USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Attleboro > Reports of town officers of the town of Attleborough 1914 > Part 4
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412.88
Repairing Meters.
539.25
Miscellaneous Construction work
1,310.35
Ice Contract . .
660.00
Interest on Bank Deposit.
42.34
Stock and Junk sold. . .
269.18
$58,215.03
$58,215.03
HERBERT F. CONANT, Water Registrar. Examined January 27, 1915 and found correct:
B. F. LINDSEY, 1 W. L. ELLIOT, FRED L. MORSE,
Auditors.
106
ANNUAL REPORT
107
ANNUAL REPORT
REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT
To the Honorable Board of Water Commissioners:
In making this my third report as Superin- tendent of the Attleboro Water Department, I feel and sincerely believe that some permanent improvements have been made. The installa- tion of the new Snow Pumping Engine has been completed, and now stands in an engine-room which has been carefully planned, well lighted, ventilated, and well and economically built. When the plans were first being made for the addition to the station the question arose as to whether or not it would be wise to build a base- ment. After careful consideration it was found that nearly the same amount of excavating would be necessary to make room for the pump founda- tion, and a pit, in order to get around the air pump, which is placed below the main engine- room floor, as though the entire area under the new engine room was excavated. Also the ex- perience in the past of trying to get at pipe and fittings under the old engine-room, which has no basement, helped decide the question; and I am pleased to say that today I feel that the small amount of extra money spent to get a good base- ment, in which everything is in sight and easy to get at, in case of repairs, was well expended; also that the workmen are inclined to take better care and keep in repair things which are readily ac- cessible. The basement wall and floor are built of reinforced concrete, waterproofed with tarred paper and hot pitch, and have shown no signs of leak as yet. The new engine-room is practically fireproof, the walls being built of brick with metal sheathing up to the windowsills. The floor is of · steel girders between and on which is laid rein-
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ANNUAL REPORT
forced concrete with granolithic surface. The roof is the only part constructed of wood, which is covered with tar and gravel. Over the engine close to the roof are two trolleys which run on steel girders, used during the installation of the pump and which will be greatly appreciated when- ever repairs are necessary in handling the heavy parts of the machine.
The new pump was built and erected by the Snow Steam Pump Works of Buffalo, New York, and I wish at this time to compliment the erecting Engineer, Mr. Carmichael, on the careful and painstaking manner in which his work was per- formed. The pump is a 17" x 36" x 1112" x 30" horizontal, opposed type, cross compound fly' wheel condensing pump engine, with Corliss valve gear, and water end of the outside center packed plunger type, including attached air pump, feed pump, and jacket pump, also 300 H. P. Steward closed feed water heater in exhaust and surface condenser located in the suction. Also flywheel of 14" diameter, 24,000 lbs. weight, to enable the engine to run at any speed down to 10 R. P. M. Weight, complete, about 140,000 lbs.
The contract price for the above pump was $12,600 with an allowance of $450 on the Smith Viale 8 x 10 pump which was purchased by the Department to be installed near the junction of Holden Street and Bungay River, but was never used, and probably never would be used by the Department.
The guaranteed duty was 132 million foot- pounds for each 1,000 pounds dry steam consumed by the main engine, its jacket and attached auxi- liaries.
The pump has been well tried out, not only on the regular service but on direct pumping
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ANNUAL REPORT
during the time the standpipe was being repaired. The pump runs exceptionally smooth and quiet, and is, I believe, all that the builders claim for it.
The pump has shown a good station duty which I believe is the real test. The official duty test has not been run for several reasons. I can find no place where a Snow Pump has failed to get its guaranteed duty. At Framingham, the Snow Pump, of which ours is a duplicate (except- ing the water end, which is of 4,000,000 gallon capacity instead of 3,000,000 gallons per 24 hours) showed a duty of 132,990,000 foot-pound for each 1,000 pounds steam consumed by the engine, for all purposes, when operating at full normal speed capacity. With our higher pump-head and high- er steam pressure, there should be no question at all of the engine giving better results than at Framingham, and better than the guarantee.
An official test is quite expensive, and will not make the pump worth one dollar more to the town. The only reason for such a test would be in the satisfaction of knowing just what the duty is. Should any question arise, the test may be run at any time in the future.
The Venturi Meter, installed this year by the Builders' Iron Foundry of Providence, R. I., has kept a continuous record of the number of gallons of water pumped by the Snow Pump, and checks within 1% of the amount figured from plunger displacement. This is, I believe, as good results as obtained anywhere.
After long and careful study of the cause of the leaks in the Standpipe, which has leaked more or less ever since its construction in 1905, I believe the main cause to be expansion and con- traction; for, from observations it has been noted that the leaks vary from time to time. This con-
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ANNUAL REPORT
dition was noted by the Commissioners back in 1906, when they were experimenting with plaster, and later with "Sylvester Process" wash, for, to quote from their report, they say," On October 28, 1906, the Standpipe was filled and found to be practically tight, as the slight wetting on the out- side was due to the condensation of the atmos- phere. Later a few leaks developed which seemed to come from the inside, but these varied from time to time during the next month. Under certain conditions of the atmosphere the entire surface was absolutely dry; under different conditions it would show a slight leakage." The Standpipe to my memory has always acted as above des- cribed. Another reason for my belief in expan- sion and contraction causing most of the trouble is that all reinforced concrete tanks, which I have seen or have any data on, show less cracks, and are in much better condition externally, on the north side than on the south side, because of a more nearly even temperature. The hot sun pouring down against the south side of a tank at noonday and the cooling off during the night keep the concrete in constant motion, and herein lays the trouble. Variation in temperature is not the only cause of expansion and contraction in a standpipe; the water in a standpipe seldom remains at the same elevation for any length of time, and as the water rises or falls so the pres- sure increases or decreases, and with an increase of pressure expansion takes place. The failure of all washes applied to the interior of tanks the size of ours, is due to the fact that they soon be- come hard and brittle as the concrete itself, and the expansion and contraction soon cracks the wash with the concrete. From the above data it was evident to me that the only method to
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ANNUAL REPORT
insure any permanency in waterproofing such a tank as ours was in an elastic membrane of some description. I next got in consultation with the engineers of some of the leading companies build- ing concrete tanks, and found that such a method had been successfully tried out in the tank at Westerly, R. I., which tank is nearly as large as ours, and built by the same contractors. The elastic membrane is composed of felt and cement- ing compound (or hot asphalt) permanently elas- tic, built by successive layers; the number vary- ing according to the water pressure, forming a permanent elastic waterproof shield. The Attle- boro Standpipe received five layers of felt and six layers of compound, applied hot. I learned that this process is similar to the one used for water- proofing bridges and various other structures with absolute success. The tank at Westerly, R. I. was waterproofed about five years ago and has shown no signs of leaks to date. I also learned that Bird & Sons of Walpole, Mass. did the waterproofing at Westerly, and after going over the matter carefully with them, the Com- missioners signed the contract to waterproof our tank for $3,000, with a five years' guarantee. The standpipe has been tight since, and I have every reason to believe it will remain so.
The next problem was to repair the outside of the Standpipe. Patching has been tried, for we read in the same report of the Commissioners in 1906,-"On December 27, 1905, we put the new standpipe into commission, and continued to use it until May 15, 1906. The leaks during that time were very trifling, although during the extreme cold weather we noticed a scaling off on the outer surface at certain points (southwest side) beginning five feet from the bottom of the
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ANNUAL REPORT
tank, and extending to a point about fifteen feet from the bottom. This was apparently caused by pockets or cavities that must have existed on the outside of the steel, probably caused by the slight moving of the forms when the concrete was being placed."
"About May 15, 1906, the Aberthaw Con- struction Company began the plastering on the inside of the Standpipe," etc.
"At the time the inside work was being done, the outside where the cement had scaled off from the effects of frost, was repaired by digging around the outside row of steel reinforcement, putting on iron clips made of 34" x 18" iron bolted through, and then cement was forced into the cavities around these clips by throwing it a distance of 4 or 5 feet to insure the filling of the voids. This process was continued until the cement covered the entire outer surface, so that futher plastering could be perfectly boarded; on this surface was placed expanded metal, forced over the clips that stood out horizontally, and then a coat of metal placed outside of that plastering, the ends of the clips being turned at right angles to hold the same in place. After this the final coat was ap- plied, thus making a very firm and compact sur- face, equal to any part of the structure."
The patches above cited remained for several years, but for the last two winters have gradually scaled off and as new places had started it was very evident that more patches would only be a temporary job. The question then arose how to make a permanent job. Several contractors were interviewed and various methods advanced. The casting of more reinforced concrete around the present tank was too expensive and no assurance but that it would scale off as before. Brick
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ANNUAL REPORT
seemed the most practical and inexpensive, and after putting the job out to contractors to figure on, C. L. Bowen was awarded the contract to build an 8" brick wall around the tank from the bottom to a height of sixty feet. This height was determined upon for two reasons, which were that the contractor was afraid that cold weather would prevent going any higher this fall, and that above sixty feet the tank was in fairly good con- dition, and would be protected for the winter. However by putting on a large force of men, and being favored with good weather, the sixty foot mark was reached sooner than was anticipated, and the second contract to build the remaining 37 feet was signed, but at the 75' mark the cold weather put a stop to the work for the winter, and will be finished in the spring. An air space was left between the concrete and brick to help maintain as nearly as possible uniform tempera- ture in the reinforced concrete. Also openings were left in the brickwork, near the bottom so that the water may run out in case of a leak ever developing through the waterproofing; thereby saving the brickwork from possible injury, and also to give early warning of such leak.
The tank was thoroughly cleaned inside after the waterproofing job; was filled with water, and has been in use since, showing no signs of leakage , up to the present time.
A White Truck was purchased in the spring · and has given excellent service, no repairs being necessary and no trouble whatever.
More attention has been paid to flushing this year than before, and very few complaints re- ceived about bad water. Beginning late in No- vember every hydrant in town was flushed, re- pairs made where necessary, caps removed and
114
ANNUAL REPORT
greased, and then painted. Whenever hydrants have been found connected with the main by a 4" branch, they have been reset and connected by a 6" branch. Many times in the past the question has been raised as to the location, make and size of some particular hydrant in Town. In order to answer these questions and for the bene- fit of the Department, a new hydrant location has been made. In the old location many hy- drants were described as standing in front of some house, giving the owner's name or street number, and as many of these houses have chang- ed hands and perhaps the houses renumbered, the location was rather vague. The new location describes the hydrant by giving the distance from the nearest street, crossing the street on which the hydrant stands, and also the kind and size.
hydrants have been set on the main
extensions, .old ones replaced with new. Total number of public hydrants.
The Seven Mile River has been cleaned and deepened nearly its entire length from the pump- ing station to the reservoir, which aids materially in giving a free passage for the water and saves flooding meadow land in several places en route.
The gates at the reservoir were also painted.
A drink fountain built of concrete by the resi- dents near the corner of North Main Street and Commonwealth Avenue was connected with the dead end on North Main Street. This serves a double purpose by flushing the dead end, and benefitting the public generally. I hope to see more drink fountains placed on dead ends around Town.
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ANNUAL REPORT
A new Service-gate box location has been started, and when completed will be of much value to the Department as much time is wasted often, and many times damage done in buildings for lack of information to locate the boxes in order to shut off water quickly.
Respectfully submitted, HERBERT F. CONANT,
Superintendent.
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ANNUAL REPORT
MAIN LINE EXTENSIONS
Street
6 in.
2 in.
112 in.
114 in.
Cost
Carpenter
. .
. .
272
$73.70
Fairview Ave
46
242
. . .
105.21
Goose Ave.
. .
...
46.11
Holden
510
. .
.
.. .
555.54
Hood
. .
. . .
280
76.25
Major
661
. ..
. . .
. . .
..
. . .
. ..
147
57.65
North Avenue
245
248.16
Pine Road
51
. ..
. .
.
. . .
214
60.70
Rex Avenue
195
47.25
Robert .
566
138
53
685.34
Robinson .
155
61.70
South Avenue.
2,252
. ..
...
. . .
2,369.72
Sycamore.
156
249
128.48
Twelfth
. .
. . .
49
17.58
Totals
5,138
253
1,417
1,089
$6,303.59
. .
.. .
. ..
53
22.95
May.
802.94
Mendon Road.
904
...
. ..
. . .
790.10
Milton
. ..
. . .
32.65
Poplar.
. ...
. . .
. . .
. ..
.
.. .
. ..
121.56
Howard
. . .
177
282
. . .
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ANNUAL REPORT
PUMPING RECORDS
Totals Per Month
MONTH
HOURS PUMPING
COAL CONSUMED
GALLONS
PUMPED
January
304
84,100
32,053,000
February
278
76,600
29,454,560
March
281
84,800
30,315,650
April.
258
75,700
28,777,460
May
281
81,600
31,401,983
June
326
84,945
34,903,000
July
305
84,800
31,265,550
August
296
72,430
29,304,431
September
537
74,100
30,224,516
October
744
71,500
31,924,493
November
399
68,000
28,335,838
December.
314
74,800
27,562,910
Totals
4,323
933,370
365,523,391
Daily Averages Per Month
MONTH
HOURS PUMPING
COAL CONSUMED
PUMPED
January
9-48
2,713
1,033,968
February
9-56
2,736
1,051,948
March.
9-4
2,735
977,924
April
8-36
2,523
959,249
May.
9-4
2,632
1,012,967
June
10-52
2,831
1,163,433
July
9-50
2,735
1,008,566
August.
9-33
2,336
945,304
September
17-54
2,470
1,007,484
October
24-00
2,306
1,029,822
November
13-18
2,267
944,528
December
10-8
2,413
889,126
11-51
2,557
1,001,434
L
GALLONS
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ANNUAL REPORT
STATISTICS
General
Date of Construction . 1873
Cost of works to date. $875,719.93
Bonded debt at this date 622,500.00
Value of Sinking Fund 127,648.23
Pumping
Pumps used Deane, Barr and Snow
Coal used . Bituminous
Coal consumed for the year 933,370 1bs.
Total Pumpage.
365,523,391 gallons
Gallons pumped per pound of coal. .391.61 Consumption
Estimated population on pipe line. 18,200
Total gallons consumed for year . 365,523,391
Average daily consumption . . 1,001,434
Gallons per day per consumer on pipe line.55.02 Distribution
Extension of Main Lines. 1.491 miles
Total now in use. 66.617 miles
Number of leaks during year 67
Hydrants added . .7
Number now in use. 478
Number of services added
.79
Number now in use. 2,868
WATER RATES
A minimum charge of $3.00 for each six months, due January 1 and July 1, is made in advance for 1,300 cubic feet of water.
Charges for any excess of the 1,300 cubic feet are made at the following rates:
1,300 to 6,000 cubic feet. . . 23 cents per 100 6,000 to 34,000 cubic feet. . . 19 cents per 100
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ANNUAL REPORT
34,000 to 100,000 cubic feet. . . 15 cents per 100
100,000 to 150,000 cubic feet . . . 13 cents per 100 150,000 to 200,000 cubic feet. .. 1112 cents per 100 200,000 to 300,000 cubic feet. .. 91/2 cents per 100
300,000 to 400,000 cubic feet ... 71/2 cents per 100
400,000 to 500,000 cubic feet ... 6 cents per 100
500,000 and over . 5 cents per 100
RENT OF METERS
5% inch meter $1. 00 for six months
3/4 inch meter 1.50 for six months
1 inch meter 2.00 for six months
11/2 inch meter 3.50 for six months
2 inch meter 5.00 for six months
Statement of the Amount of Income Receiv- ed From Water Rates, etc., From the Date of Construction of the Water Works to the Present Time
(These figures do not include appropriations made by the Fire District or Town)
June, 1874-April, 1875, 10 months. .. $ 789.98
April, 1875-July, 1876, 15 months .. .. 2,021.84
July 1876-May, 1877, 10 months. 2,000.00
May, 1877-May, 1878 2,653.28
May, 1878-May, 1879 3,039.37
May, 1879-May, 1880 3,447.45
May, 1880-May, 1881 4,482.30
May, 1881-May, 1882 4,540.34
May, 1882-May, 1883 5,436.39
May, 1883-May, 1884 5,500.00
May, 1884-May, 1885 5,034.00
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ANNUAL REPORT
May, 1885-May, 1886 5,500.00
May, 1886-May, 1887
5,714.52
May, 1887-May, 1888 6,092.00
May, 1888-May, 1889
7,600.00
May, 1889-May, 1890 8,300.00
May, 1890-May, 1891 8,759.46
May, 1891-May, 1892
8,535.00
May, 1892-May, 1893
9,616.94
May, 1893-January, 1894, 8 months . 9,200.00
January, 1894-January, 1895 11,174.60
January, 1895-January, 1896
14,188.00
January, 1896-January, 1897
15,292.29
January, 1897-January, 1898
16,446.69
January, 1898- -January, 1899 16,394.18
January, 1899-January, 1900 19,968.89
January, 1900-January, 1901 21,424.41
January, 1901-January, 1902 27,325.34
January, 1902-January, 1903 27,539.14
January, 1903-
-January, 1904.
29,876.22
January, 1904- -January, 1905
31,524.30
January, 1905 -January, 1906 33,342.94
January, 1906- -January, 1907 42,668.71
January, 1907-January, 1908. 39,360. 68
January, 1908- -January, 1909 45,893.67
January, 1909-January, 1910 42,055.27
January, 1910-January, 1911 46,492.11
January, 1911-January, 1912 47,102.57
January, 1912-January, 1913 51,588.16
January, 1913-January, 1914. 57,793.08
January, 1914-January, 1915
56,536.58
$802,250.80
Statement of the Indebtedness of the Town for Water Works Construction Bonds
4'S. and M., due September 1, 1915. . $12,000.00
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ANNUAL REPORT
4's J. and J., due January 1, 1919 . 20,000.00
31/2's J. and J., due January 1, 1921 10,000.00 31/2's O. and A., due April 1, 1921. 20,000.00 4's A. and O., due October 1, 1922 25,000.00
4's J. and J., due July 1, 1923 35,000.00
4's J. and J., due July 1, 1924 40,000.00
4's J. and J., due July 1, 1926 25,000.00
4's J. and J., due July 1, 1927 10,000.00
4's J. and J., due July 1, 1928. 13,000.00
31/2's J. and J., due July 1, 1929 15,000.00
31/2's J. and J., due July 1, 1930 12,000.00 31/2 O. and A., due April 1, 1932 30,000.00 4's O. A., due April 1, 1933 . 30,000.00
4's O. and A., due April 1, 1934 20,000.00
31/2's M. and S., due March 1, 1935. . 100,000.00
312 N. and M., due November 1, 1935. 50,000.00
4's A. and O., due April 1, 1915-1934 . . 40,000.00
4's J. and J., due July 1, 1915-1918. 7,000.00
4's J. and J., due January 1, 1915-1919 7,000.00
4's J. and J., due July 1, 1915-1928. 31,000.00
4's J. and J., due July 1, 1929-1940. 24,000.00
4's J. and J., due July 1, 1915-1930 16,000.00
4's J. and J., due July 1, 1915-1941 30,500.00
$622,500.00
Sinking Fund assets $127,648.23
Balance net debt
$494,851.77
122
ANNUAL REPORT
ATTLEBOROUGH WATER WORKS WATER ORDINANCES
Section 1. Water Commissioners shall, at their first meeting, after the annual Town election, choose from their number a chairman. Two members shall be a quorum for the exercise of the powers and performance of the duties of the Water Commissioners. The Commissioners may appoint and remove at their discretion a clerk, who shall also be Water Registrar, a superintendent and such employees or agents as they may deem nec- essary, and may prescribe their duties. They may fix the salaries of such clerk, employees and agents subject to the instructions and control of the Town.
Sec. 2. The Water Board shall have the ex- clusive and entire charge, superintendence and over-sight of all land, structures, work and ap- paratus designed and provided for obtaining and supplying pure water for the uses of the Town. They shall have the exclusive control and manage- ment of the uses, repairs and extensions of such work and structures, whether newly determined upon or otherwise.
Sec. 3. The Water Board shall have control and jurisdiction over all sources of supply pos- sessed by the Town, and all lands appurtenant thereto, owned or lawfully controlled by the Town, and they may exercise all rights as to entry upon and passage over private premises which are now or may become vested in the Town, belonging or relating to the management of the water works and supply of water.
Sec. 4. The Water Board shall use diligent
1
123
ANNUAL REPORT
care for the protection and security of all sources of water from which a supply is obtained, so that the purity thereof may not be impaired.
Sec. 5. The Water Board shall, as often as once in each calendar month, meet and examine all bills and claims incurred by them in the prose- cution of their duty and all claims approved shall be certified by them before payment of the same by the Town Treasurer.
The Water Board shall keep a full record of their proceedings, and shall, at the annual Town meeting make a report in detail to the Town of their official acts and doing for the year preceding, with estimates of expenditures and receipts for the year succeeding, and such suggestions and recommendations as may seem to them for the benefit of the Town.
Sec. 6. The Water Board shall make all pro- per arrangements for the sufficient supply of water for efficient and suitable manner. They shall, in consultation with the Selectmen, arrange for such supply of water as may be required for operating any public fountains, or ornamental public water use at fires, and for furnishing the same in the most works, for flushing and cleansing public sewers and drains, for sprinkling streets, and for any other use clearly distinct from that of ordinary water takers.
Sec. 7. The Water Board shall have ex- clusive charge of the supply of water, may make all the necessary arrangements therefor, and such rules and regulations and rates as they may deem to be judicious.
Sec. 8. The following rules and regulations are hereby established, and, together with such rules, regulations and rates as shall, from time to time, be made by the Water Board, under the
124
ANNUAL REPORT
authority of the preceding section, shall be con- sidered a part of the contract with every person who takes the water, and the fact of taking shall be considered as expressing assent on the part of the taker to be bound thereby.
Whenever any of them is violated, although two or more parties may receive the water through the same pipe, the water shall be cut off and not let on again except by order of the Water Board, and on payment of one dollar, and in case of such violation, any payment for the water by the per- son committing such violation shall be forfeited.
Rules and Regulations
1. Application for the use of water must be made in writing at the office of the Water Regis- trar in the prescribed form, and must state fully and truly the use which it is to be applied.
No water shall be supplied by takers to per- sons not entitled to its use.
2. All persons taking the water shall keep the service pipes within their premises in good repair and protected from frost at their own ex- pense, and they shall be held liable for all damages resulting from their failure to do so. They shall . provide a stop and waste cock, to be properly located inside the building, and have the pipes so arranged that the water can be drawn from them whenever there is danger of its freezing.
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