USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1945 > Part 18
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Public Buildings Department .
23,351.97
$102,495.67
Invested Funds:
Income, current year
$380.59
Balance from 1944
4,144.25
4,524.84
Total
$107,020.51
EXPENDITURES
Salaries: Library Department
$55,601.96
Public Buildings Department
12,378.49
$67,980.45
Books: Appropriation
10,737.08
Invested Funds
911.95
11,649.03
Periodicals: Appropriation
691.83
Invested Funds
5.50
697.33
Binding
1,531.21
Rent: Public Buildings Department
900.00
Heat and Light:
Public Buildings Department ..
4,229.29
Insurance: Library Department ..
403.00
Public Buildings Department ..
540.25
943.25
Other Operating Expenses:
Library Department
3,882.23
Public Buildings Department
5,303.94
9,186.17
Total
$97,116.73
TRANSFERS
From Public Library Department:
To Health Department
1,500.00
To Highway Department
2,000.00
3,500.00
BALANCES, DECEMBER 31, 1945
Library Department:
Appropriation
$2,796.39
Invested Funds
3,607.39
Public Buildings Department
6,403.78 0. 6,403.78
GRAND TOTAL
$107,020.51
275
CITY ENGINEER
REPORT OF THE CITY ENGINEER
Office of the City Engineer, City Hall, Somerville, January 1946
Honorable G. Edward Bradley, 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 Annual Report of the Engineering Depart- ment for the year 'ending December thirty-first, nineteen hun- dred and forty-five.
Respectfully submitted,
WILLIAM J. SULLIVAN City Engineer
276
ANNUAL REPORTS
GENERAL FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF SPECIAL EXPEND- ITURES OTHER THAN ORDINARY EXPENDITURES FOR ENGINEERING, SEWER, AND PARK AND PLAYGROUND DIVISIONS
GEORGE FREDERICK CONWAY PLAYGROUND SPECIAL CONSTRUCTION ACCOUNT
1945
CREDIT
Balance from 1944
$3,107.45
Appropriation
7,500.00
Total
$10,607.45
STATEMENT OF EXPENDITURES
Chain link fences
$1,666.59
Seeding, rolling, grading
437.98
Equipment and supplies
195.85
Loam furnished and spread
1,228.99
40 Maple trees 10' to 12' furnished, planted and guyed
358.20
Granolithic walks with cinder base
2,044.26
Play apparatus, etc .: swings, tilts, sand boxes
342.48
Bank gravel and clean dirt fill
361.35
Concrete benches constructed and set
611.42
Transportation of equipment
6.00
Surfacing area around wading pool with bitu- minous asphalt
633.67
Surfacing play area with bituminous asphalt ..
900.90
Surfacing tennis court with bituminous as- phalt
1,796.15
Total
$10,583.84
BALANCE UNEXPENDED
$23.61
IMPROVEMENTS, REAR OF HIGH SCHOOL ACCOUNT
1945 CREDITS
Balance from 1944 $5,846.61
STATEMENT OF EXPENDITURES
Equipment and supplies
$17.64
Contract : construct concrete crib, etc. Rear of
Heating Plant, two payments on account (completion of contract) 3,421.00
Excavation, grading and removal of surplus material and construction cf concrete steps
277
CITY ENGINEER
and walks in rear of High School (partial, final payment - completion of agree- ment)
80.00
Lawn seed
183.75
Fertilizer
83.30
Furnishing seed, seeding, and spreading loam on slopes
623.70
Excavate slopes with bulldozer; trucking.
738.04
Bone fertilizer for use in seeding of embank- ment
49.98
Furnishing and planting 300 privets, 20 shade trees
153.45
Underpinning for running track
396.00
Replace board planking of running track, re-
move iron pipe railing from old concrete
steps, paint for running track
93.80
Total
$5,840.66
BALANCE UNEXPENDED $5.95
COMMEMORATING PERSONS IN WORLD WAR II ACCOUNT
(HONOR ROLL)
.1945
CREDITS
Balance from 1944
$158.89
Appropriation
3,750.00
Total
$3,908.89
STATEMENT OF EXPENDITURES
Boston Edison for lighting
$80.94
Painting Honor Roll
100.00
Names and addresses typed on Service Rec- ord cards by clerks of Draft Board for cor- rect listing
25.68
Trees
104.00
Concrete foundations for enlargement
101.95
Equipment and supplies for enlaring Honor Roll
328.66
Lumber for enlarging Honor Roll
508.41
30' Steel Flagpole with 5" goldleaf ball, and and setting and painting same
104.85
18 pine door frames, 4 pine stools and head- ers; ; carpentering
222.42
12 lights plate glass special edges
128.66
1 each 3x5 U. S. and Service flags (wool)
15.80
Move Honor Roll back
33.75
Total ............
$1,755.12
BALANCE UNEXPENDED
$2,153.77
278
ANNUAL REPORTS
NEW PLAYGROUND REAR OF POLICE STATION (Parks and Playgrounds Maintenance Special Items Account) Appropriation $4,000.00
STATEMENT OF EXPENDITURES
Excavating and grading
$439.56
Bulldozer with operator
157.41
Concrete for wall for fence
217.80
Construct concrete sand box
123.75
*Chain link fence
488.00
"Junglegym" climbing structure
247.50
Mix-concrete
83.50
Loam
467.77
Install three concrete benches
178.20
Sand for sand boxes
10.35
Lawn seed
53.90
Lumber for concrete forms for fence
120.61
Calcium chloride
34.30
Concrete base for junglegym, weld and set up junglegym
82.15
Rope, bolts, washers, paint
88.94
*Erect chain link fence
342.00
Seeding, grading and spreading loam
222.75
$3,358.04
6-swing outfit, 4-board see-saw, to be erected
in 1946; already ordered and money set aside
311.20
3,669.24
UNEXPENDED BALANCE
$330.76
ENGINEERING DIVISION
(City Engineer Account) LENGTH OF STREETS
*Public
90.646
Private
10.804
101.450
* Includes 1,406 Miles of 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 incor- porated into the Northern Artery, the total length has de- creased.)
279
CITY ENGINEER
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
11.779
· Ward Six
11.591
Ward Seven
13.213
Total length of public streets in the city 90.646
TABLE OF STREET CONSTRUCTION
*
Square Yards 214.608
Miles
Streets paved with vitrified brick
1,648
0.288
Streets constructed with concrete base and bituminous concrete top
287,616
12.428
Streets constructed with bituminous con-
3,790
0.215
crete base and bituminous concrete top ... ¿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
48.955
Streets constructed of water bound ma-
10.308
cadam
Streets graveled or unimproved
10,780
Total (Miles)
101.450
* Also 27.92 miles (single track) electric railway paved with granite, as- phalt, etc.
** Includes 6,149 sq. yds. (0.438 miles) 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 Sidewalk
Granolithis Sidewalk
Ward One
21.343
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
162.798
14.345
52.015
87.615
--
(Details, etc., streets and sidewalks in report of Street Commissioner.)
** Streets paved with granite blocks
8.778
280
ANNUAL REPORTS
UNDERGROUND CONDUITS (Public Service Corporation)
Miles laid in City Streets 5.55
Boston Elevated Railway Co.
Edison Electric Illuminating Co.
17.52
New England Tel. & Tel. Company
37.22
Cambridge Gas Light Company
67.60
Boston Consolidated Gas Co. (formerly Charlestown Gas co.)
32.27
Somerville Department of Electric Lines and Lights,
15.66
Total
175.82
All locations for sub-surface construction are assigned by this department.
SEWER DIVISION
The design and construction of sewers, storm drain, 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.
Total length of city's drainage system
151.90 miles Total length of Metropolitan sewerage system mains running through this city
17 connections, in Somerville, with Metropolitan sewerage mains. 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
3.475 miles
New catch basins constructed in city's highways 1944 2 Total catch basins maintained by city 2,313
Other catch basins-State Highway, Metropolitan Park, B. E. Ry., etc. 3,300
Total catch basins in the city for storm drainage pur- poses
2,613
Sump manholes on drainage system
139
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 during the past few years, necessitating immediate repair and in many instances the reconstruction of entire sections. After an exhaustive and thorough examination of our sewerage sys- tem, I am of the opinion that such breakdowns will occur more
Police and Fire Alarm
281
CITY ENGINEER
frequently than heretofore, particularly in 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 long range and large scale sew- age works construction program. This work can very well be done as part of our post war public works program.
1945 CREDITS
Appropriation and Credits $63,597.13
STATEMENT OF EXPENDITURES
Labor
Maintenance of trucks
$26,355.33 2,580.48
Equipment, supplies and repairing tools and property
2,966.91
Total
*$31,902.72
BALANCE UNEXPENDED
*$31,694.41
* Includes balance of $29,972 of appropriation for sewer construction in Medford Street.
There were received during the year 1945 a total of 1,341 complaints for drains clogged, cellars flooded and catch basins blocked.
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 the owner, where trouble exists, by applying directly to this department for investigation and advice.
Many car track catch basins and underground conduit manholes built by public service corporations have been con- nected with the City's drainage system.
There are to date about 18,622 private drain connections with the city's drainage system.
282
ANNUAL REPORTS
PARKS AND PLAYGROUNDS DIVISION
There are at the present time nineteen parcels of land laid out as parks and playgrounds and maintained and improved by this department having an area of 83.1 acres, also one ceme- tery maintained, 0.7 acre. Total 83.8 acres. Many of these areas are badly in need of improvement, and more play areas should be developed in the more densely populated sections of our City.
The City has become so densely populated (averaging near- Jy 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. In several parks field houses should be constructed, additional apparatus and shelters pro- vided, and some of the smaller playground areas should be en- closed by wire fencing for protection.
MAINTENANCE ACCOUNTS
1945
CREDITS
Appropriation Parks and Playgrounds $58,001.23
STATEMENT OF EXPENDITURES
Playgrounds
$23,232.55 Labor
$19,894.18
141.70 Maintenance of truck
165.48
Telephone
49.56
4,284.93
Equipment and supplies, repair- ing tools, property, maintenance flagpoles, fountains, bubblers,
seats, fences, backstops, doors, grandstands, pools, skating rinks, etc.
2,442.71
990.79
Marchi Playground Improve- ments
236.81
Foss Park Improvements 18.02
3,413.90
New Playground Rear of Police Station
Shelter Tufts Park at Bus Stop 396.00
Completion Veterans' Rest 834.69
$32,300.68* Totals
$23,800.64 32,300.68*
GRAND TOTAL EXPENSE
$56,101.32
BALANCE UNEXPENDED
$1,899.91
Parks
283
CITY ENGINEER
IMPROVEMENTS MADE TO PARKS AND PLAYGROUNDS DURING THE YEAR 1945
CONWAY PLAYGROUND
The children's area has now been completed, and further development toward furnishing a baseball diamond will begin in 1946.
VETERANS' REST
Money is now available for erection of chain link fence, and further beautification will be finished in 1946.
HONOR ROLL
The Honor Roll has been enlarged by the installation of four extra nine-foot panels - two on each side - and by mak- ing this addition space has been provided for all names of men and women in the Armed Forces of Somerville, Massachusetts.
BEAUTIFICATION OF REAR OF HIGH SCHOOL
The greater portion of the area in the rear of the High School has been completed. There is still more grading to be done in the rear of the Gymnasium and also to continue the concrete steps from where the present steps end to meet the walk at the entrance of the High School.
VICTORY GARDENS
Gardens on Central Hill, Dilboy Field and Linden Avenue were made available for use of citizens,, and when the 1945 gar- den season for planting was ended the Victory Gardens were discontinued from further use.
LINCOLN PARK
Repairs were made to various sand boxes, and the back- stop at the baseball diamond which has been badly in need of repairs has been put in safe and perfect condition. Six new concrete benches have been installed and repairs made to hand rails at entrance.
284
ANNUAL REPORTS
MARCHI PLAYGROUND
Considerable grading has been done to the front area of the playground, and new concrete benches have been installed.
DICKERMAN PARK
Concrete walk and steps which were in a badly undermined condition have been repaired by means of a concrete under- pinning.
NEW PLAYGROUND REAR OF POLICE STATION
Construction of a new play area for children was made on city-owned land in the rear of the Police Station on San- born Court. The lot was graded, loamed, a chain link fence erected around the entire enclosure on a concrete wall, swings, see-saws and concrete benches constructed. The park is enjoyed by a great number of the young children in the vicinity,
GENERAL
The City Engineer has been called upon to assist the Law Department by preparing plans of locations of accidents in- volving the City of Somerville. On several occasions the City Engineer appeared in court in connection with law suits in- volving the City.
For the Assessors several plans and data for tax appeal cases were prepared including computed areas of buildings and lots. Floor areas on buildings were computed and furnished to the Assessors from measurements taken in the field. In this connection, it would be of great value not only to the Assessors, but to other departments, if Architects and Engineers were required to furnish with each set of plans the cubical contents of all buildings to be constructed
In conclusion I wish to take this opportunity to express the appreciation of myself and my assisatnts in the Engineer- ing Department to His Honor, the Mayor and all the members of the City Government and to the various city departments for the excellent assistance and co-operation extended during the year 1945.
285
RECREATION COMMISSION
REPORT OF THE RECREATION COMMISSION 1945
E. STUART ROGERS, Chairman
Term Expires
WALLACE A. BLAIR 1945
EUGENE W. DRISCOLL
1946
JOSEPH D. FILADORO 1946
MRS. ROSE M. GLENDON 1945
MRS. HARRIETT M. HURLBURT 1946
GEORGE L. KEEFE
1947
MRS. CLARA R. MOORE
1945
REV. NAZARENO PROPERZI 1946
E. STUART ROGERS
1946
HARRY D. STANCHFIELD
1945
Secretary To The Commission : FRANCIS J. MAHONEY
286
ANNUAL REPORTS
December 31, 1945
To the Honorable the Mayor and The Board of Aldermen :
The Recreation Commission in presenting its report for the year 1945 wishes to stress the continuance of its attitude towards the service as one of inquiry, investigation, and anal- ysis as a means of further reorganizing and revitalizing a very vital service to the community.
With the cessation of the hostilities of the World War and the difficulties of reconversion to a peace-time basis before us, the crying need for adequate recreational facilities for the returning veteran and the displaced war worker cannot be too strongly emphasized.
Toward this end a beginning has been made in the Youth Theatre movement, the Community Choral group, Community Orchestra, and other adult and youth projects.
The Service under the Commission has continued in 1945 to experience the difficulties of the war-time period and the carry-over of those other difficulties of the pre-war period which had been summarized in the Commission's Annual Re- ports for 1943 and 1944; including scarcity of available men and women for leadership service, changing personnel, and the war-time psychology as it has affected community groups. On the other hand the Service has had advantages in 1945 which have helped to lessen the possible consequences of the difficulties mentioned. These advantages have included increas. ed appropriation of funds, marked co-operation with the Re- creation Service by His Honor the Mayor, the Public Build- ings Department, the City Engineer's Department, and the Board of Aldermen. This co-operation is gratefully acknowl- edged by the Commission.
The details as to the effects, both of the difficulties men- tioned and of the advantages mentioned, are recognizable through the Annual Report received by the Commission from. the Superintendent. That report has been appended to this
287
RECREATION COMMISSION
report together with the financial summary for the year. The attention of His Honor the Mayor and the Honorable Board of Aldermen is called both to this Annual Report of the Super- intendent and to the following recommendations respectfully submitted by the Commission : -
(1) Construction of at least one Municipal building, which will serve as Recreation Center, Civil Center; with im- mediate steps to be initiated now as to selection of lo- cation (s) and planning.
(2) Renovation or re-equipping of some building or build- ings, already owned by the City, as additional Recrea- tion Centers.
(3) Financial provisions-through annual Municipal Bud- get and Appropriations-to enable the Commission to re-establish the program represented by the Evening Neighborhood Recreation Centers for Adults, using the buildings at the Knapp, Morse, Bingham, and Western Jr. High Schools, and some building in East Somerville; or some equivalent; pending the fulfillment of the rec- commendations carried in Items "(1)" and "(2)".
(4) Similar provision as to restoration of the Evening Gymnasium Activities for Adults, as those had been conducted from 1930 to 1934.
(5) Provision-similarly-for making available to the public, as served through your Commission, the Gymnasium at the Western Jr. High School.
(6) That the City provide for the Commission's service some one or two or more buildings or sections of build- ings set aside for indoor activities for boys and girls, especially the Boys' Clubs and Girls' Clubs already sponsored by the Commission; pending the fulfillment of the recommendations carried in Items "(1)" and "(2)".
(7) That the City undertake construction and development of ten or more "neighborhood playgrounds" calculated to serve the non-athletic play needs of younger children ; not necessarily any larger than 15,000 to 18,000 square- feet in area, but the larger the better ; without emphasis
288
ANNUAL REPORTS
on expensive or perishable equipment, but with attrac- tive and practical surfaces, shelter, shade trees, fencing, and drinking-water; with plan for providing trained leadership in times to come : the locations to be selected not without consideration and recommendation by the Recreation Commission ; and by taking whatever advan- tage is possible of
(a) Properties now in or about to come into custody of the City, through tax claims or otherwise.
(b) Needs for demolition of unsightly or unsafe buildings ;
(c) Properties contiguous to public school and other school grounds ;
(d) The land at the junction of Albion St. and Low- ell St .;
(e) The land on Central St. opposite Vernon St., ad- jacent to the Railroad ;
(f) The property, formerly occupied by houses now razed, contiguous to the North side of the Northeastern Jr. High School grounds ;
(g) The City-owned land on the northwesterly side of Beacon St., near Washington St .;
(h) Any properties that can be had by lease, loan, or purchase in the general vicinity of Powder House Sq. and Ball Sq.
(8) That the grounds of the Walter Ernest Shaw "play- ground" be surfaced (as they have never been) to con- dition this area for playground purposes; that the screen fence be removed which now encloses the "chil- dren's playground" area, in order to make adequate the space needed for baseball, etc .; and whatever of the "children's playground" equipment is of use be trans- ferred to the nearby grounds of the Hodgkins School, which are utilized to a great extent for children's play.
289
RECREATION COMMISSION
(9) That the City reconvert grounds and layout of the John M. Woods Playground (so-called) into an ac- tually "play-able" playground, in keeping with the pur- pose for which funds were twice appropriated by the City :- (a) for purchase of the land, and (b) for its development; this reconversion to eliminate the place- ment of settees, etc. in locations that prevent athletic games, etc., the removal of the high screen fence (val- uable if utilized elsewhere) which surrounds a rectan- gle intended for tennis courts which are never main- tained or conditioned or used, and which serves to pre- vent play of athletic games: and that the attempt be discontinued to have this "playground" regarded as a Park. (The money appropriated was for purchase and development of a playground for the people and the children ; and the vicinity 'has very great need of a play- ground.)
(10) That the new Conway Playground be hastened to com- pletion ; and placed in condition for use (even though not entirely completed) as early as possible in the Spring of 1946.
(11) Appropriation of sufficient funds to enable the Commis- sion to provide, in connection with the Summer Play- grounds service, three sessions each day instead of two- adding a "twilight" or early evening session to the estab- lished morning and afternoon sessions; with "staggered" assignments for play leaders ; and increase in the num- ber of leaders proportionate to the additional service.
(12) Planting of trees for shade on the Glen-St., Lincoln Park, Conway, Shaw, John M. Woods, and Richard Trum play- grounds, and installing of shelter-houses, or the equiva- lent, there and at the grounds of the Perry School.
(13) That the City make more extensive provisions for out- door Recreation in Winter seasons for adults and child- ren ; such as tobogganning, skiing, sledding, and ice- hockey; including separation of hockey-playing areas from general skating areas ; and including financial and other provisions for supervision, leadership, and enforce- ment of regulations ; and including some systematic or scientific organization of the flooding, scraping, and freezing process, as to rinks.
290
ANNUAL REPORTS
(14) Steps to bring about a sharing by the Commission in the allocation of permits, etc. affecting use of playgrounds, athletic fields, and other recreational facilities without non-conformity to the provisions of the City Charter.
Respectfully submitted by
THE RECREATION COMMISSION E. STUART ROGERS, Chairman
WALLACE A. BLAIR HARRIET M. HURLBURT
EUGENE W. DRISCOLL
GEORGE L. KEEFE
JOSEPH D. FILADORO
CLARA R. MOORE
ROSE M. GLENDON
(REV.) NAZARENO PROPERZI
291
RECREATION COMMISSION
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT TO THE RECREATION COMMISSION FOR THE YEAR 1945
December 31, 1945 To The Recreation Commission :
This Annual Report to your Commission, submitted in con- formity to custom and requirement, is purposely abbreviated because there have been detailed reports by the Superintendent to the Commission monthly and sometimes more often through- out the year - familiarizing the Commission in detail with the developments in the program, difficulties in the troublesome times through which the Service has passed, and the views of the Superintendent concerning the various items of business.
Financial statement covering the year 1945 is given at the end of this Report.
Other outstanding items for report are briefly summarized as follows :
Increased appropriation of funds has enabled the Com- mission to employ a staff that has been numerically more nearly adequate in most seasons of the year, to provide more nearly adequate supplies, to fix salary rates less inadequate than during the many years preceding 1945, and thus to induce an improved morale in the Service.
There has been marked co-operation with the Recreation Service by those departments which control the major "tools" of Recreation - the City Engineer's Department and the Public Buildings Department.
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