USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Attleboro > Reports of town officers of the town of Attleborough 1924 > Part 9
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As a matter of record I wish to report that this department has once more lived within the gross funds allowed it by the Mayor and the Muni- cipal Council in the budget. There was a change in our gross lighting figure which was not considered at the time of the passing of the budget, so that an auditor's adjustment in finally settling our accounts will show the covering which was authorized by the Municipal Council.
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The outstanding features affecting our work and expenditure in this department for the year are as follows :--
1. The granting of the necessary authority for the construction of electric conduits by the Attleboro Steam & Electric Company in the center of the city.
2. The commencement of a new lighting policy under a new con- tract covering the new lights in the center as amended and extended, and an all night clause covering the entire city. The new contract taking effect October 1, 1924.
3. The authorization for bonds to cover sewer extensions was granted for the first time in several years. It was received by this de- partment August 9, 1924. Sewer extensions were authorized on Water Street, West Street, Lexington Avenue, Riverside Avenue, Short Street, and South Main Street. Drain construction was authorized under the same bond issue on West Street and Hodges Street. The work on all of these projects was well started before the closing of the year.
4. The general effectiveness of a policy of conservation and follow up inspection in the Water Division proved its worth conclusively in face of the recorded shortage of water all around us.
5. The completion in replacement and extension of 5546' of 6" C. I. pipe and 416' of 8" as listed below.
6. The amiable and practical working out of a co-ordinated program between this department and the State Department of Public Works covering the construction of a cement highway on Washington Street between the Noth Attleboro line and Highland Avenue, and including use of and repair to the necessary road detours.
7. The continuation of our established policy of working out within reasonable limits, from our current funds, improvements whose factor of life is as extensive as possible was clearly shown in bridges, culverts, sidewalks, and highways.
8. An initial expenditure for a modern improved group of buildings and storage yard for this department on the lot on Forest Street, as exemplified by the garage constructed.
9. The public advance in knowledge of the bus problem by the competitive entry of different companies here in our city. This know- ledge of course being applicable in the finality of any future policy es- tablished to cover the A. B. C. St. Ry.
10. The sincere cooperation of this department with the Health De- partment in the work of eliminating pollution from Thacher Brook and the Ten Mile River.
PUBLIC WORKS OFFICE.
There has been no change in the personnel of the office of this de- partment, and it has been without question a very great advantage to have the aid of girls who are familiar with and experienced in the details which arise from day to day in the routine of department operation. In the past the Superintendent has seen fit to recommend increases for each
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of these young ladies, but the budget for the past year has not been such that the desired result could be accomplished. In the pressure which falls upon these young ladies at the end of the year, it was deemed ad- visable to recognize their extra work as far as possible with the funds available.
I feel that at this time it is well to call your attention to the direct need of a more equitable distribution of the work which falls upon these young ladies during the water bill periods, i. e., in the middle of the year and at the end of the year in order that the spirit of the ordinance govern- ing water bills may be properly lived up to. I feel that in this con- nection a conference which will include the Council Committee, the Mayor, the City Collector, and the Superintendent might work out a more advantageous arrangement for all concerned.
On the night of September 9, a spout and gutter clogged in the building housing the office and the water worked through. The ceilings and walls collapsed and considerable damage was done to the furnishings and records. On the following morning the general office was moved to the Engineer's room and the forces performed their duties there for about a month. An adjustment was made by the Savings and Loan Association on the rental bill which was satisfactory.
Having observed since the spring of 1921 the operation of this de- partment, I feel that a primary requisite for coordinating properly the efforts of the several divisions one with another, and all towards the general good, is the construction at the Forest Street property of a pro- perly built, well lighted and ventilated, administration building to house the general offices, for the Superintendent and administrating clerks, as well as the engineering forces. This construction would be a great step forward in the convenient handling of this department because it would eliminate or minimize to the smallest possible degree the running about that must exist with the general yard for the highway on one side of the city, the general offices for the department in the center, and the sewer and water yards and shops in a third location. I feel that in making this recommendation, I am calling to your attention the logical step towards the consolidation which was initiated some years ago in the purchase of the Cummings property to the rear of the old highway yard adjacent to it and to the Taunton branch of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad. Further desirable details of this scheme, as outlined, will be presented during the coming year.
ENGINEERING DIVISION.
This division has had adequate work for the personnel employed. For the highway section of the department they have made street surveys of Bank, Leroy, Bicknell, Hope and Peck Streets for the Bank Street widening project; and for the Peck Avenue drainage scheme, as proposed and submitted. This project in conjunction with the grade changes on Bank Street and the casement of approaches to the Bank Street bridge was considered to be excellent, but was not executed because of the fact the expense at this time was considered too great. as I understand it. The records of several streets which to all intents and purposes have been accepted for some years past were found to be incomplete, and steps were taken to clear up the titles. Among these I would mention Maple Street between Park and Brook Streets, for which plans have been made, and also Hodges Street between Mechanic Street and the Railroad. It is expected to submit the information obtained on Maple Street in the coming year
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and at that time to have included a drainage scheme to relieve conditions which are not at all good in the low lying land in and around George, Maple, and Solomon Streets. The Council accepted a relocation of Railroad Avenue, Payson Street, round corners at Pearl and Pine Streets, Elizabeth and Hodges Streets, and Fourth and Jackson Streets upon the details worked out by the division.
On our drainage problems, surveys, plans and estimates were made on Oak Street, Hodges Street, Bank to Peck Street, as mentioned above, West Street, Caleb Orr's drain in South Attleboro, and the lower part of the Cambridge Street drain. For the sewer extension, which it was deemed necessary to recommend, the engineering work was followed from its inception through the actual construction, as recorded before. In conjunction with the Health Department a very considerable number of service connections have been added during the current year, and the co- ordination between thet wo departments is directly responsible in my opinion for this result.
Bridge studies were made on Read Street and on Newport Aven and culverts as required were laid out on Newport Avenue between Caleb Orr's and the large brook crossing.
For the Water Division the usual blue prints and records were kept up as well as possible for gate and service locations, and main extensions,and an investigation was made covering the Tappan building, as a result of which a large rebate was authorized covering water which in years past had been metered twice and for which the owners had made application. The 1924 extensions to main line were checked up for detail by our en- gineering party, and lines and grades for all of our current maintenance and construction work as well as our record plans were brought into order by this division.
A considerable amount of detail was placed upon this office in their connection with the new duct line location construction and the improved sidewalk replacement made necessary by this work. Because of the close cooperation needed between our engineers and the employees of the several divisions composing this department, I feel that a detailed analysis of the engineering work for the year would convince any interested party that the recommendation above for an administration building at a general yard is desirable from this standpoint.
The City Survey which the late Mr. Frank T. Westcott of North Attle- boro started in the southerly end of the city was to have been continued in the fall of the year under his supervision in areas with which he had considerable experience. His sudden death in the fall of the year upset considerably the outline as it had been projected, and it is without ques- tion reasonably certain that a different line of procedure will be under- taken in furthering our City Survey work during the coming year. The controlling feature of our policy in this work during its initial period having been the accumulated knowledge and familiarity of Mr. West- cott in his long years of engineering work with this locality. We are expecting further definite information later on as to what will satisfy the assessors and councillors in the proposed policy for the city survey and when these desires have been considered, it is our intention to proceed in accordance with them. If the funds are made available for a definitely laid out program covering more than one year for this work, I feel that it is only fair to urge the purchase of a Ford car for the use of this division in order to expedite their continuous movement which will be required in any such program.
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HIGHWAY DIVISION.
Five years ago it was considered that our highways here in New England were being subjected to very intense traffic, and a constant im- provement would have to be our policy to approximate a comparison between improved highway mileage and the increase of vehicles using the highways measured in thousands. A chart published by the "Attleboro Sun" of December 4, 1924 showing the growth of motor vehicles in New England convinces one that the number of vehicles on our New England roads has. practically doubled since 1920. An editorial from the same paper on December 8, calls our attention to the fact that in October of the current year the number of closed cars built exceeded the number of open cars by four percent.
More definite proof of the public intention to demand highways open to motor traffic twelve months in the year cannot to my mind be produced. The maintenance problem on our highways therefore is being broadened in leaps and bounds. The construction program of highways in this. country which has been a gigantic one covering funds from the nation, state, county, cities and towns has fallen considerably short of maintain- ing the direct ratio between the per thousand unit of motor vehicles and the iniles of improved highway for the current year as compared to 1920. By far out reaching in mathematical ratio the highway construction, the automotive industry has forced a discussion upon the so-called point of saturation for motor vehicles. However, I cannot feel that this point is immediately at hand because in Massachusetts during the fiscal year, which ended November 30, 1924, there was an increase in motor vehicles registered of about twenty percent over the pervious year for passenger vehicles and about ten percent for trucks. It does not seem to me that there would be such a wide step between two consecutives years if the point of saturation was close upon us. Therefore, in considering the work which has been done during the past year and the work which we would like to do in the coming year, it is advisable to measure our results and desires against the definite facts which are herein set forth. The ratio of expenditure for highways computed as a proportionate part of our gross tax levy has been a constantly reducing factor since 1921. This fact in face of the conditions spoken of above merits due consideration in measur- ing the work of this division.
RESURFACING.
Under this account 7,697 square yards of penetration conforming to State specifications was laid to replace gravel surface. This is in line with our already established policy of reducing wherever possible, and con- ditions warrant it, the gravel road which falls within the first or second classes of our traffic. It is an increase for this kind of work of over twenty- five percent as measured against last year.
On South Main Street about 1350 feet, 18' wide, was put in to connect. two pieces of stone road already built and in good shape between Thurber Avenue and Atwell's curve. This completes the section from the be- ginning of the cemetery down to the intersection of Knight Avenue and South Main Street. Conditions made a second penetration imperative on South Main Street between the Dodgeville switch and the Mill yard gate. This improvement seems to be greatly appreciated. It is desir- able to further extend this type of road on South Main Street in the coming year.
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On Wall Street, a main cross town street between County and South Main Streets, it was necessary in the interests of public safety to put down a rough surface heavily built penetration job to accommodate the condi- tions due to grade and curvature which had to be met. This is from the river bridge easterly to Dexter's driveway. This street surface should be completed as soon as possible.
On Newport Avenue between the Fire Station and Cumberland Avenue in the late fall a piece of road was laid under conditions covered by our heading of Newport Avenue.
On Hayward Street between North Main Street and Hodges Street we had a very poor surface and yet good drainage and good natural base. After writing off our crushed stone at prices considered fair and below the current market there was available about one hundred tons of No. 1 stone, which was used to fill out the job of putting a light penetration on Hay- ward Street. This being a side street, I feel that this light road will give us excellent results and the charges, as you will notice in the attached list which include asphalt and labor and some stone, but not the hundred tons mentioned, is a very creditable figure bearing in mind that we ob- tained about 1300 square yards of road surface.
At the beginning of the year and again in the latter months of the year advantage was taken of the weather and some of our so-called back roads were improved at points which had heretofore been impassable in the spring of the year. Bishop Street, which crosses Bearswamp, was very noticeably improved crossing the swamp so that our citizens who have to use this highway will be kept out of the mud in the future. Clifton Street, between Deantown Road and the boundary line, was taken up favorably, as one of the worst places close to a good gravel pit, to be im- proved. Some of the mud holes were fixed up and it is expected that on both of these streets further work will be done in the coming year. Handy Street, Lindsey Street, and Mechanic Street all had bad holes, which needed gravel, and this department was glad to improve them. Lindsey Street, particularly, owing to the growing traffic upon it will need con- siderably more work westerly from the railroad. Mendon Road in South Attleboro was worked to some extent between Brown Street and Leed- ham Street and the loam that was stripped therefrom was used to upbuild and protect the slopes on the Bacon Street causeway between the two ponds. Oak Hill Avenue has had considerable work done on it this year. The first job was between Reynolds Avenue and end of the good road put in in 1922. This was lightly graveled and oiled at least twice, and a light coat of binder applied in the late fall. It has been a real improvement. The second job on Oak Hill Avenue started at Thurber Avenue and went up to the improved road laid in 1923. This received the same treatment as the first piece and made the total of 10,880 square yards of treated gravel surface for 1924 on Oak Hill Avenue. On Thurber Avenue, between Oak Hill Avenue and the westerly edge of the camp grounds, the department was called in the spring of the year to build up with stone fill some bad mud holes. Later from the gravel bank ad- jacent this piece was graveled and treated with dust layer and then with a heavier oil. The results have been a satisfactory elimination of another rainy weather and spring bug-a-boo. On Steere Street where the road dips just easterly about 750 feet from Park Street a start was made in graveling across the low place, and it is expected that we will be able to continue. Our idea being as in the other cases to have the road usable for loads twelve months in the year. On Richardson Avenue, Read Street, and Pike Avenue some of the worst places were picked out and graveled enough to immediately improve the conditions for general traffic. Fur- ther work must be done at these locations to satisfy the users.
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Twelfth Street in that part which was newly accepted, and Thacher Street westerly from Snell Street where there were some bad mud holes had work sufficient to cover complaints performed thereon. Tiffany Street received some gravel between the river and South Main Street from No. 2 South Main Street job. Robert Street, Prairie Avenue, Park Street, Hodges Street, James Street, Hawthorn Street, County Street, Brown Street in South Attleboro, Bank Street and Wolfenden Street are among those streets which were worked in conjunction with other jobs to obtain some benefits in an economical manner, as had been worked out by the Superintendent. The penetration job from the Braid Mill corner to Orr's Corner was sealed over and has taken a remarkable lacing due to the construction of Washington Street. Wilmarth Street and several mud holes on Slater Street can be recorded as having been improved to a very considerable extent, and it is a great satisfaction to find the Wilmarth Street residents going out of their way to mention it.
The removal of the loam top soil on Bacon Street between Allen Street and Washington Street has been completed, and of course has im- proved not only the highway but the long slopes which needed the pro- tection of the loam and seed. It is expected that we will be able to put coarse gravel in the soft spots on this new street in the coming year so that it will be open twelve months of the year for fire apparatus or other heavy trucking to travel to the Plat. Considerable work was done to carry out our constant improvement of West Street, and it is noticed that a great deal of light traffic follows West Street from North Main crossing to South Attleboro giving definite proof that the improvements on this highway are of value to the community.
In our attached statement of this account you will notice miscellan- eous charges both labor and material, and understand that they are written off to cover some of our hay, grain, gasoline, oil, running repairs on sheds, carts, etc., horse shoeing, $125.00 for water sprinkling charge, and numerous details which are bound to arise in carrying a current account of this sort.
NEWPORT AVENUE.
In the late fall of 1923, the Public Works Department of the State of Massachusetts awarded a contract to T. J. Quinn & Son, of Ashton, R. I., to construct a concrete highway on Washington Street from High- land Avenue in Attleboro to where the old post road crosses Washington Street in North Attleboro. The contractor did some of the trench work in the fall of 1923, and arrangements were made through His Honor, the Mayor, and the Municipal Council to allow the contractor 15,000 yards of gravel, more or less, from the Pumping Station bank at the rate of 10c, payment for which would be the continuation of the State drain project behind the Reed property on Newport Avenue and Caleb Orr's house as an open joint vitrified pipe drain.
The contractor performed this work finishing early in the year, and then made preparations to work the gravel pit on West Street, opposite the Pumping Station. Up until April first no definite arrangements had been made by the State Board with this department covering the working agreement to handle the detour on Newport Avenue from Washington Street to the North Attleboro line. A tentative agreement covering the estimated cost seems to have been reduced considerably between the late fall of 1923 and the spring of 1924. Mr. Williams, Chairman of the State Board of Public Works, however, called on the writer and His Honor, the Mayor, about the first of April and agreed to the direct need of great haste in preparing this detour for the most heavily traveled road that we know of in this country.
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Acting upon the word of the Chairman, this department went ahead and put the detour in fair passable shape, widening and banking the turns, patching and sealing up bad places, and oiling the entire length. Before the work was completed the resident engineer for the State had occasion to interrupt our progress by turning two-way traffic over the road we were working on. It seemed unreasonable at that time that there should have been so much haste imposed upon this department in view of the fact that nothing had been done in the previous four months to make definite ar- rangements to handle the traffic to be detoured. However, in its finality the opinion of the writer has been revised somewhat because of the fact that the Public Works for the State of Massachusetts has been reasonably fair in meeting all of the charges which we submitted to them, the total of which was in excess of what they first advised us they would allow. The items, however, including labor, material, and machinery and plant rentals were in detail and itemized at current prices. The cost of the work on Newport Avenue, as paid by this department is to be found in more than one maintenance account, i. e., some of the work on the sidewalks as required will be found under "Sidewalks Maintenance"; the road work will be under Resurfacing, Dust Layer and Tar and Patching". The items in our report are all expenditures by the city.
I am calling you attention to the fact that there is a difference be- tween this figure and the gross cost of the work because of the fact that the job being on a split basis of payment between the State and City had the unit rentals for City plant in addition to the regulation payrolls and in- voices.
After the work of putting this detour in shape and maintaining the same until the construction of the concrete highway was completed, the matter of rehabilitating this general route was taken up with the State. They refused to listen to any improved change of surfacing. However, they were reasonable in that they would apply their share of what was the estimated cost for restoring the whole detour, as the judgment of this department working with their district engineer should require. As a re- sult we obtained a short piece of penetration road from the Fire Station to Cumberland Avenue. 1279 sq. yds. were placed upon the grade line as accepted recently on the relocation, and also we were able to repair the worst faults as they presented themselves. A bad feature of the last part of the work was the extreme lateness of the season which was due entirely to the red tape which had to be gone through in order to receive our notice of funds from the State Board.
It is highly desirable that this road be further improved, in view of the heavy traffic which is normal for it, from West Street to Washington Street at once, and it is also in my opinion definitely important that a decision governing the street car line, which passes along one side of the road in these limits, should be made as soon as possible so that the City's investment in an improved highway may be adequately protected.
The State of Massachusetts paid $2,901. 15 in three payments.
BRIDGES, FENCES AND CULVERTS.
From the carried over account on the Bank and Water Street bridges, money as expended on Bank Street to dress up the sidewalk and approach- es where settlement which is to be expected at this location had taken place.
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