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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