Report of the city of Somerville 1941, Part 24

Author: Somerville (Mass.)
Publication date: 1941
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 430


USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1941 > Part 24


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Respectfully submitted,


(signed) ALBERT F. BYRNES, Chairman GEORGE C. MULLIN, Secretary GEORGE T. LOWDEN, DR. SOTER G. ZAHAROOLIS, JOHN V. MOTTA


CITY CLERK


365.


REPORT OF CITY CLERK


Office of the City Clerk January 1, 1942


To the Honorable the Mayor and the Board of Aldermen


Gentlemen :


The following is respectfully submitted as the seventieth Annual Report of the City Clerk of the City of Somerville, and is for the year ending December 31, 1941.


The receipts and payments were as follows : For dog licenses issued in 1941:


1565 males at $2.00


$3,130.00


280 females at $5.00


1,400.00


466 spayed at $2.00


932.00


$5,462.00


For hunting and fishing licenses issued in 1941 :


406 fishing at $2.00


$812.00


352 hunting at $2.00


704.00


126 sporting at $3.25


409.50


63 minor fishing at $1.25


78.75


1 trapping at $5.25


5.25


6 duplicates at $.50


3.00


2,012.50


Recording mortgages, assignments, etc.


$3,605.26


Certificates of marriage intentions (including


postage)


2,993.49


Furnishing copies of records


771.25


Licenses :


Auctioneers, 18 at $2.00


36.00


Billiard, pool tables and bowling alleys, 149


447.00


Cut meat and sausage, 4 at $50.00


200.00


Drain layers, 3 at $1.00


3.00


Drivers, 21 at $1.00


21.00


Garages, 2 at $5.00 and 5 at $10.00


60.00


Garage Renewals


923.00


Hackney carriages, 31 at $1.00


31.00


Intelligence offices, 3 at $2.00


6.00


Junk and second hand licenses,


Collect junk, 16 at $10.00


160.00


Junk shops, 14 at $25.00


350.00


Carried forward


$9,607.00


$7,474.50


licenses for 95 tables and 54 alleys at $3.00


366


ANNUAL REPORTS


Brought forward


$9,607.00


$7,474.50


Lodging houses, 39 at $2.00


78.00


Open air parking, 1 at $10.00


10.00


Second hand auto dealers, 6 at $50.00


$300.00


31 at 25.00


775.00


1,075.00


Slaughtering, 14 at $1.00


14.00


Street musicians, 7 at $.50


3.50


Storage of explosives,


4 at $10.00


$40.00


11 at 20.00


220.00


2 at 50.00


100.00


1 at 100.00


100.00


460.00


Storage of explosives, renewals


4,317.50


Transient vendor


25.00


Wagon licenses, 13 at $1.00


13.00


Wagon stands, 27 at $1.00


27.00


Permits for projections over the sidewalk for,


4 awnings


8 electric signs


24 neon signs


1 marquee


1 vertical sign


3 metal signs


2 swing arms


1 disc sign


2 wooden signs


4 licenses at $1.00


$4.00


42 licenses at $5.00


210.00


214.00


Badges


.75


Registration of physicians, optometrists and chiropodists


2.25


Copies of ordinances


7.50


Fees for notices of hearings


12.60


Advertising fees


54.00


Duplicate dog license tags


3.50


Transfers of dog licenses


.50


Reporting congenital births


2.50


Witness fees


1.00


15,928.60


$23,403.10


PAYMENTS


To City Treasurer for dog licenses in 1941 :


1565 males at $2.00


$3,130.00


280 females at $5.00


1,400.00


466 spayed at $2.00


932.00


5,462.00


367


CITY CLERK


Less City Clerk's fees, 2,311 at $.20 462.20


$4,999.80


To Commissioners on Fisheries and Game for hunting licenses, etc. in 1941 :


406 fishing at $2.00 812.00


352 hunting at $2.00 704,00


126 sporting at $3.25


409.50


63 minor fishing at $1.25


78.75


1 trapping at $5.25


5.25


6 duplicate licensces at $.50


3.00


2,012.50


Less City Clerk's fees, 948 at $.25


237.00


1,775.50


To City Treasurer monthly :


All the receipts above specified except for hunting licenses and dog licenses


15,928.60


$22,703.90


LICENSES AND PERMITS


Besides the licenses mentioned in the foregoing list of receipts, licenses and permits have been granted by the Board of Aldermen, without charge, as follows:


To hold religious services in streets 1


To parade with music in streets


2


Newspaper licenses


12


BIRTHS 1940


The following is a statement in full of the births for 1940:


Number of births (exclusive of still births in Somerville in 1940 registered


1,261


Males


655


Females


606


Born of American parents


818


Born of Foreign parents


174


Born of American father and Foreign mother


112


Born of Foreign father and American mother


142


Born of Foreign mother and father unknown nationality 3


Born of American mother and father unknown nationality 11


Born parents of unknown nationality


1


1,261


Born outside City and Residents of City


759


Number of still births


43


Number of cases of twins


28


368


ANNUAL REPORTS


MARRIAGES 1941


Number of intentions issued in 1941


1,558


More than previous year


224


Marriages registered


1.582


More than previous year


219


Both parties American


1,249


Both parties Foreign


69


American groom and Foreign bride


127


Foreign groom and American bride


137


1,582


First marriage


2,865


Second marriage


280


Third marriage


18


Fourth marriage


1


3,164


DEATHS


1941


Number of deaths recorded in Somerville in 1941


1,228


Died in city


922


Stillbirths


47


Total less stillborns and removals


875


Males (Died in Somerville)


424


Females (Died in Somerville)


451


Under ten years of age


43


10 and under 20 years of age


5


20 and under 30 years of age


10


30 and under 40 years of age


30


40 and under 50 years of age


57


50 and under 60 years of age


119


60 and under 70 years of age


187


70 and under 80 years of age


250


80 and under 90 years of age


154


90 and over


20


Born in Somerville


94


Born in other places in United States


388


Of foreign birth


392


Of unknown place of birth


1


Number of persons who died outside city


306


Less number of stillbirths outside city


15


..


..


......


875


875


291


Age of oldest person who died in Somerville in 1941-98 years, 5 months, 15 days.


875


369


CITY CLERK


CITY GOVERNMENT AND OFFICERS FOR 1941


MAYOR JOHN M. LYNCH, 52 Porter Street


BOARD OF ALDERMEN


Presient, WALTER J. MORAN Vice-President, HAROLD A. PALMER


ALDERMEN-AT-LARGE


ALLAN ROY KINGSTON, 205 Morrison Avenue EDWARD F. MOYNIHAN, 905 Broadway IRVING L. STACKPOLE, 36 Lowden Avenue JOSEPH P. MURRAY, 200 Powder House Boulevard (Resigned Jan. 23, 1941)


HENRY T. MURRAY, 49 Lowell Street (Elected Jan. 23, 1941)


ALDERMEN


WARD ONE


WALTER J. MORAN 25 Arthur Street


WARD TWO


GEORGE J. MORAN 377 Washington Street


WARD THREE


WILLIAM J. MELLEY 145 Summer Street


WARD FOUR


HAROLD A. PALMER 88 Ten Hills Road


WARD FIVE


JOHN W. MURRAY


47 Rogers Avenue


WARD SIX


CHARLES G. PICKETT 61 Pearson Road


WARD SEVEN


RALPH L. GARRETT 1088 Broadway


370


ANNUAL REPORTS


City Clerk, NORMAN E. CORWIN Assistant City Clerk, WILLIAM C. ARBUCKLE City Messenger, DANIEL A. DOWNEY Assistant City Messenger, RICHARD A. KEYES


Regular meetings, second and fourth Thursday evenings of each month, at eight o'clock, except when such Thursday is a holday, in which case, the meeting is held on the preceding Tuesday evening.


STANDING COMMITTEES OF THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN


ELECTRIC LINES AND LIGHTS-Chairman J. W. Murray, G. J. Moran, H. Murray


FINANCE-Chairman W. J. Moran, Moynihan, Stackpole, Garrett, G. J. Moran, J. W. Murray, Pickett


LEGISLATIVE MATTERS AND PUBLIC SAFETY-Chairman King- ston, Stackpole, Melley, Palmer, G. J. Moran


LICENSES AND PERMITS-Chairman Palmer, Garrett, J. W. Murray, Pickett, Melley


PUBLIC PROPERTY AND PUBLIC WORKS-Chairman Melley, Palmer, Pickett, H. Murray, Garrett


SOLDIERS' RELIEF-Chairman Moynihan, W. J. Moran, Kingston


SCHOOL COMMITTEE


Chairman, WILLIAM J. KOEN Vice-Chairman, WALTER E. WHITTAKER HON. JOHN M. LYNCH Mayor, ex-officio WALTER J. MORAN President of the Board of Aldermen, ex-officio


WARD ONE


WALTER E. WHITTAKER 135 Walnut Street


WARD TWO


CHARLES P. O'RIORDAN 20 Carlton Street


JAMES H. BUCKLEY · WARD THREE


73 Oxford Street


WARD FOUR


EDITH L. HURD


125 Central Street


371


CITY CLERK


WARD FIVE


WILLIAM J. KOEN 34 Lexington Avenue


WARD SIX


HAROLD W. RAMSEY 238 Willow Avenue (Resigned June 30, 1941)


JAMES L. SULLIVAN 25 Warner Street (Elected June 30, 1941)


WARD SEVEN


WILLIAM F. CHISHOLM 5 Moore Street


Superintendent and Secretary, EVERETT W. IRELAND


Assistant Superintendent, WALTER P. SWEET (Resigned, Aug. 2, 1941 LEO C. DONAHUE (Elected Nov. 25, 1941)


Regular meetings last Monday of each month, except July and August.


ASSESSORS


MAURICE F. AHEARN, Chairman, term expires 1942 AMLETO DI GIUSTO, term expires 1942 FRANCIS J. TAGUE, term expires 1944 ALBERT A. WALSH, term expires 1944 FRANCIS MACDONALD, term expires 1943


BOARD OF APPEALS


ALBERT F. BYRNES, Chairman, term expires 1944 GEORGE W. LOWDEN, term expires 1943 GEORGE C. MULLIN, term expires 1942 DR. SOTER G. ZAHAROOLIS, term expires 1942 JOHN V. MOTTA, term expires 1943


Associate Members


GEORGE FULGINITI, term expires 1944 JOSEPH SOUZA, term expires 1942


BOARD OF HEALTH


DR. CHARLES L. McCROSSAN, Chairman, term expires 1942 (Died June 26, 1941)


DR. JOSEPH H. McSWEENEY, Chairman, term expires 1942 (Appointed July 10, 1941)


372


ANNUAL REPORTS


DR. HUGH J. GALLAGHER, term expires 1942 EDWARD McPARTLIN, term expires 1943 (Resigned Dec. 23, 1941) DR. WALTER E. WHITTAKER, term expires 1943 (Appointed Dec. 23, 1941)


Agent, GEORGE I. CANFIELD Medical Inspector, FRANK L. MORSE, M.D. Veterinarian, E. WILLIAM JOHANSEN, D.V.M. Inspectors of Animals and Provisions HENRY T. MURRAY, JAMES A. DWYER Inspector of Milk and Vinegar, WILLIAM H. WALLIS Assistant Milk Inspector, JAMES C. MOORE Supervisor of Dental Hygiene, DR. ANTHONY F. BIANCHI


BOARD OF PUBLIC WELFARE


EDWARD L. HAGAN, Chairman, term expires 1944 DR. FRANCIS J. FITZPATRICK, term expires 1942 (Died Jan. 2, 1941) PERRY F. NANGLE, term expires 1942 (Appointed Feb. 27, 1941) JOSEPH P. McCARRON, term expires 1943 Agent, CHARLES J. WILLWERTH Warden City Home, HERMAN M. REYNOLDS Matron City Home, MARY REYNOLDS


LICENSING COMMISSION


JOHN F. McNAMARA, Chairman, term expires 1944 DAVID Y. ROSS, term expires 1942


JOSEPH D. LONERGAN, term expires 1943


PLANNING BOARD


JOHN J. HURLEY, Chairman, term expires 1942 HARRY MACNUTT, term expires 1941 JOHN P. SILK, term expires 1944 DR. VINCENT W. SENA, term expires 1941


PUBLIC LIBRARY TRUSTEES


JOHN F. McGANN, President, term expires 1944 LOUIS P. CONNELLY, term expires 1942 J. HELEN CLOUGH, term expires 1943 REV. ANTHONY J. FLAHERTY, term expires 1942 REV. DAVID FRASER, term expires 1943 JOHN J. GRIFFIN, term expires 1944 KATHRYN HUEBER, term expires 1942 WILLIAM H. McKENNA, term expires 1943 FREDERICK J. WHITE, term expires 1944 Librarian and Secretary, JOHN D. KELLEY


373


CITY CLERK


SOMERVILLE RECREATION COMMISSION


REV. NAZARENO PROPERZI, Chairman, term expires 1941 JOSEPHINE HAM, Vice-Chairman, term expires 1940 MARY R. COUGHLIN, term expires 1941 WILLIAM F. HARKINS, term expires 1942 MRS. ARTHUR W. HURLBURT, term expires 1941 JAMES J. MCCARTHY, term expires 1940 JOHN T. MACKEY, term expires 1941 ANNETTE MURPHY, term expires 1942 HOWARD M. STILES, term expires 1941 DR. ANTHONY TRANIELLO, term expires 1940


BOARD OF ELECTION COMMISSIONERS


WILLIAM F. BURNS, Chairman, term expires 1944 WARREN S. JOHNSTON, Secretary, term expires 1944 WARREN C. DAGGETT, term expires 1942 LEO B. HAVICAN, term expires 1943


RETIREMENT BOARD


MAURICE F. AHEARN, Chairman, term expires 1944 M. DAVID BINGHAM, term expires 1943 FREDERICK W. HALE, City Auditor


SOMERVILLE HOUSING AUTHORITY


DAVID LOONEY, Chairman, term expires 1941 WILLIAM J. EAGAN, Vice-Chairman, term expires 1943 MARY CARR, Secretary, term expires 1940 EUGENE B. HAMILTON, term expires 1942 RICHARD C. TIGHE, term expires 1939


CITY CLERK NORMAN E. CORWIN


ASSISTANT CITY CLERK WILLIAM C. ARBUCKLE


CITY TREASURER AND COLLECTOR OF TAXES JOHN J. DONAHUE


CITY MESSENGER DANIEL A. DOWNEY


374


ANNUAL REPORTS


ASSISTANT CITY MESSENGER RICHARD A. KEYES


MAYOR'S SECRETARY JAMES F. STYNES


CITY AUDITOR FREDERICK W. HALE


CITY SOLICITOR ROBERT J. MULDOON


ASSISTANT CITY SOLICITOR CHARLES L. DOHERTY


CITY ENGINEER THOMAS HEGARTY


COMMISSIONER OF STREETS JAMES J. CORBETT


COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND INSPECTOR OF BUILDINGS


ALBERT PARKER


WATER COMMISSIONER JOHN T. FORD


SUPERINTENDENT OF SANITARY DEPARTMENT JOHN F. MESKELL


CLERK OF COMMITTEES JOHN P. CLAIR


ASSISTANT TO CLERK OF COMMITTEES FRANCIS L. McGONAGLE


CHIEF OF POLICE THOMAS DAMERY


CHIEF ENGINEER OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT JOHN C. MCNALLY


375


CITY CLERK


COMMISSIONER OF ELECTRIC LINES AND LIGHTS ROBERT F. MAGUIRE


CITY PHYSICIAN CIRO GIOBBE, M.D.


ASSISTANT CITY PHYSICIAN JOHN M. TAVARES, M. D.


AGENT OF MILITARY AND STATE AID AND SOLDIERS' RELIEF AND BURIAL AGENT THOMAS F. MCGRATH


SEALER OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES BENJAMIN S. ABBOTT, died April 14, 1941 JOHN F. CASEY, appointed Oct. 3, 1941


CONSTABLES


Charles M. Austin


Philip J. Beyer, Jr.


Daniel A. Downey


Fred J. Gagne


Maurice Gilbert


Frank H. Gilmore


William R. Judson


Bernard Levin


Joseph A. MacNeil


Daniel J. O'Donoghue


John F. Scannell John M. Smith


Arthur W. White


FREDERICK ELMER JONES


377


CITY ENGINEER


FREDERICK ELMER JONES


July 25th, 1941, brought an end to the fifty-four years of service in the City Engineer's Office of Frederick Elmer Jones, the faithful and efficient services with the City of Somerville which began on August 5th, 1887. Mr. Jones was an excellent draftsman and an accomplished artist. Many hundred of plans in the City Engineer's Office are the product of his skill. He has taken an important part in all engineering work in the City of Somerville during the past half-century and has done this work well.


His associates in the office of the City Engineer wish him many years of health and happiness.


378


ANNUAL REPORTS


REPORT OF THE CITY ENGINEER


Office of the City Engineer, City Hall, Somerville, January, 1942.


Honorable John M. Lynch, Mayor,


and Members of the Board of Aldermen :


Gentlemen :


In accordance with the provisions of Chapter X, Section 5, of the Revised Ordinances of 1929 of the City of Somerville, I hereby submit the Sixty-ninth Annual Report of the En- gineering Department for the year ending December thirty- first, nineteen hundred and forty-one.


This report summarizes the work performed and the ex- penditures of the following divisions :


First-Engineering Divison Second-Sewer Division Third-Park Division and Playground Division.


Respectfully submitted,


THOMAS E. HEGARTY,


City Engineer.


379


CITY ENGINEER


GENERAL FINANCIAL STATEMENT


Divisions


Appropriations or Balances


Transfers and Credits


Expend- itures


Balances $63.82


City Engineer


$14,950.85


$14,887.03


Sewers Maintenance .. 14,239.67


$36.00


14,266.57


9.10


Parks and Playgrounds


Maintenance 26,259.00


................


26,249.81 9.19


HOW THE MONEY WAS SPENT IN THE ENGINEERING DIVISION


Sewers and Storm Drains,-comprising surveys, estimates profiles, lines, grades, titles, plans, assessments, all en- gineering work relating to same and supervision


$3,497.27


Highways, - comprising plans, estimates, titles, profiles, lines and grades, inspection of paving and all other en- gineering work relating to the department 933.66


Sidewalks, - comprising profiles, estimates, lines, grades, measurements, inspection, titles, costs and assessments .. 38.66 Water Works, - comprising giving lines and grades and other matters relating to the department 114.94


Parks and Playgrounds, - comprising surveys, plans, es- timates, profiles, and grades, including laying out of parks, playgrounds, boulevard and supervision


723.00


Public Buildings, - comprising surveys, estimates, lines grades, and other work relating to construction and lay- ing out of grounds


22.83


Street Numbering, - comprising locations of buildings, plans, assigning street numbers, etc.


39.17


Street Lines and Grades, - comprising establishing of lines, grades, and miscellaneous data given parties for building and grading


141.84


Subways, Bridges and Grade Crossings, - comprising sur- veys, plans, profiles, estimates, line and grades, etc.


............ City Survey, - comprising establishing of street lines, ac- ceptance plans, and miscellaneous survey work for city maps, etc.


23.21


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 ac- ceptance and sewer taking plans, filed for record


3.00


Private Corporations, Railway, Telephone, Electric Light and Gas Light Companies, - comprising grades, plans, profiles and office notes, locations of poles and conduits


............. Setting Stone Bounds and Brass Rods, - defining street lines and city boundary lines


28.66


Office Work, - comprising record of all locations, index- ing, typewriting, bookkeeping, calculation, reports, and general drafting


2,988.93


Miscellaneous Work, - comprising designs, sketches, etc., relating to various plans for committees, etc.


317.44


Holidays, Vacations and Sickness


850.81


Engineering, - General Departmental expenses (all divi- sions) comprising City Engineer's salary, automobile maintenance, telephone, car fares, and supplies


5,163.61


Total


$14,887.03


380


ANNUAL REPORTS


The total cost of maintaining the Engineering Division since it was established in 1872 up to December 31, 1941, has amount- ed to $747,637.85,


Four assistants have been employed the greater part of the year on engineering work.


There are on file in this office, plans for acceptance of several streets that for various reasons have not been made public ways. There are approximately 723 Streets and Passage- ways in the city.


LENGTH OF STREETS


Miles


*Public


90.646


Private


10.804


101.450


* Includes 1.406 Miles City Boulevard and Park Roadways


2.331 Miles Metropolitan District Boulevard


0.98 Mile State Highway


(A revision of lengths of public and private streets show- ing that, owing to abandoned and duplicated streets and streets incorporated into the Northern Artery, the total length has decreased.)


LENGTH OF PUBLIC STREETS IN EACH WARD


Miles


Ward One


14.280


Ward Two


14.671


Ward Three


10.321


Ward Four


14.771


Ward Five


11.799


Ward Six


11.591


Ward Seven


13.213


Total length of public streets in the city


90.646


381


CITY ENGINEER


TABLE OF STREET CONSTRUCTION


*


** Streets paved with granite blocks


8.778


Streets paved with vitrified brick


0.288


Streets constructed with concrete base and bituminous concrete top


287,616


12.428


Streets constructed with bituminous concrete base and bituminous concrete top


3,790


0.215


¿Streets constructed with concrete base and bituminous penetrated top


19,245


0.461


¿Streets constructed with broken stone and bituminous concrete top


145,687


9.237


#Streets constructed with broken stone and bituminous penetrated top


48.785


Streets constructed of water bound macadam


10.308


Streets graveled or unimproved


10.950


Total Miles


101.45


* Also 27.92 miles (single track) electric railway paved with granite, asphalt, etc.


** Includes 6,149 sq. yds. (0.438 mile) cement concrete roadway Middlesex Avenue.


Includes 0.98 mile of state highway.


+ Includes 1.406 miles of city boulevard and park roadways and 2.331 miles of state boulevard (Metropolitan District Commission, Park Division.)


MILES OF EDGESTONE, GRANOLITHIC, GRAVEL AND BRICK SIDEWALKS IN EACH WARD


Edgestone


Gravel Sidewalk


Brick Sidewlak


Granolithic Sidewalk


Ward One


21.313


2.525


5.523


12.419


Ward Two


17.946


4.470


3.580


8.628


Ward Three


14.619


0.448


10.088


3.865


Ward Four


20.901


0.363


5.973


12.090


Ward Five


23.309


2.119


10.638


8.852


Ward Six


25.873


3.225


9.261


13.559


Ward Seven


38.807


1.195


6.952


28.203


162.768


14.345


52.015


87.616


(Details, etc., streets and sidewalks in report of Street Commissioner.)


UNDERGROUND CONDUITS (Public Service Corporations)


Miles laid in City Streets


Boston Elevated Railway Co.


5.55


Edison Electric Illuminating Co.


20.68


New England Tel. & Tel. Company


19.59


Cambridge Gas Light Company


67.56


Boston Consolidated Gas Co. (formerly Charlestown Gas Co.)


32.27


Somerville Department of Electric Lines and Lights, Police and Fire Alarm (wires are in corporation conduits)


... ...


Total


145.65


Square Yards 214,608 1,648


Miles


382


ANNUAL REPORTS


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 the report of Water Commissioner.


All plans of estates in Somerville recorded at the Registry 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 assessments made out showing the property owners.


Total number of plans on file in this office approximately ten thousand.


A compiled table of areas showing a sub-division of city's acreage was published in the 1925 report.


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 design and construction of sewers, storm 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.


During the year 1941 all sewer construction was carried on in conjunction with the Works Progress Administration. Un- der this plan the City supplied all equipment and materials, and the WPA the labor. Plans and all engineering services were furnished by the City Engineer.


The total sewer construction completed in 1941 with the aid of the Works Progress Administration was as follows :


Combined System Sewers Reconstructed Separte System


375 feet 16,407 feet


Total


16,782 feet=3.1784 Miles


383


CITY ENGINEER


The following table shows the location of such construction.


Total length of city's drainage system. 150.81 miles Cost of construction to date (including catch bains) $1,683,578.44* Total length of Metropolitan sewerage system mains running through this city 3.475 miles


17 connections, in Somerville, with Metropolitan sew- erage mains. Also 4 connections through Medford and 1 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 1941 69


Total catch basins maintained by city 2,293


Other catch basins-State Highway Metropolitan Park, B E. Ry., etc. 300


Total catch basins in the city for storm drainage purposes 2,593


Sump manholes on drainage system


139


* This does not include construction by W. P. A.


Catch Basin construction, in conjunction with W. P. A. sewer work and otherwise, done under Sewers Maintenance Account.


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 striving to accomplish.


Many of our storm drains and sewers have been in service for many years. Several of the older sewers have collapsed dur- ing the past few years, necessitating immediate repair and in many instances the reconstruction of entire sections. After an exhaustive and thorough examination of our sewage system, I am of the opinion that such breakdowns will occur more fre- quent!y than heretofore, and consequently an immediate start must be made on reconstruction, particularly the oldest and largest trunk sewers and storm drains. Looking toward this end, the City Engineer and his assistants are now preparing a comprehensive plan for such a long range and large scale sewage works construction program.


There is definite need in the Sewer Division of an increase in the number of employees and sewer cleaning equipment. Due to the economic policies of the past several years of not replacing employees and of the tendency toward cutting down municipal expense, no new employees have been added to the Sewer Division, and I feel that several additional employees should be employed in this division in order to properly care for the sewerage system and the large number of manholes


384


ANNUAL REPORTS


and catch basins that must be regularly looked after, and the several regulating chambers and pump house that must be kept in perfect working order if they are to properly function. With the large amount of additional construction that has been made during the past five years, there has been no increase in the maintenance force in this division. In fact, there has been a decrease in the number of men employed, and I would strong- ly urge that this policy be modified so as to make provision for these additions to our system. It is very necessary from a public health standpoint.


SEWERS MAINTENANCE ACCOUNT


1941


Credit


Appropriation and Credits $14,275.67


Statement of Expenditures


Labor


$11,556.82


Maintenance of trucks


1,715.60


Equipment, supplies and repairing tools and


and property


994.15


Total


14,266.57


BALANCE UNEXPENDED $9.10


A permanent force of eight men, together with city trucks, are kept continually at work, flushing, cleaning and repair- ing the city's drainage system, including catch basins, the ex- pense necessarily increasing yearly as sewers, storm drains and catch basins are added to the system, and the distance in- creased to the dumping places, only two of which are available at present.


There were received during the year 1941 a total of 988 com- plaints for drains clogged, cellars flooded and catch basins blocked. These were attended to immediately.


Twenty-nine permits have been issued for private drain connections from buildings to sewers or storm drains, fifteen of these being for repairs, alterations or extensions. All work is done subject to inspection by this department.




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