


Motor Vehicle Excise Tax


493


Special Work


493


Table of Tax Rates in Surrounding Cities


497


City Auditor, Report of


15


Balance Sheet


18


Cash Statement


21


Taxes-Special Assessments


24


Departmental Bills


27


Water Department Accounts


28: 29


Appropriations


32


Commonwealth of Massachusetts


42


County of Middlesex


43


Revenue and Expenses


44


Temporary Loans


45.


Taxes


47


Special Assessments


48 49


Interest Requirements on Present City Debt


49


Interest Requirements on Funded Debt


50


Borrowing Capacity


51


Overlay Accounts


Excess and Deficiency Account


55


Receipts and Expenditures, Classifications of


57


Schedule of Public Property


100


City Clerk, Report of


307


Receipts


307


Payments


308


Licenses and Permits


309


Births


310


Marriages


310


Deaths


311


Ordinances


312


Liquor License Question


314


Statement of Estimated Revenue


Funded Debt


46


Maturities on Funded Debt


Abatements, Refunds, State Income Tax, etc. 52, 53, 54 54


514


INDEX


City Engineer, Report of


290


Engineering Department


290


City Engineer Division, Classification of Expenses 290


Streets Accepted as Public Ways


293


Table of Street Construction


295


Sewer Division


298


Sewers and Storm Drains Constructed


299


Maintenance Account


300


Parks and Playgrounds Division


302


Maintenance Account


302


City Government and Officers for 1930


315


City Solicitor, Report of 411


City Treasurer and Collector of Taxes, Report of


103


Revenue and Expense, Statement of


104


Borrowing Capacity


104


Cash Statement


105, 106


Taxes


115


Street Sprinkling Assessments


116


Overlay and Abatement


117


Betterment Assessments


118


Departmental Accounts


121


Revenue Loans


122


Bonds


125, 126, 127


Memorandum of Payments on Account of Debt 127


Treasury Department


128


Commissioner of Public Buildings (see Public Buildings Commissioner) ... .... 322


Commissioner of Streets (see Street Commissioner) ... 470


Commissioner of Water (see Water Commissioner) 420


Commissioner of Electric Lines and Lights, Report of 509


Inspection of Wiring in Buildings


509


Fire Alarm System


510


Police Signal System


511


Supervision of Poles and Wires on the Streets


511


Street Lighting


512


Traffic Lights


512


Election Commissioners, Board of, Report of 273


List of Assessed Polls and Registered Voters


277


Election Statistics


278


Record of Votes Cast at State Primary


279


Record of Votes Cast at State Election


280


INDEX


515


Employment Bureau, Report of 408


Fire Department, Chief of. Report of


498


Alarms of Fire


498


List of Probable Causes


Manual Force


499


Apparatus


500


Hose


500


Recommendations


500


Conclusion


502


Fire Prevention Bureau


503


Health, Board of, Report of


Organization, Officers, Etc.


374 374


Nuisances


376


Permits and Licenses


376


Stables


377


Board of Infants


378


Lying-in Hospitals


378 379 382


Mortality Statistics


384


Specimens and Supplies


384


Medical Inspection of Schools


385


Bacteriological Work


387


Undertakers


387


Examination of Plumbers


388 388


Health Nurses, Report of


388, 389


Medical Inspection, Report of


391


Dental Hygiene, Report of Department


394


Inspection of Animals and Provisions


398


Inspector of Milk and Vinegar


401


Inaugural Address-Hon. John J. Murphy 3


Inspector of Buildings (see Buildings Commissioner) ..... 322


Inspector of Milk and Vinegar, Report of the


401


Law Department, Report of 411


Licensing Commission, Report of 417


Mayor-Inaugural Address


3


Address to Board of Aldermen 10


Communication to Board of Aldermen 13.


Deaths


Diseases Dangerous to Public Health


Infant Hygiene Clinics


498


516


INDEX


Medical Inspection, Report of


391


Visits


391


Contagious Disease Hospital


391


Laboratory Examinations


391


Tuberculosis


392


Infant Hygiene Clinics


352


Ordinances 312


Police, Chief of, Report of


341


Arrests


341


Crimes and Offenses Against the Person


341


Crimes and Offenses Against Property


342


Crimes and Offenses Against Public Order


342


Recapitulation


343


Miscellaneous Report


343


Roster of Department


346


Changes in the Force


349


Police Matron, Report of


351


Liquor Officers, Report of


352


Automobile and Traffic Department


353


Population


314, 466


Public Buildings Commissioner, Report of


322


Inspection of Buildings


322


Gas Inspections


Coal


326


Elevators


326


School Buildings


326


Fire Department Buildings


335


Libraries


336


Highway Buildings, Sanitary Buildings


337


Contagious Hospital


337


City Home


338


Police Buildings


333


Park Buildings


338


Bath House


339


Polling Places


339


Fire Alarm Buildings


339


Municipal Buildings


340


In General


340


Public Grounds (City Engineer)


290


Public Library ...


357


Report of Trustees


357


Board of Trustees and Officers-Committees


358


Organization of Library and Staff Personnel


359


Report of Librarian


362


Statistics


370


Public Welfare, Department of


462


Members of the Board, Committees, Officers, etc.


462


Report of General Agent


464


Full Support


464


324


517


INDEX


Partial Support


464


Aid Under 1913 Law (Mothers' Aid)


464


Cost to City


464


Reimbursements


465


Somerville Hospital


465


Population and Gross Expenditures


466


Overseers of the Poor Since 1885


467


Recapitulation


467


City Home, Report of Warden


468


City Physician, Report of


469


Recreation Commission


240


Report of Director


244


Financial Statement


272


Sanitary Department, Report of


405


Collection of Ashes and Paper


405


School Department


129


Superintendent of Schools, Report of


132


High School Athletic Association


166


Dental Dispensary


169


Appendix, Contents of


170


Graduates-High School


206


Junior High School


212


Vocational Schools


222


School Committees


130, 223


Somerville Teachers' Club


166


Teachers in Service


225


Sealer of Weights and Measures, Report of


505


Sewers (see City Engineer)


298


Street Commissioner, Report of


470


Appropriations


470


Snow and Ice


470


Highway Maintenance


471


Bridges


472


Street Railways


472


Underground Wires


472


Crushed Stone


472


Sidewalks Maintenance


472


Street Sprinkling


472


Street Cleaning


472


Suppression of Moths


473 473


Shade Trees


473, 475


Highways Construction, Permanent Pavement


474, 475


Reconstruction and Resurfacing


475, 476


Miscellaneous


476


Permits


476


Traffic Control


476


Recommendations


477


Table of Streets, Location of, etc.


478


Sidewalks Construction


518


INDEX


Water Commissioner, Report of


420


Revenue and Expenditures


422


Cost of Water Works


423


Water Works Income and Distribution


424


Water Distribution System, Construction


425


Hydrants, Gates, Etc.


- 427


Water Services


428


Water Meters


430


Water Assessments and Consumption


431


Summary of Statistics


433


Financial Statistics


434


Operation


435


List of Fire Hydrants


438


Summary of Pipes and Fixtures


431





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