USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Attleboro > Reports of town officers of the town of Attleborough 1928 > Part 9
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In Dodgeville the stone road was carried from the curve at the be- ginning of the village through to a point close to the schoolhouse at the railroad overpass bridge.
A short piece was placed southerly from the bridge to Tiffany Street. These last two pieces total respectively 2,368 square yards and 558 square yards.
The excavated material from the first piece was utilized to surface Riverside Avenue, while the material excavated at Dodgeville was used on portions of Tiffany Street and County Hill to good advantage.
This work was greatly needed and is a continuation of the policy of obtaining a stone road the entire length of this easterly route to Paw- tucket and Providence.
On Peck Street 950 square yards of penetration were set from Pleas- ant Street under the arch to Hope Street improving a bad condition on a much-used crosstown road taking unusual strain because of the gov- erning sag and curvature under the stone arch bridge.
On Adamsdale Road a low cost improvement was made between Highland Avenue and the line with material excavated from the New- port Avenue work.
On Brown Street gravel and oil were utilized to raise a sag close to Washington Street out of the mud and to improve the sag between the ponds and the westerly end.
On County Street considerable improvement was made to the long clay hill southerly from the Poor Farm and the road was widened by filling in the slopes at two stream crossings. Besides this, improve- ment was made on the lower end northerly from Read Street so that an excellent light travel road to Pawtucket was obtained.
On Hawthorne Street the sag was improved with some of the ma- terial from South Main Street from Thatcher Brook easterly.
On Highland Avenue steps were taken to maintain the hill on the Cumberland end.
In Kendall Avenue gravelling already started was continued and oil treatments were used. Similar surface was given on the westerly end of May Street and on the northerly end of Mendon Road from Courtois' bank to the line.
On Orr Street an excellent gravel road, tar treated, was put in.
On Payson Street temporary surface improvement was handled await- ing better treatment when disposition has been made of surface water drainage.
Pike Avenue, Slater Street, and that portion of Starkey Avenue from the foot of the hill over to the new plant of the American Re-enforced
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ANNUAL REPORT
Paper Company were worked on by excavating sub-soil foundation and placing first grade road gravel whichi was surface treated.
Tiffany Street, Steere Street, Turner Street, Union Road and West Street from the cemetery toward Thatcher Street were improved in similar fashion. The demand for this work on West Street was im- mediate because of the pipe line trench on the new water supply project.
In addition to the work as mentioned there are several smaller charges listed against streets enumerated on the statistical sheet, said charges being warranted by normal wear and tear of every day use.
STREET SWEEPING AND STREET CLEANING
The usual force, doing a good job economically, was maintained to take care of the street sweeping in the center. The success of their ef- forts is judged by the entire lack of complaint on the routes outlined.
The Street Cleaning funds allowed in the budget make-up were not adequate to do all of the work expected under this account owing to the policy of widening with the tractor and scraper our several miles of outside roads. Our curbed gutters in the built-up sections, however, were taken care of in a manner satisfactory to all interested.
STREET PATCHING
Street Patching is likely to warrant the expenditure of more money than is allowed us. The reasons are simple. First, material improve- ment to our outside roads invites more traffic than has utilized these highways heretofore. Second, the extension of surface treatment on these roads calls for a more expensive patching job to maintain the sur- face and profile than was formerly the case. Third, an ever increasing registration locally of motor vehicles indicates the incessant use of said highways, while observation of wear and tear on same is convincing that in addition to the normal light traffic we now have large trucks pounding these lightly constructed highways. Detail of the effort under Street Patching accompanies this report.
SIDEWALK MAINTENANCE
This account includes repair and care of our sidewalks, tar, gravel and cement. Proportionate to the mileage included the charges are very low and can be properly subjected to study. In my opinion a policy of sidewalk maintenance should be established in coordination with a pro- gressive plan for extending our improved sidewalk and curbing endeavor. I believe that a program to cover five or ten years should be laid out by the governing body so that a service worthy of the community can be given to its inhabitants.
EQUIPMENT
Normal charges show in the report for maintaining our equipment Our road roller charges are small because of our ability to distribute properly some of the roller costs against accounts where the machines have been used and to which funds have been assigned, as for instance, the Newport Avenue work.
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ANNUAL REPORT
Under Auto Maintenance, general repairs, overhaul and essential material are included, while operating charges are distributed against the job to which the machines have been assigned. Special charges for slow plow work are taken care of under the Snow and Ice account.
It is well to note that our two crushing plants were carried along in service doing considerable work without any exorbitant charges. I should mention at this time perhaps that these units include motor, shelter for same, loading platform, elevators, crushers, bin equipment and screen rigging at each plant.
ROAD OIL AND TAR
Our unit prices obtained after advertising may be considered low and 80,548 gallons of material were distributed probably covering 289,973 square yards of road surface. In addition to this amount, about 60,000 gallons of bituminous material were utilized on the highways and charged to other accounts. In some instances more than one treatment was re- quired, but the extension to this surface treatment seems to be an in- vestment appreciated by our people. Our ambition to have our full road mileage black is about realized and it is expected will be completed in the coming year.
The covering material for the bituminous products used has been a screened sand during the period of this report and is satisfactory to highway users. It may be said, however, that this material does not tie the highway surface as well as a material of coarser grade untreated.
BRIDGES, FENCES AND CULVERTS
Traffic conditions call for more constant attention to our guard fences, continued improvement of our culverts to take the heavily loaded trucks, and a double decking of our railroad overpass bridges so that the convenience of our citizens living both sides of the railroad within the City Limits can be satisfied, has been our policy.
At Hebronville the railroad renewed a bay of stringers and this De- partment working in conjunction with them replaced the worn lower deck timber and placed a new wearing surface.
At Lindsey Street a similar job was done where for the first time a double deck has been placed.
This was also true at Thurber Avenue on the overpass so that at this time we can report a double decking over all of the railroad over- pass bridges on which the City has to maintain the deck surface.
In addition to this work as outlined the Department invites inspec- tion of the accompanying statistical sheet which shows the great breadth of the operations chargeable under this account.
It is noted that a general account including materials and labor for repairs to cover work too small to detail.
TRAFFIC PAINTING
Under this account very little was spent as the Department awaits instructions from the governing body covering detail of its desires. It is to be hoped that a plan can be outlined to co-ordinate with the wishes of said body.
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ANNUAL REPORT
SIGNS, CLOCK AND NUMBERS
Our sign account does not seem to keep pace with the other efforts in the City. I believe that a definite policy covering the sub-division of the City into districts calling for replacement annually over a period of years be worked out at a small annual cost in a manner much more satisfactory than is obtained at present by lumping this account with the City clock and numbers.
The numbering of course is taken care of by our Engineer in accord- ance with information he obtains to satisfy the terms of the ordinance.
The City clock is handled by Mr. Joselyn, who for the past year has allowed no unusual expenditure.
TEN MILE RIVER AND THACHER BROOK
The Ten Mile River and Thacher Brook have been taken care of as well as could be reasonably expected. The responsibility of the City in caring for these streams should, in my opinion, be definitely fixed within positive limitations. It is the desire of this Department to do its full duty with the funds available in looking after any just responsibility which belongs to it. Several abuttors along these streams seem to mis- understand this departmental responsibility in expending public funds under this account. I recommend that a Council committee in conjunc- tion with adequate legal authority, after due study, enlighten this De- partment covering its responsibilities in care and control of streams, within the geographical limits of the City, especially the Ten Mile River and Thacher Brook.
INSURANCE AND INCIDENTALS
Our Insurance and Incidental accounts are detailed statistically. The Insurance, of course, includes fire on some of our buildings and equip- ment with the exception of motor vehicles which are handled under a fleet fire policy not within the Department, and liability and compensa- tion.
The other sizeable account, Vacations, is for payment of our highway men for that time off which is properly due them under the ordinance.
NEW EQUIPMENT
Under New Equipment it will be noted that a new Mack truck was purchased for $5,571.50 and also a snow plow rigging to go with same.
SNOW AND ICE
Our Snow and Ice account including practically the entire City mile- age for snow plowing on highways and also sidewalks indicates a very low per mile cost for the full season using 100 miles of highway to obtain the unit.
I believe that full appreciation of the efforts of the personnel of this Department in keeping the unit at a minimum should be expressed formally by the governing body. The multitude of detail applicable under the account can only be appreciated after a reasonable study. I am taking this opportunity, therefore, of conveying to all of those em-
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ANNUAL REPORT
ployees of this Department engaged in snow and ice operations for the year 1928 my sincere appreciation for work splendidly done.
SIDEWALKS AND CURBING
A sizable program was outlined under the Sidewalks and Curbing account to improve conditions in accordance with the desires of different large groups of people. The Department was glad to recommend a curbing and sidewalk improvement at the Washington School in South Attleboro. It was indeed badly needed. This Department was further glad to recommend a similar improvement on Barrows and Washington Streets at the Lincoln School. The results in these cases are well worth while.
On School Street a real improvement was obtained through the work of the Street Committee.
On Maple Street in the block between Pine and South Main Streets the City showed a splendid spirit in desiring to keep pace with other im- provements in that locality.
On other streets listed, work as outlined was taken care of. The gross expenditures under the account are much larger than is usual for a year, and I believe that the pace set should be maintained as there is no other improvement that I know of which is so conducive to public safety under existing conditions on our highways as an excellent cement sidewalk properly protected with granite wheel-guard curb. May I urge upon the interested members of the governing body the need for exten- sive improvements both in curbing and in permanent sidewalk surface.
MAPLE STREET BRIDGE
On Maple Street a new cement bridge was voted to replace an old wooden structure that was in an unsafe condition. The work was ad- vertised and the contract awarded to the low bidder.
In addition to the actual bridge structure which was under contract at the turn of the year, it will be necessary to make some pipe crossing changes, set some curb and round corners, construct catch basins on each side of the structure for surface water drainage which will ulti- mately be extended on Maple Street both ways from the brook and proper walls to retain the brook embankment upstream and downstream from the structure itself. This work, of course, will be finished in the coming year.
REMOVING N-T-A RAILS ON PLEASANT STREET
On the recommendation of the Superintendent of Public Works funds were appropriated to be used in removing such rails of the N-T-A in Pleasant Street as appeared dangerous in the use of the highway. The progress made has eliminated those conditions on which the most com- plaint had been received. Unquestionably in the coming year this work will be continued so that ultimately the road width can be carried out to replace that space now occupied by the rails. It is likely that the time feature in this operation will be controlled by the legal proceedings in winding up the affairs of the defunct N-T-A.
118.
ANNUAL-REPORT
1927 HIGHWAY MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION
Under the accounts of Highway Maintenance and Operation carried over from 1927 proper authority having been obtained a major improve- ment was worked out beginning very early in the year on Newport Ave- nue from Orr Street southerly to the foot of the slope approaching the railroad bridge. Something over 10,000 linear feet of highway was im- proved its full width, the sub-grade being worked out to a proper profile and such drainage as was required taken care of properly
Fills and cuts under this account were rather heavy and this grading work was taken care of by Joseph McCormick of East Providence, under a unit price for shovel contract work.
Some of the waste from the job was spoiled as sidewalk fill on Washington Street between Barrows Street and the first house some distance away in a northerly direction on the easterly side of the Pike. This amounted to several hundred cubic yards. In addition, further material was spoiled to widen a deep and dangerous slope on the east- erly side of the Pike opposite Allen Avenue. While this valuable result was obtained from the Newport Avenue operations, no charges for the benefit derived are shown against it.
After the sub-grading of the highway as projected was completed, a heavy layer of gravel from the Pumping Station bank was worked onto this road, a considerable portion of it being placed by McCormick with shovel and trucks, and the balance of it making an excellent late winter job for our own forces.
After this material had been packed, scraped and dragged several coats of asphaltic oil were p.aced on the wheelway lines, giving a serv- iceable highway and an extraordinary improvement over what had here- tofore been a mean, overgrown, sandy road condition.
It is indeed a great satisfaction to report this improvement as the highway is now ready for underground structures before permanent sur- face improvement is undertaken.
The drain replacement for East Street, carried over from 1927, was taken up and the pipe material for the work purchased early in the year. The idea in keeping this double strength pipe on hand was to be prepared for any emergency that might arise.
At a favorable time of the year the work was advertised, but the bids received were not satisfactory and so after an interval, the work was re-advertised and these bids were under consideration at the turn of the year.
On Pearl and School Streets the drains which were in service, having been constructed in the previous year, were looked after particularly as to sidewalk replacement and street returns so that a maximum benefit could be obtained from the underground structures which have been of such great protection to numerous factory employees during stormy weather.
A few miscellaneous charges under these carried over accounts will be noted for small amounts due to the distribution under the work out- lined above.
The. A. B. C. Street Railway problem should be met. fairly, bearing in mind the record, financial and otherwise, of the municipal ownership and operation so that final disposition can be made of the problem as it exists. Evasion of the issues developed represents an investment to no- body. Proper settlement of these issues will completely cover all of the features involved and result in a sound investment for everybody.
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ANNUAL REPORT
Adequate and proper sewerage relief for the south end of the City should be delayed no longer. Other normal expansion of our sewer system should be planned and constructed promptly as the benefits de- rived are primary and universal to the welfare of the community.
The placing in operation of the new water supply during 1929 should be hastened and the standpipe improvements which are desirable. for a system supplied as this one will be necessary without delay.
Besides normal main line extension, a continuation of the grid-iron policy of improving the supply in gallons per minute at given control points should be maintained. Elimination of dead ends as a permanent. policy should not slacken. Accurate measurements of all outlets on the system should be made compulsory to adequately protect the investment of the municipal corporation.
On the highways, courage in planning for the future should be ex- hibited and should include bridge and culvert construction. Courage tempered with experience and judgment will lead, I believe, to a change upward in the minimum width of streets for lay-out under the ordinances. Full recognition of the twelve months' problem of highway maintenance and operation in this latitude should convince the governing body that a consolidation, spoken of by Municipal Councils in the past, hooking to- gether our bases of operation in this Department is overdue. Many features of this problem need prompt attention. That of properly con- structing and equipping the buildings needed would make an excellent starting point in progress toward a satisfactory final result.
Respectfully submitted,
J. O. TABER, Jr., Superintendent of Public Works
EXPENDITURES 1928-PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
Charges to December 31, 1928
General Administration
Superintendent's Salary
$4,000.00
Engineer's Salary, Assistant Engineer and
Rodman, etc.
6,256.93
Clerical Labor.
3,372.84
Engineering Supplies.
210.13
Office Supplies.
179.63
Insurance
45.40
Superintendent's Auto Maintenance.
200.00
Rent.
840.00
Light.
15.20
Telephone.
101.74
Incidentals
0.00
$15,221.87
Highway Division
Resurfacing
$13,395.36
Drains
4,445.98
Street Sweeping.
1,799.26
Street Patching
6,702.70
Street Cleaning
3,569.42
120
ANNUAL REPORT
Sidewalk Maintenance
2,460.27
Equipment, Maintenance and Repair.
226.72
Road Rollers.
307.43
Auto Maintenance
1,008.29
Road Oil and Tar.
11,845.72
Bridges, Fences and Culverts.
1,880.00
Ten Mile River and Thacher Brook.
233.47
Traffic Painting. 3.80
Crushers.
479.39
Insurance
1,397.89
Rent, Maynard Street Land.
69.60
Vacations.
542.79
Signs, Clocks and Numbers
175.29
Incidentals.
12.95
New Equipment
6,002.34
Snow and Ice.
3,042.17
Sidewalks and Curbing.
15,265.67
Resurfacing Newport Avenue
9,810.52
Maple Street Bridge.
132.45
Biltmore Street Construction .
4.11
Removing N. T. A. Rails
443.30
1927 Resurfacing
8,235.66
1927 Drains.
1,223.21
1927 Road Oil and Tar.
116.65
1927 Auto Maintenance.
78.72
1927 Bridges .
83.87
1927 Snow and Ice.
1.00
1925-27 Street Widening Loan.
96.13
Oak Street Drain.
17.34
South Main Street Drain.
397.41
$95,506.88
Street Lighting
Contract.
$34,621.44
New Lights
141.85
Water Division
Maintenance Payroll.
$9,228.93
New Meters.
2,682.07
Services.
7,137.18
Auto Operation.
2,180.65
Maintenance Material.
2,115.08
Shop and Barn
502.87
Maintenance of Buildings.
193.28
Main Line Maintenance
1,842.69
Insurance.
872.80
Incidentals
28.72
Taxes
491.72
Main Line Extension.
$8.972.04
1927 Main Line Extension
2,451.84
Sewer Division
Filter Beds.
$2,352.94
Repair and Care of Sewers
329.66
$2,682.60
Sewer Extensions
$7,590.34
1927 Sewer Extensions
$6,154.42
34,763.29
$27,275.99
121
ANNUAL REPORT
Pumping Station Division
Payroll .
$7,799.75
Coal.
4,116.07
Cleaning Filter Beds.
530.62
Care of Grounds, Beds and Equipment
995.56
Ligh
127.04
Phone.
73.98
Oil
196.24
Pumps
279.54
Boiler Repairs.
221.41
Incidentals
94.08
$14,434.29
Rifle Range
A. B. C. Street Railway .
$2,107.57
$217,252.34
Resurfacing
Adamsdale Road
$101.85
Bacon.
38.64
Bishop
13.70
Brown.
338.83
Charles.
9.57
Clifton .
24.01
County .
767.34
Crandall Court.
28.22
Deantown Road.
1.12
Handy ..
72.63
Hawthorne.
289.36
Hazelwood Avenue
22.25
Highland Avenue
155.94
Kendall Avenue
151.65
Lafayette
56.97
Lord.
27.55
May ..
106.19
Mendon Road.
320.90
Newport Avenue
13.14
North Avenue
191.10
North Main
.80
Orr.
449.68
Parker
4.60
Payson
282.90
Peck.
907.29
Pike Avenue
347.11
Pond.
95.69
Riverside Avenue.
134.96
Robinson
Avenue.
84.91
Slater
381.11
Smith .
169.98
South Main (Dodgeville) .
1,516.82
South Main ( Dodgeville Bridge)
1,079.87
South Main (at Thacher Brook)
2,778.08
Starkey Avenue
245.60
Steere .
194.07
Tiffany
284.96
Turner
372.91
$91.21
122
ANNUAL REPORT
Union Road.
370.80
Walter
9.35
West.
416.24
West Carpenter
37.70
Wilmarth.
75.30
Miscellaneous
423.67
$13,395.36
STREET SWEEPING
Labor.
$1,792.56
Material.
6.70
$1,799.26
STREET CLEANING
Gutters and Scraping
$2,958.18
Material.
325.58
$3,283.76
Outside Roads-Labor
$285.66
$3,569.42
DRAINS MAINTENANCE
Allen and Bacon Streets
Labor.
$215.85
Material.
265.80
Brown Street and Mendon Road
Material.
$71.39
Charles and Walter Streets
Labor.
$59.60
Material.
61.31
Dennis Street
Labor.
$111.54
Material.
170.74
$282.28
Dunham Street
Material.
$29.05
Falmouth Street
Labor.
$28.18
Material.
97.14
Holman Street
Labor ...
$44.57
Material.
36.27
$80.84
Mendon Road
Labor ..
$608.50
Material.
634.82
$1,243.32
Labor. .
$481.65
$120.91
$125.32
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ANNUAL REPORT
Olive and Ellis Streets
Labor.
$141.84
Material
114.86
$256.70
West Street
Labor.
$51.09
Material
97.52
$148.61
Drain and Basin Repairs
Labor.
$85.57
Material.
159.40
$244.97
Cleaning Catch Basins
Labor.
$1,149.30
Material.
211.64
$1,360.94
$4,445.98
STREET PATCHING-(Bituminous and Gravel) Labor and Material Account
150 T. Pea Stone. . @ $2.50
128 T. No. 2 Stone. . 2.00
65 T. No. 2 Stone. @ 2.75
15 T. (Plus of Minus) No. 2 Stone ... @ 2.50
75 T. (Plus or Minus) No. 2 Stone. 1.50
$7.95.92
7,514 Gals. K. P .. .@ $ .136
330 Gals. Winter Patch @ .16
$1,074.70
Truck and Horse Operating Charges. $440.73
Miscellaneous-Sand, Gravel and Small Items .. . $55.42
Labor
Mixing, Placing, Handling Materials, etc
$4,335.93
$6,702.70
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ANNUAL REPORT
STREET PATCHING-(Bituminous and Gravel) List of Streets Worked On
Adamsdale Road
Holden
Phillips
Alder
Holman
Pike Avenue
Allen
Hope
Pine
Angell
James
Pleasant
Bacon
Jewell Avenue
Pond
Bank
John
Prairie Avenue
Barrows
Kendall Avenue
Read
Bishop
Lamb
Richardson Avenue
Brook
Leedham
Robert
Brown
Lexington Avenue
Robinson Avenue
Brownell
Linden
Sanford
Carpenter
Lindsey
School
Charles
Locust
Short
Clifton
Lord
Slater
Colvin
Mann
Smith
Commonwealth Avenue
Maple
South Avenue
County
May
South Main
Crandall Court
Mechanics
Speedway
Dean
Mendon Road
Starkey Avenue
Dennis
Newport Avenue
Steere
Dunham
North Avenue
Thacher
East
North Main
Thirteenth
Eldredge
Oak
Tiffany
Emory
Oak Hill Avenue
Torrey
First
Oldtown Road
Turner
Florence
Olive
Twelfth
Forest
Orr
Union
Gardner
Park
Union Road
George
Park Avenue
Upland Road
Grove
Parker
Water
Hazel
Pearl
West
Highland Avenue
Peck
West Carpenter
Hodges
Perrin
Wilmarth
SIDEWALK MAINTENANCE
Labor and Material
Labor.
Repairing Cement Walks, Olof Pearson.
155.07
Sand, Gravel and Dust.
36.38
Miscellaneous Material.
546.87
$2,460.27
List of Streets Worked On
Bacon
Holman
Pine
Bank
Horton
Pond
Bourne Avenue
Jefferson
Prospect
Capron
Kendall Avenue
Robert
Cliff
Mann
School
County
Maple
Second
Dennis
Mechanics
South Main
East
Newport Avenue
Starkey Avenue
Emory
North Main
Tappan Avenue
Fourth
Olive
Turner
Forest
Park
Twelfth
Hebron Bridge Slopes
Payson
Union
Hodges
Pearl
Washington
Holden
Peck
$1,721.95
125
ANNUAL REPORT
EQUIPMENT, MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR
Labor.
$183.69 43.03
Material.
$226.72
ROAD ROLLERS
Labor.
$193.59
Material
113.84
$307.43
AUTO MAINTENANCE
Repairs, Overhaul, Material-General Maintenance
$1,008.29
ROAD OIL AND TAR
Oil, Tar and Sand
Labor ..
$2,834.83
Material.
7,892.51
$10,727.34
Miscellaneous
Labor ..
$78.19
Material.
1,040.19
$1,118.38
$11,845.72
BRIDGES, FENCES AND CULVERTS
Bank Street-Fence
Labor. .
$6.75
Brown Street-Culvert
Labor.
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