USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1931 > Part 11
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In all places the old brick sidewalks should be replaced with granolithic as soon as finances permit.
MILES OF EDGESTONE, GRANOLITHIC, GRAVEL AND BRICK SIDEWALKS IN EACH WARD
Edgestone
Gravel Sidewalk
Brick Sidewalk
Granolithic Sidewalk
Ward one
20.936
2.684
11.724
6.059
Ward two
17.946
5.456
6.272
4.950
Ward three
14.619
0.504
11.425
2.472
Ward four
20.454
0.321
9.126
5.794
Ward five
23.309
3.139
11.049
7.421
Ward six
25.873
3.350
10.182
12.513
Ward seven
38.807
1.564
7.979
26.807
161.944
17.018
67.757
66.016
(Details, etc., streets and sidewalks in report of Street Commissioner.)
Plans have been made by the various public service cor- porations 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 wires in underground conduits, and removing poles from the streets should be ex- tended as rapidly as possible.
In the city's squares and main thoroughfares overhead wires should be placed underground, immediately, and prac- tically all poles (except for lights) removed.
A special ordinance should be enacted concerning city in- spection on all underground construction done by private com- panies or corporations and some regulations adopted as to method of street openings and repairs.
TABULAR STATEMENT OF SEWERS AND STORM DRAINS BUILT IN .1930
ITEMS OF CONSTRUCTION AND COST
LOCATION
SEWERS
SUB-DRAINS
ROCK EXCAVATION
MANHOLES
COST PER LINEAR FOOT
Street
From
To
Contractor
Material Excavated
Average Cut
Size and Type
Length
Size
Length
Cubic yards
Price per yard
Number
Average Cost
Number of Inlets
Excavation Pipe Laying And Refilling
Total Cost
Assessment
Cost to City
Saxton T. Foss P'ark Pond Ontlet
Trunk Sewer Across Park
Fond in Fark
Denis 1. Crimmings
Clay and Filling
G'-4'
12" St. Mary Pipe
184.0
2
All Materials Furnished by Contractor
$5.43
$1,000.00
$1,000.00
Gronard Streel Sewor Reconstruction ...
Broadway
Powder Jonse Boulevard
Denis 1. Crimmings
Ledge Ballast Filling and Sand
7'-4"
15" St. Mary Pipe
485.0
19
$5.41
$0.42
$0.03
6.92
2,872.42
2,872.42
Leonard Street Storm Drain
Powder House Bonlevard
Broadway
Denis I. Crimmings
Ledge Ballast Filling and Sand
15" St. Mary Pipe
485.0
3
2.27
0.41
0.0
2.74
1,581.08
-
1,581.08
Powder House Boulevard Storm Drain ..
Two Penny Brook
Leonard Street
Denis I. Crimmings
Filling
2'-10"
15" St. Mary Pipe
92.0
2.27
0.41
0.02
2.74
184.00 Feet= Length of Sewers Added To System, 1931 577.00 Feet = Length of Storm Drains Added To System. 1931 485.00 Feet = Length of Sewers Reconstructed, 1931 1,246.00 Feet = 0.2360 Miles, Total Construction, 1931
Total Length of Public Sewers in the City January 1, 1932 Total Length of Private Sewers in the City January 1, 1932 Total Length of Sewers in the City January 1, 1932 Total Length of Storm Drains in the City January 1, 1932 Total Length of City Drainage System Jaunary 1. 1932 Total Length of Metropolitan Sewer Mains in the City January 1, 1932
=527,372.9= 99.8812 Miles = 34,896.0 = 6.6091 Miles
= 562,268.9 =106.4903 Miles(including 37.1174 Miles of Separate System)
== 100,309,1 = 18.9980 Miles
== 662,578.0 =125.4882 Miles
18,348.0 = 3.4750 Miles
Pipe, Cement, etc.
Engineering
Inspection
Lumber
Average Cost
per Linear Foot
Sewer
Storm
Sub-Drain
Including
Sub-Drain
and
or
Drain
1
$5,453.50
$5,453.50
211
CITY ENGINEER
UNDERGROUND CONDUITS (Public Service Coporations)
Miles aid in City Streets
Boston Elevated Railway Co.
5.55
Edison Electric Illuminating Co.
20.29
New England Tel. & Tel. Company
19.59
Cambridge Gas Light Company
67.56
Charlestown Gas Co.
32.27
Somerville Department of Electric Lines and
Lights, Police and Fire Alarm (wires are in corporation conduits).
Total
145.26
All locations for sub-surface construction are assigned by this department.
Lines and grades have been given for laying new city water mains and measurements taken of same. Length of new mains, etc. in report of Water Commissioner.
All plans of estates in Somerville recorded at the Reg- istry 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 set of block plans are now being made by the assessors' department covering the entire city area, from accurate sur- veys made during the past sixty years, and carefully compar- ing section by section with the deed dimensions and areas rec- orded in the assessors' department, in this manner the correct areas of land being determined. This set of plans will show the area and dimensions of each lot and probably show houses and buildings. (Details, etc. in report of Assessors.)
Total number of plans on file in this office approximately nine thousand, eight 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, near Union Square; and Northern Artery over the Fitchburg Railroad and the dangerous railroad grade crossing at Park Street should be abolished, as decreed by the courts a number of years ago.
A compiled table of areas showing a sub-division of city's acreage was published in the 1925 report.
212
ANNUAL REPORTS
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.
SEWER DIVISION
The designing and construction of sewers, storms drains, catch basins, house drains, etc.,-maintenance of the drainage system and other items in this division are under the direction and control of the City Engineer.
CONSTRUCTION ACCOUNT 1931 CREDIT
Appropriation
$5,500 00
Balance Unexpended (1930)
3,748 85
Service Transfers and Credits
14 62
Materials on hand December 31, 1930
417 91
Total
$9,681 38
STATEMENT OF EXPENDITURES
Labor and Inspection (City)
....
$ 403 08
Contract
7,409 94
Materials and Supplies, etc
884 55
Expenditure
$8,697 57
Materials on hand January 1, 1931
417 91
$9,115 48
CLASSIFICATION OF EXPENDITURES
Constructing sewers (separate system)
$5,202 49
Constructing sewers (combined system)
Constructing storm drains
2,740 41
Constructing catch basins
429 28
Constructing manholes on old sewers ...
....
Labor, teaming and materials other depart- ments and divisions
350 96
Total expenditure on new work
$8,723 14
Materials on hand December 31, 1931 392 34
Total
$9,115 48
Unexpended Balance December 31, 1931 ....
565 90
213
CITY ENGINEER
TANNERY BROOK STORM WATER DRAIN 1931 CREDIT
Balance from 1930
$985 13
Transfer of Appropriation to other accounts 985 13
Three new sewers and storm drains were constructed totaling in length 761.0 feet, and one sewer 485.0 feet long was reconstructed, aggregating 1246.0 feet (0.236 mile) the work being done by contract.
Total length of City's drainage system 125.3441 miles
Cost of construction to date (including catch basins) $1,680,803 16
Assessments for Metropolitan sewerage system, 1931
(City's proportional cost)
77,111 74
Total paid Commonwealth of Massachusetts for state sewer 1892-1931, inclusive 2,625,122 14
Total length of Metropolitan sewerage system mains run- ning through this city 3.475 miles
17 connections, in Somerville, with Metropolitan sewerage mains. Also four connections through Medford and one connection through Cambridge. Locations of City's mains connecting with state sewer in 1912 report, and details of construction in previous reports.
New catch basins constructed in city's highways 1931 7
Total catch basins maintained by city
2052
Other catch basins-State Highway, Metropolitan Park, B. E. Ry., etc.
279
Total catch basins in the city for storm drainage purposes Sump manholes on drainage system
2331
138
The separate sewerage system should be extended each year to assist in the ultimate separation of sewerage and storm water which the Metropolitan District Commission is striv- ing to accomplish. The growing tendency to occupy all land to its fullest extent with houses, garages, granolithic drives and walks, combined with the paved or bituminous streets which prevail, has reduced the soakage area to the extent that the consequent increased run-off during storms is a heavy tax upon the capacity of the sewers. It is therefore advisable to extend the storm drain system as fast as finances permit, par- ticularly in the North Somerville District into Two Penny Brook, West Somerville District into Tannery Brook, and Win- ter Hill District into the Mystic River, thus relieving the com- bined sewerage system of much surface water. The city's drain- age problems will be simplified with every move in this direc- tion. The territory in general west of Cedar Street drains to Alewife Brook through a tributary known as Tannery Brook which has been replaced by pipe and conduits.
214
ANNUAL REPORTS
SEWERS MAINTENANCE ACCOUNT 1931 CREDIT
Appropriation
$25,960 00
Credits
539 21
Total
$26,499 21
STATEMENT OF EXPENDITURES
Labor and inspection
$17,626 06
Teaming
4,055 00
Maintenance of trucks
1,585 04
Equipment, supplies and repairing property
1,699 62
New Ford Truck
924 25
Total
$25,889 97
CLASSIFICATION OF EXPENDITURES
Maintenance of Sewers, including cleaning,
flushing, supervision, etc. (125.4882 miles) Maintenance of Catch Basins, cleaning and flushing, supervision, etc. (2052 catch basins)
10,951 07
Maintenance of Storm Water Pump, Medford Street Underpass
711 32
Changing line and grade and repairing man- holes
530 38
Changing line and grade and repairing catch basins
2,409 61
Repairing old sewers and storm drains
713 58
Reconstruction and repairing tide-gates and
floats in chambers, on storm drains and sewers
Inspection and Location of House Drains
587 94
Labor, teaming, materials, other departments and divisions
926 77
Equipment and supplies
444 25
New Ford Truck
924 25
Repairs of tools and property
124 85
Maintenance of Sewer Division Yards (2)
687 53
Telephone
14 93
Total Expenditure
$25,889 97
Less Credits
539 21
Net Expense
$25,350 76
Balance Unexpended
$609 24
A permanent force of men, varying in number from ten to thirteen, and hired teams, are kept continually at work, flushing, cleaning and repairing the city's drainage system, in-
$ 6,863 49
215
CITY ENGINEER
cluding catch basins, the expense necessarily increasing year- ly as sewers, storm drains and catch basins are added to the system, and the distance increased to the dumping places, on- ly two of which are available at present.
The scarcity of dumping places has confronted the city for- some time and various schemes have been considered for effi- cient and economical methods of disposal but no plan has. been adopted.
Cubic yards of material removed from catch basins and hauled to dumps 3768 Average cost per cubic yard (including depreciation of equipment) $3 36
Average annual cost, cleaning and flushing and general maintenance per basin (including depreciation . of
equipment) 6 16
Average annual cost, cleaning and flushing drainage sys- tem, including catch basins, per mile (including de- preciation of equipment) 155 48
Average number of catch basins to a mile of roadway ..... 23
The drainage system, built as required by the growth of the city, is composed of units of different type and age. Re- pairs, additions and alterations due to deterioration or chang- ing conditions are necessary very frequently.
One hundred and fourteen permits have been issued for private drain connections from buildings to sewers or storm drains ; sixty of these being for repairs, alterations or exten- sions. All work is done subject to inspection by this depart- ment.
Many of the repairs and alterations were made necessary by the growth of trees roots into the private drain pipe. In several cases, these private drains were relaid with iron pipe and lead joints; which type of construction is recommended by this department in districts where trees are found.
Only persons that are licensed as drain layers by the city and who have given satisfactory bonds are permitted to lay and repair private drains.
Data concerning each drain connection with the public sewer is on file in this office, and time and expense could be saved by the owner, by applying directly to this department for investigation and advice, where trouble exists.
Many car track catch basins and underground conduit manholes built by public service corporations have been con- nected with the city's drainage system.
216
ANNUAL REPORTS
A special ordinance should be enacted to enforce a better system of grease traps in the premises of some of the larger manufacturing plants and rendering companies to prevent large amounts of grease and waste products from escaping into city sewer mains and partially blocking sections of sewers as has occured at various times.
There are to date about 18,433 private drain connections with the city's drainage system.
PARKS AND PLAYGROUNDS DIVISION
This division has the control and maintenance of sev- enteen parcels of land, (about 75 acres) laid out as parks and recreation playgrounds in about equal proportions.
These areas if completely developed would compare fav- orably with other cities in the vicinity.
MAINTENANCE ACCOUNTS 1931 CREDITS
Playgrounds
Parks
Appropriation for Parks
$28,900 00
$18,800 00
Appropriation for Playgrounds
10 07
Service Transfers and Credits
143 52
$18,810 07
Total Credit
$29,043 52
STATEMENT OF EXPENDITURES
$13,656 69
Labor
$14,162 86
82 00
Teaming
12,0 00
455 51
Equipment and supplies
531 33
54 92
Repairing tools and property
176 42
480 50
Fountains and Bubblers Maintenance (Paid Water Dept.)
164 50
Trees, Shrubs, Plants, Floral Decorations, trimming and spraying trees, etc.
2,995 24 .
4 90
Flags, flag poles, painting, etc.
40 18
Repairing roadways and walks
53 88
Fences, gates, steps, etc. (Maintenance and Construction)
421 48
1,758 13
Fences, seats, grandstands, backstops, etc. Calcium Chloride
487 18 Moving Trum Field Monument (fence, plants, curbing).
35 25 Electric Lighting Dilboy Field
22 65
67 38 Grading-loam
Installing 6" Service, Dilboy Field (Water Dept.) Foss Park Fountain
3,520 00
Seeding, Grading and Improving Parks
3,036 40
1,021 14
230 44
217
CITY ENGINEER
Installing drain Foss Park
1,000 00
Foss Park Pond (Concreting bottom, etc.) 2,203 65
$18,334 04
Totals
$28,448 59
CLASSIFICATION OF EXPENDITURES
Playgrounds
$ 125 50 2,412 29
Central Hill Park (13.1 acres)
Foss Park (formerly Broadway Park) (15.9 acres)
10,912 78
Broadway Parkway (1.6 acres)
69 54
4,892 51
Lincoln Park (7.2 acres)
27I 20
186 90
Prospect Hill Park (2.6 acres)
4,159 76
103 32
Tufts Park (4.5 acres)
3,371 81
4 88
Paul Revere Park (0.02 acre)
79 07
96 53
Ernest W. Bailey Park (0.4 acre)
1,122 19
5 41
Powder House Boulevard (0.9 mile long)
780 27
Powder House Square Parkway
5 99
12 20
Cemetery, Somerville Avenue (0.7 acre)
392 29
3,972 16
Dilboy Field (15.2 acres)
308 38
3,181 91
Richard Trum Playground (4.3 acres)
206 38
976 66
Playground, Glen Street and Oliver Street (2.3 acres) 51 65
858 49
Playground, Kent Street and Somerville Ave. (0.8 acre) 52 93
358 87
Playground, Poplar Street and Joy Street (0.5 acre)
51
725 86
Woods Playground, corner Elm Street, Cherry Street and Sartwell Avenue (2.1 acres) ...... Shaw Playground, Broadway at Western Junior 72 50 High School (2.8 acres) 35 80
10 07
Labor, materials, etc. other departments and divisions 16 90
173 24
Cleaning Hodgson School Yard
4 88
$18,334 04
Total expenditures, maintenance (74.92 acres) 74.22 acres parks and playgrounds, 0.7 acre cemetery and 0.9 mile boulevard, and 0.54 mile parkway roads
$28,448 59
476 03 Balance Unexpended
594 93
IMPROVEMENT OF PLAYGROUNDS PLAYGROUND FOSS PARK (About 5.5 acres northerly end Foss Park) CREDIT
Unexpended balance 1930 $328 06
EXPENDITURES
Repairing fence
$19 50
Lumber and trucking
54 00
Total
73 50
Balance Unexpended December 31, 1931 $254 56
393 40
17 08
Grimmons School Skating Rink
Parks $6,360 52
218
ANNUAL REPORTS
JOHN M. WOODS PLAYGROUND (Elm Steet, Cherry Street and Sartwell Avenue) CREDIT
Unexpended Balance 1930 $501 25
Balance Unexpended December 31, 1931 501 25
IMPROVEMENT WALTER ERNEST SHAW PLAYGROUND CREDIT
Unexpended Balance 1930
$745 81
EXPENDITURES
Overhang on backstop
225 00
Balance Unexpended December 31, 1931
$520 81
PLAYGROUND IMPROVEMENT AND EXTENSION CREDIT
Appropriation
$ 5,000 00
Unexpended Balance 1930
20,981 54
Total
$25,981 54
Transfer of Appropriation
15,000 00
$10,981 54
EXPENDITURES
Fences, Joy Street Playground
$1,037 68
Playground equipment and granite curbing, Joy Street Playground
328 57
C. J. Maney Company contract, Joy Street Playground
3,387 30
Kennedy contract (laying drain and grading, Glen Street Playground)
6,095 00
Total
$10,848 55
Balance Unexpended December 31, 1931
$132 99
Assessments for Metropolitan parks and boule- vards (City's proportional cost)
$98,781 40
Total paid Commonwealth of Massachusetts- Metropolitan Park System, to January 1, 1932
1,779,067 99
Total length Metropolitan boulevards in Som- erville
2.33 miles
All of the city's play field areas have been in constant use throughout the year ;- special supervision was provided by the Recreation Commission during the spring, summer and fall months especially for the children's activities, to make the playgrounds popular and successful; an exhibition on Trum Field featured the closing of the summer work.
219
CITY ENGINEER
At the athletic field bordering Alewife Brook the outdoor running track has been very popular. The area of land between the northerly fence of Dilboy Field and the field house should be graded and surfaced to permit of its use as a parking space for autos. The playing surface of Dilboy Field has deteriorated badly due principally to settlement in the filling where Alewife Brook was straightened and it should be resurfaced.
The work of re-grading the Glen Street Playground has been finished so that the playground was in excellent shape for the summer season. A modern playground field-house was built and is now in use.
The city has become so densely populated (averaging near- ly 26,000 people a square mile) that some of the larger park areas should be more extensively utilized for public recreation and physical training purposes. On several of the playfields concrete buildings should be constructed, additional apparatus and shelters provided and some of the smaller playground areas should be enclosed by wire fencing for protection.
The work of enlarging, equipping and manning our parks and playgrounds and the acquiring of new areas for play- grounds should be extended as rapidly as finances will permit. A definite plan of action should be developed for the above so that the work may be done in a systematic and progressive manner.
In certain localities of the city well-lighted playgrounds should be maintained during the summer evenings for the young men and women who are obliged to work in the day time. Special equipment and apparatus should be installed for night use.
Previous reports are respectfully referred to for sugges- tions and recommendations for improvement of park and play- ground areas.
The Recreation Commission and various other public and private organizations have been of great assistance in advising and promoting the progress of this division.
(See City Auditor's report for total expenditures by city departments and commissions for recreation and play the past year.)
Respectfully submitted,
PHILIP P. WELCH,
City Engineer.
220
ANNUAL REPORTS
REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS
City Hall, Somerville, January 1, 1932.
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 de- partment for the year ending December 31, 1931.
The total valuation of the property which is in the custody of the public buildings department is approximately $5,588,- 550.00.
The total expenditures for the year 1931 for the care and maintenance of the property was $290,154.11.
This amount was expended as follows:
Janitors
Fuel
Light $23,081 13 1,796 91 39 91
6,546 87
13,922 14
Polling Places
8 90
1,339 89
1,388 70
Police Buildings
3,187 69
1,076 36
1,432 20
706 14
6,402 39
Fire Buildings
2,914 09
3,886 77
4,162 31
10,963 17
Electrical Bldgs.
1,335 71
384 29
105 80
293 77
2,119 57
Contagious Hospital 416 00
1,911 56
765 76
2,003 60
5,096 92
Sewer Buildings
14 20
79 25
53 13
146 58
Sanitary Bldgs
151 50
1,075 40
1,226 90
Highway Bldgs.
1,525 25
251 40
1,697 12
3,473 77
City Home Bldgs.
990 11
408 66
2,276 61
3,675 38
Central Library
4,339 80
605 44
1,951 08
2,293 58
9,189 90
West Br. Library
1,972 13
596 79
435 60
711 26
3,715 78
East Br. Library
1,458 00
362 17
260 38
376 84
2,457 39
Union Sq. Library
1,441 08
270 50
275 85
129 99
2,117 42
Park Buildings
1,253 00
810 54
159 84
787 86
3,011 24
Bathhouse
1,692 37
394 73
554 98
1,452 82
2,402 53
Bandstand
400 12
400 12
Totals
$120,444 66 $49,341 16 $35,637 02 $84,731 27 $290,154 11
INSPECTION OF BUILDINGS
The Commissioner of Public Buildings is also the inspector of buildings according to the terms of the charter and as such
Care and Repairs
Total
School Buildings $97,770 52 $37,476 23
$57,355 63 $215,683 51
Municipal Bldgs.
5,578 36
1,068 33
2,760 70
Water Buildings
221
COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS
during the past year has made over 900 formal inspections of buildings in the process of construction.
The following table shows the number of permits issued for building operations during the year 1931:
WARDS
Buildings
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Totals
Dwellings
48
52
36
61
64
26
49
336
Dwellings & Stores. ....
4
3
1
1
....
1
1
11
Stores
3
9
5
5
6
12
3
43
Storage
2
7
2
....
....
1
....
12
Shops
2
....
....
....
1
....
...
3
Garages
13
10
8
20
13
9
15
88
Manufactories
2
2
....
....
....
1
5
Filling Stations
2
3
....
....
1
....
....
6
Accessory Buildings ..
2
1
....
....
1
....
....
6
Offices
2
5
....
2
....
....
....
3
Chicken Houses
....
....
....
....
...
....
2
Bakery
....
1
....
....
....
....
....
1
Club Houses
....
....
1
....
....
....
....
1
Churches
....
....
....
1
1
....
....
2
Y. M. C. A.
....
....
....
1
....
....
....
1
Stables
....
....
....
....
....
1
?
Hospitals
....
....
....
....
....
....
1
Banks
....
....
....
....
....
....
1
Miscellaneous
....
....
3
1
1
....
15
Torn Down
8
11
3
2
1
1
1
27
Totals
92
120
59
99
91
55
70
586
Wood
Fire-resisting
Totals
New Buildings
33
95
128
Alterations
372
56
428
Totals
405
151
556
Buildings
1
2
3
4 69
71
29
47
412
Wood & Brick Veneer
....
....
....
9
4
3
11
3
47
Brick & Wood
2
1
....
....
2
1
7
Brick & Cement Block
1
1
1
1
2
....
....
8
Brick, Concrete and
Cement Blocks
1
....
....
....
....
....
....
1
Brick and Stone
....
....
1
1
....
3
1
6
Cement Block
7
6
4
17
10
9
13
66
Cement Block & Steel
....
....
....
....
1
....
....
4
Restaurants
4
....
1
1
....
....
....
9
Sheds
....
2
....
1
....
....
....
1
Convents
....
....
1
....
....
...
....
1
Hotels
....
....
....
....
....
1
....
....
1
Brick
3
14
Brick & Concerete
4
1
1
2
....
....
....
5
6
7 Totals
Wood
69
87
40
1
....
1
....
5
Launderies
....
2
1
1
1
1
...
WARDS
1
....
....
1
6
..
1
2
10
ANNUAL REPORTS
WARDS
Buildings
1
2
3
4
5
6
7 Totals
Cinder Block
1
....
....
....
....
...
....
1
Concrete
....
....
....
....
....
....
2
Concrete, Brick and Wood
....
....
....
....
1
....
....
1
Steel
4
9
3
3
1
1
2
23
Stone
....
1
....
....
....
....
....
1
Stucco
....
....
....
....
....
....
3
3
Totals
92
120
59
99
91
55
70
586
The total estimated cost of new buildings and alterations during the year 1931 was $980,665. while the estimated cost in 1930 was $1,380,406, showing a decease of $399,741.
The total number of permits issued during the year 1931, viz 586, was 13 more than during the year 1930, when 573 per- mits for new building and alterations were issued.
Permits were issued for 29 new dwellings housing 51 fam- ilies.
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 department. In accordance with this, fees collected for buildings during the year 1931 amounted to $1,192.00.
PLUMBING
The number of plumbing permits issued during 1931 was 445
Number of permits for plumbing in new buildings. 44
Number of permits for plumbing in old buildings 401
Number of buildings in which soil pipes were tested 204
Fees collected for 445 plumbing permits amounted to
$533.00
GAS
The inspection of gas piping, previously taken care of by the Cambridge and the Charlestown Gas Companies was taken over by the Building Department on May 19, 1930.
Number of permits issued for gasfitting 863
Permits for new installations 40
Permits for additions and alterations 823
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