Report of the city of Somerville 1946, Part 17

Author: Somerville (Mass.)
Publication date: 1946
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 440


USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1946 > Part 17


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There are many causes for seeking relief, and we realize that if these causes are removed, both our city and our recip- ients will be the gainers. We are trying, by getting jobs for our unemployment cases, by giving proper medical care-in- cluding prosthetic devices to those in need of them, by aiding and assisting our Domestic Relations officer in bringing to justice those who are guilty of abandonment, neglect, deser- tion and non-support, to bring our case load down to normal bounds.


While the financial picture for 1947 is not an encouraging one, our aim for the new year will be to give adequate relief to those in need, and to safeguard the taxpayers by intelligent case work.


Respectfully submitted,


CHARLES J. WILLWERTH,


General Agent


270


ANNUAL REPORTS


REPORT OF THE CITY CLERK


Office of the City Clerk January 1, 1947


To the Honorable the Mayor and the Board of Aldermen


Gentlemen :


The following is respectfully submitted as the seventy-fifth Annual Report of the City Clerk of the City of Somerville, and is for the year ending December 31, 1946.


The receipts and payments were as follows :


For dog licenses issued in 1946:


1655 males at $2.00


$3,310.00


271 females at $5.00


1,345.00


595 spayed at $2.00


1,194.00


3 kennel at $10.00


30.00


1 transfer


.25


$5,879.25


For hunting and fishing licenses issued in 1946:


624 fishing at $2.00


1,248.00


559 hunting at $2.00


1,118.00


272 sporting at $3.25


884.00


158 minor fishing at $1.25 197.50


2 trapping at $5.25 10.50


2 non-resident fishing at $1.50


3.00


15 duplicates at $.50


7.50


3,468.50


Recording mortgages, assignments, etc.


4,498.85


Certificates of marriage intentions, including postage


3,845.56


Furnishing copies of records 776.43


Licenses :


Auctioneers, 16 at $2.00 32.00


Billiard, pool tables and bowling alleys, 96


licenses for 54 tables and 42 alleys, at $3. 288.00


271


CITY CLERK


Cut meat and sausages, 3 at $50.00


150.00


Drain layers, 4 at $1.00


4.00


Drivers, 439 at $1.00 439.00


Electric motors and stationary engines, 65 at $1.00


65.00


Garages:


10 at $5.00 5 at $10.00


100.00


Garage renewals


810.00


Hackney carriages, 186 at $1.00


186.00


Intelligence offices, 3 to $2.00


6.00


Junk and second hand licenses:


Collect junk, 16 at $10.00


160.00


Junk shops, 22 at $25.00 550.00


Lodging houses, 22 at $2.00


44.00


Outdoor parking, 1 at $10.00


10.00


Second hand auto dealers:


18 at 50.00


38 at $25.00


1,850.00


Slaughtering, 12 at $1.00


12.00


Street musicians, 8 at $.50


4.00


Storage of explosives:


4 at $1.00


1 at $5.00


10 at $10.00


14 at $20.00


1 at $40.00


2 at $50.00


529.00


Storage of explosives renewals


4,506.00


Transient vendors, 3 at $25.00


75.00


Storage of rags, 1 at $25.00


25.00


Wagon licenses, 5 at $1.00


5.00


Wagon stand licenses, 135 at $1.00


135.00


Permits for projection over the sidewalk, for,


56 awnings


14 wooden signs


2 swing arms


36 neon signs


10 shelves


7 metal signs


11 electric signs


2 marquees


1 stand


56 licenses at $1.00


83 licenses at $5.00 471.00


Sale of firearms, etc. 1 at $10.00


10.00


Bus route, 2 at $10.00


20.00


272


ANNUAL REPORTS


Badges 8.75


Registration of physicians, optometrists and chiropodists


3.00


Copies of ordinances


32.85


Fees for notices of hearings


27.54


Advertising fees


228.00


Duplicate of dog license tags


6.40


Pole locations


304.10


Reporting congenital births


1.25


$20,218.73


$29,566.48


PAYMENTS


To City Treasurer for dog licenses in 1946:


1655 males at $2.00


$3,310.00


271 females at $5.00


1,345.00


595 spayed at $2.00


1,194.00


3 kennel at $10.00


30.00


transfer at $.25


.25


Less City Clerk's fees, 2524 at $.20 and


1 transfer at $.25


505.05


$5,374.20


To Commissioners Fisheries and Game for Hunting Licenses, etc. in 1946:


624 fishing at $2.00


$1,248.00


559 hunting at $2.00


1,118.00


272 sporting at $3.25


884.00


158 minor fishing at $1.25


197.50


2 trapping at $5.25


10.50


2 non-resident fishing at $1.50


3.00


15 duplicates at $.50


7.00


$3,468.50


Less City Clerks' fees, 1617 at $.25


404.25


3,064.25


To City Treasurer monthly :


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


20,218.73


$28,657.18


LICENSES AND PERMITS


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


To parade with music in streets .. 5


Newspaper license 6


273


CITY CLERK


BIRTHS


1946


Number of births reported by physicians and midwives for 1946 :


Males


887


Females 826


1713


1945


The following is a statement in full of the births for 1945 :


Number of births (exclusive of still-births) in Somerville in 1945 registered:


Males 631


Females 582


1213


Born of American parents


917


Born of Foreign parents


64


Born of American father and Foreign mother


83


Born of Foreign father and American mother Born of American mother and father unknown nationality 20


120


Born of Foreign mother and father unknown nationality


7


Born of Foreign mother and father unknown nationality


2


Number of still-births in Somerville in 1945 registered


25


Number of births in other places in 1945 reg- istered


988


Number of cases twins


13


MARRIAGES


1946


Number of intentions issued in 1946


1884


More than previous year


610


Marriages registered


1909


More than previous year


654


Both parties American


1574


Both parties foreign


58


American groom and foreign bride


117


Foreign groom and American bride


160


1909


First marriage


3410


Second marriage


381


Third marriage


26


Fourth marriage


1


3818


1909 couples


1213


274


ANNUAL REPORTS


DEATHS 1946


Number of deaths recorded in Somerville in 1946


1287


Died in City


878


Stillbirths in City


60


Died out of City


349


1287


Males


626


Females


661


1287


Under ten years


154


10 and under 20 years of age


17


20 and under 30 years of age


24


30 and under 40 years of age


56


40 and under 50 years of age


88


50 and under 60 years of age


176


60 and under 70 years of age


266


70 and under 80 years of age


317


80 and under 90 years of age


166


90 and over


23


1287


Age of oldest person who died in Somerville in 1946, 103 years.


Born in Somerville


185


Born in other places in United States


549


Of foreign birth


550


Of unknown nationality


3


1287


275


CITY CLERK


CITY GOVERNMENT AND OFFICERS FOR 1946


MAYOR G. EDWARD BRADLEY, 40 Benton Road


BOARD OF ALDERMEN President, JAMES F. HALL Vice-President, RAYMOND I. REYNOLDS


ALDERMEN-AT-LARGE


EDWARD T. BRADY


T. EDWARD CORBETT PAUL I. MCCARTHY


HENRY T. MURRAY, JR.


277 Washington Street 108 Bristol Road 158 Walnut Street 38 Bartlett Street


ALDERMEN


WARD ONE


*WALTER J. MORAN 25 MacArthur Street FREDERICK J. RYAN 27 Austin Street


WARD TWO


JAMES F. HALL 15 Parkdale Street


THOMAS F. PICKETT


WARD THREE 27 Loring Street


EDITH L. HURD WARD FOUR 125 Central Street


WARD FIVE 19 Norwood Avenue


JOHN L. CARROLL


WARD SIX 32 Walker Street


RAYMOND I. REYNOLDS


WARD SEVEN


LEO B. MALLARD 24 Belknap Street


* Resigned March 28, 1946 Elected August 1, 1946


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


276


ANNUAL REPORTS


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


STANDING COMMITTEES OF THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN


ELECTRIC LINES AND LIGHTS-Chairman Murray, Hurd and Brady. FINANCE-Chairman Hall, Brady, Pickett, Reynolds, (Moran), Ryan, McCarthy and Murray.


LEGISLATIVE MATTERS AND PUBLIC SAFETY-Chairman (Moran), Ryan, Reynolds, Hall, Hurd and Mallard.


LICENSES AND PERMITS-Chairman Brady*, (Moran), Ryan, Corbett, Carroll and Mallard.


PUBLIC PROPERTY AND PUBLIC WORKS-Chairman Reynolds, Pickett, Carroll, Murray and Hurd.


VETERANS' AID AND PENSIONS-Chairman Mallard, Corbett and McCarthy.


* June 27, 1946-Alderman Brady resigned as Chairman of Committees on Licenses and Permits.


SCHOOL COMMITTEE


Chairman, FRANCIS H. BROWN Vice-Chairman, WILLIAM J. SHEA HON. G. EDWARD BRADLEY Mayor, ex-officio JAMES F. HALL President of the Board of Alderman, ex-officio


MARY E. WHOLEY 191 Broadway


WARD ONE


FRANCIS H. BROWN


WARD TWO 34 Bow Street


JOSEPH J. GALVIN WARD THREE 34 Central Street


EARL W. LANDRY WARD FOUR 72r Marshall Street


WARD FIVE 10 Aberdeen Road WILLIAM J. SHEA WARD SIX 17 Warner Street


V. THERESA MORRISSEY


JOHNF. FITZGERALD WARD SEVEN 86 Yorktown Street Superintendent and Secretary-EVERETT W. IRELAND Assistant Superintendent-LEO C. DONAHUE


277


CITY CLERK


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


ASSESSORS


CHARLES R. BRUNELLE, Chairman, term expires 1947 MAURICE F. AHEARN, term expires 1948 JOHN B. CARR, term expires 1948 THOMAS F. MACKEY, term expires 1949 WINFIELD S. PATTERSON, term expires 1947


BOARD OF APPEALS


SOTER G. ZAHAROOLIS, Chairman, term expires 1948 ANTHONY ROSSELLI, Secretary, term expires 1947 EDWARD GERRIOR, term expires 1948 JAMES DANGORO, term expires 1949 JOHN V. MOTTA, term expires 1946


Associate Members


CHARLES NOBILIO, term expires 1947 JOSEPH A. SOUZA, term expires 1948


BOARD OF HEALTH


DAVID F. O'BRIEN, M. D., Chairman, term expires 1947 ANTHONY F. COTA, term expires 1948


WALTER E. WHITTAKER, D.M.D., term expires 1947 Medical Inspector, WILFRID C. MacDONALD, M. D. Inspectors of Animals and Provisions : HENRY T. MURRAY JAMES A. DWYER


Inspector of Slaughtering, HENRY T. MURRAY Inspector of Milk and Vinegar, WILLIAM H. WALLIS Assistant Milk Inspector, JAMES C. MOORE Supervisor of Dental Hygiene, DR. ANTHONY F. BIANCHI Veterinarian, E. WILLIAM JOHANSEN, V. S.


BOARD OF PUBLIC WELFARE


ALICE I. McNAMARA, Chairman, term expires 1947 EDWARD L. HAGAN, term expires 1949 EDWARD L. CONDON, term expires 1948 Agent-CHARLES J. WILLWERTH Warden City Home-GEORGE GOODRICH Matron City Home-ELIZABETH GOODRICH


LICENSING COMMISSION


RALPH B. JONES, Chairman, term expires June, 1948 JOHN C. HARRINGTON, term expires June, 1947 DANIEL J. COUGHLIN, term expires June, 1949


278


ANNUAL REPORTS


PLANNING BOARD


DAVID B. NISSENBAUM, Chairman, term expires 1947 PATRICK J. LOGAN, term expires 1948 ANTHONY SCOLLES, term expires 1949 MARTIN KINSELLA, term expires 1940 PATSY BARONI, appointed June 27, 1946 to fill unexpired term of Martin Kinsella FRANCIS STANFORD, Secretary, term expires 1946


PUBLIC LIBRARY TRUSTEES


REV. ANTHONY J. FLAHERTY, President, term expires 1948 LOUIS B. CONNELLY, Vice-President, term expires 1948 GEORGE K. COYNE, term expires 1947 WILLIAM J. DONOVAN, term expires 1948 JOHN J. GRIFFIN, term expires 1947 JOSEPHINE J. HURLEY, term expires 1947 DR. THOMAS E. LEONARD, term expires 1946 WILLIAM H. McKENNA, term expires 1946 REV. J. FRANKLIN BURKHART, term expires 1946 (died October 14, 1946)


SOMERVILLE RECREATION COMMISSION


E. STUART ROGERS, Chairman, term expires 1946 EUGENE W. DRISCOLL, Vice-Chairman, term expires 1946 WALLACE A. BLAIR, term expires 1945 JOSEPH D. FILADORO, term expires 1946 MRS. ROSE GLENDON, term expires 1945 MRS. ARTHUR W. HURLBURT, term expires 1946 GEORGE KEEFE, term expires 1947 MRS. CLARA MOORE, term expires 1945 REV. NAZARENO PROPERZI, term expires 1946 HARRY STANCHFIELD, term expires 1945


BOARD OF ELECTION COMMISSIONERS


GEORGE J. MORAN. Chairman, term expires April 1947 WARREN C. DAGGETT, term expires April 1948 DENNIS L. DONOVAN, term expires April 1949 WARRENS. JOHNSTON, term expires April 1947


RETIREMENT BOARD


JOHN J. GRIFFIN, Chairman, term expires 1947 EDMUND L. KELLEHER, term expires 1949 FRANCIS MacDONALD, City Audtor


279


CITY CLERK


SOMERVILLE HOUSING AUTHORITY


THOMAS W. BOWE, State Representative, term expires Aug. 1, 1946 OSCAR P. GROVE, term expires June 22, 1949 CHARLES G. MARTIGNETTE, term expires June 8, 1947


GEORGE TAYLOR, term expires June 8, 1850


REV. J. FRANKLIN BURKHART, term expires June 8, 1948 (died October 14, 1946)


WALTER A. BURDETT, appointed to fill the unexpired term of Rev. J. Franklin Burkhart


CITY CLERK NORMAN E. CORWIN


ASSISTANT CITY CLERK WILLIAM C. ARBUCKLE


CITY TREASURER AND COLLECTOR OF TAXES WALTER E. COLLINS


CITY MESSENGER DANIEL A. DOWNEY


ASSISTANT CITY MESSENGER RICHARD A. KEYES


MAYOR'S SECRETARY 1


TIMOTHY J. KANE -


CITY AUDITOR


FRANCIS MacDONALD


CITY SOLICITOR


ANTHONY W. DI CECCA


ASSISTANT CITY SOLICITOR ASHELEN P. SENOPOULOS ʻ


CITY ENGINEER


WILLIAM J. SULLIVAN


280


ANNUAL REPORTS


COMMISSIONER OF STREETS JEREMIAH F. MURPHY


SUPERINTENDENT OF MOTHS JEREMIAH F. MURPHY


COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND INSPECTOR OF BUILDINGS


JOHN F. KENNEDY


WATER COMMISSIONER HENRY F. O'CONNELL


SUPERINTENDENT OF SANITARY DEPARTMENT JOHN F. MESKELL


CLERK OF COMMITTEES JAMES F. MCCARRON


ASSISTANT CLERK OF COMMITTEES JOHN M. MANSFIELD


ASSISTANT TO CLERK OF COMMITTEES FRANCIS L. McGONAGLE


CHIEF OF POLICE THOMAS DAMERY Died June 21, 1946


AUGUSTINE F. SHARRY Appointed Sept. 9, 1946


CHIEF ENGINEER OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT JOHN C. MCNALLY


FOREST WARDEN JOHN C. MCNALLY


28


CITY CLERK


COMMISSIONER OF ELECTRIC LINES AND LIGHTS JAMES J. CUDDIHY


CITY PHYSICIAN CIRO GIOBBE, M. D.


COMMISSIONER OF VETERANS' AID AND PENSIONS THOMAS F. MCGRATH


SEALER OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES JOHN F. CASEY


CONSTABLES


CHARLES M. AUSTIN DONALD C. AUSTIN ALBERT F. CULLEN JOSEPH DI GIUSTO DANIEL A. DOWNEY FRED GAGNE


MAURICE GILBERT WILLIAM R. JUDSON DANIEL J. O'DONOGHUE JOHN M. SMITH


SAMUEL L. TERHUNE


282


ANNUAL REPORTS


REPORT OF THE CITY ENGINEER


Office of the City Engineer, City Hall, Somerville, January 1947


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-six.


Respectfully submitted,


WILLIAM J. SULLIVAN City Engineer


283


CITY ENGINEER


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


1946


CREDIT


Balance from 1945


Appropriation


$23.61 15,000.00


Total


$15,023.61


STATEMENT OF EXPENDITURES


Gasoline for bulldozer, roller, etc.


$85.24


Transportation bulldozer


18.90


Equipment and supplies


129.23


Cinders for driveway


99.00


Lumber for foundation below grade


59.19


Concrete wall and chain link fence


13,564.00


Constructing basketball court


254.92


Hot-top for surfacing basketball court


247.93


Remove stone foundations, trees, for concrete wall


131.30


Steel rods for concrete


171.50


Gravel for foundation below grade


217.80


Total


$14,979.01


BALANCE UNEXPENDED


$44.60


COMMEMORATING PERSONS IN WORLD WAR II ACCOUNT


(HONOR ROLL) 1946


CREDITS


Balance from 1945


$2,129.37


Appropriation


5,285.00


Total


$7,414.37


STATEMENT OF EXPENDITURES


Boston Edison for light


$113.18


2000 white cards for service records


17.00


Painting two flagpoles


9.80


Equipment and supplies


57.63


Shrubs and plants for dedication


573.80


284


ANNUAL REPORTS


Centre panel goldleafed inscribed


675.00


Two felted changeable gold letters - back- boards


357.00


41/2" pinewood letters goldleafed


30.00


Cards, markers, stationery


86.40


Advertising bids for additions, etc.


11.00


Contract: install names


4,785.00


Completion listing of names


40.50


Protection lights and decorations


105.00


Total


$6,861.31


UNEXPENDED BALANCE


$553.06


ENGINEERING DIVISION (City Engineer Account)


Elm Street from Wilson Square up to and including Davis Square was resurfaced with a Type I Bituminous Concrete. Holland Street from Davis Square to Teele Square was resur- faced with the same type. This work was done under Chapter 90.


Construction work done under Chapter 90 is a great bene- fit to the City. The State provides 50% of the cost, the County 25%, and the City's share is 25%. I recommend on account of the great benefits the City receives financially under Chap- ter 90 that a greater amount of construction be done under this chapter.


Washington Street from Union Square to the Fitchburg division of the Boston & Maine Railroad bridge, was resurfaced with Type I Bituminous Concrete with City funds exclusive of Chapter 90.


Concrete sidewalks were reconstructed on College Avenue, both sides, from Davis Square to, Powder House Square, High- land Avenue on the northerly side from Walnut Street to School and Broadway on the northerly side from North Street to Ale- wife Brook Parkway.


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


285


CITY ENGINEER


(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.)


1946


Appropriation and credits


$17,609.68


STATEMENT OF EXPENDITURES


Personal service


$15,746.98


Instruments and equipment, office supplies,


books, printing, postage, blue prints, prints,


telephone, use of autos


1,199.02


Total


16,946.00


BALANCE UNEXPENDED


$663.68


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


**


** Streets paved with granite blocks


Square Yards 214,608 1,648


Miles


Streets paved with vitrified brick


0.288


Streets constructed with concrete base and bituminous concrete top


287,616


12.428


Streets constructed with bituminous con- crete base and bituminous concrete top .... ¿Streets constructed with concrete base and bituminous penetrated top


3,790


0.215


¿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 maca- dam


10.308


Streets graveled or unimproved


10.780


Total (Miles)


101.45


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.)


8.778


19,245


0.461


286


ANNUAL REPORTS


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


Edgestone


Gravel Sidewalk


Brick Sidewalk


Granolithic 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.)


UNDERGROUND CONDUITS (Public Service Corporation)


Miles laid in


City Streets


Boston Elevated Railway Co.


5.55


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,


Police and Fire Alarm


15.66


Total


175.82


All locations for sub-surface construction are assigned by this department.


287


CITY ENGINEER


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. 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


3.475 miles


New catch basins constructed in city's highways in 1946 6


Total catch basins maintained by city 2,319


Other catch basins - State Highway, Metropolitan Park, B. E. Ry., etc. 3,300


Total catch basins in the city for storm drainage pur- poses 2,619


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 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.


1946 CREDITS


Appropriation and Credits


$78,953.16


288


ANNUAL REPORTS


STATEMENT OF EXPENDITURES


Labor


Maintenance of trucks


$27,695.83 2,472.10


Equipment, supplies and repairing tools and property 3,926.30


Reconstruct part of Medford St. Sewer, con- struct new sidewalks, retaining walls, fence, etc.


29,976.74


Special items: construct manholes and catch basins 5,652.90


Special equipment : steel sewer rods, augur for sewer cleaning, pump units, etc. 811.73


Total


$70,535.60


BALANCE UNEXPENDED


$8,417.56


There were received during the year 1946 a total of 1,304 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 18,647 private drain connections. with the city's drainage system.


Six new manholes were added to the City's drainage sys- tem to help in relieving blocked sewers.


On Medford Street at the Underpass near Swift & Co. Plant, the old disintegrated concrete walls with broken-down and delapidated iron-fence rails have been replaced on both easterly and westerly sides with new concrete walls and chain. link fence and the leaking 4 foot brick sewer replaced and made safe, so that at this once unsightly location has been. made a vast improvement to the City of Somerville.


289


CITY ENGINEER


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- 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. 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


1946


CREDITS


Appropriation and Credits Parks and Playgrounds


$63,146.68


STATEMENT OF EXPENDITURES


Playgrounds


Parks


$26,001.44 Labor


496.86 Maintenance of truck


Telephone


$20,760.30 446.74 49.56


6,002.09 Equipment and supplies, repair- ing tools, property, maintenance flagpoles, fountains, bubblers, grounds, lawns, shrubbery, seats, fences, backstops, doors, grandstands, pools, skating rinks, etc.


6,873.47


340.90 New Playground Rear of Police Station (swing outfit and sand) Completion Veterans' Rest (fence)


550.00


$32,841.29 Totals


$28,680.07


32,841.29*


Grand Total Expense


$61,521.36


BALANCE UNEXPENDED


$1,625.32


290


ANNUAL REPORTS


IMPROVEMENTS MADE TO PARKS AND PLAYGROUNDS


During the year 1946 many improvements in parks and playgrounds have been made. At Conway Park a 10 ft. concrete wall has been constructed along the easterly side, on top of which a 10 ft. chain link fence was erected. This will protect the adjoining property from damage later on when baseball playing will be made possible.


The triangular lot at McGrath Highway and Washington Street, now known as Veterans Rest, has been improved by the erection of a 4 ft. chain link fence and flower beds which now make this location a beautification to be seen by persons when entering the City near this park, as well as an added attrac- tion for our Citizens.


Many parks have been greatly improved by replacing shrubs and planting flower beds.


I would recommend, when funds may be made availabe, the construction of a baseball diamond on Conway Playground and that a complete embankment, grading and new iron fence and stairway be constructed at Prospect Hill Tower to make safe the present dangerous condition.




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