USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Attleboro > Reports of town officers of the town of Attleborough 1929 > Part 9
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17
A proper replacement charge was carried against the Holman Street basin reported last year.
Charges of a similar nature were written against the drainage improvement at Olive and Ellis Streets previously reported.
At the intersection of Dunham Street with the Speedway on the easterly side of the Speedway a pair of catch basins and their connections were constructed, draining to Thacher Brook. The use of this intersection has grown very much recently. The improvement outlined was very timely.
EAST STREET BRIDGE
The Departmental recommendation was made and taken care of by an authorization received so that a reenforced cement slab was placed over Thacher Brook at East Street. This improvement is an important factor from the stand- point of public safety and convenience in service available for heavy trucking serving our manufacturing points. It also relieves a public liability which was ever present during the life of the temporary hard wood plank structure it re- placed. A few other normal items according to statistics listed are carried under this account.
1927 AND 1928 HIGHWAY ACCOUNT
Under this account the Newport Avenue work between Highland Avenue and the State Line was further extended, building up and widening the surface with oil treatments below Barrows Street and by grading to the profile between Highland Avenue and Orr Street. Considerable investigation was required in carrying out work within these limits.
Tar was used to surface treat the road northerly from Barrows Street after a grading and gravel surface job had been completed, eliminating a bad drainage condition which heretofore had been a cause for much complaint. There has been considerable building development along this work and several itizens have commented favorably on the improvement. The road oil and tar section, of course carried a light seal of Barber which was used on the stone road between the Fire Station and Highland Avenue. This account also took care of gravel, truck charges, and proper overhead.
On Mendon Road in South Attleboro between Washington Street and Leedham Street, considerable work was done in two parts. In the early part of the year a grading and penetration job was set from washington Street as far as Robinson Avenue. This work was co-ordinated with the drainage improvements authorized late last year and recently constructed. The sequence, of course, was
106
ANNUAL REPORT
controlled entirely by these authorizations. In the fall, improvement continued with a grading and gravel job between Robinson Avenue and Leedham Street, giving the full limits of the street to the public. This work called for some shovel excavation and fill to obtain a proper sub-grade. Gravel sidewalk outline on both sides of the street was taken care of.
Six inches to eight inches of Binder road gravel from Courtois' Bank was placed the full road width. This was shaped, surfaced, tied together with water, and rolled. This gravel surface was then left to go through the winter, taking the acid test in the Spring from heavily loaded gravel trucks working out of a large bank in close proximity to the job in the Spring.
The funds available under this account having been exhausted, $246.99 allotted under the 1928 Highway account was applied to complete the work as described within the limits outlined. In the Spring, further finish work will be done to complete and maintain the improvement already accomplished in the used vehicular way and on the sidewalks to keep pace with local developments.
Shovel work in Mendon Road having been completed, Robinson Avenue beginning at Mendon Road was next worked upon to obtain for the public, use of the full width of the highway witin the street line limits, working up toward Brown Street. This work being in process, and funds available under this account being exhausted, this work was carried on as planned under the 1928 carry over.
From Brown Street on Robinson Avenue the work proceeded by widening a narrow and dangerous cut on a curve on the summit just southerly from Cush- man's. From there the shovel was moved to the intersection of Robinson and Highland Avenues and similar work was done by grading up to the first culvert southerly from Highland Avenue. The final cut was then taken adjacent to Brown Street so that initial advantage and convenience of the public by full use of the highway for twelve months in the year could be obtained.
It is essential to follow up the grading by placing gravel sidewalks as soon as it is conveniently possible. We must not fail to report a great deal of rock excavation which took place along with Robinson Avenue work. Such material as was required for filling and embankment slopes was utilized and the balance was used on the easterly side of Washington Street between Lonsdale Avenue and Wightman's to supply a wider section which, upon being graded, can be utilized for the purpose of a sidewalk.
The combining of these efforts as outlined gives a desirable improvement for a very low unit cost. The importance of a final decision of what we may expect from the State on Washington Street cannot be too strongly stressed at this time. The thousands of cubic yards of material which were utilized in widening this much used street section, particularly for pedestrians, and building up fills which were in my opinion left in a hazardous condition by the Comm nwealth will, I am sure, be appreciated.
1,350 cubic yards of excavation on Mendon Road was divided as follows: 450 distributed as fill on grading within the limits of this work, and 900 to the easterly side of Washington Street. About 3,000 cubic yards of excavation on Robinson Avenue was distributed as follows: 800 cubic yards utilized within the work limits, 100 cubic yards widening Leedham Street at the Ice Pond, and 2,100 cubic yards to balance the section on the easterly side of Washington Street as described above. Flat stone from the rock excavation about 60 yards was used for curbing and the balance crushed at South Attleboro.
The general account of 1928 includes finishing up some work in different localities, particularly the West Street resurfacing which was done late in a prior year between Carpenter's and the Cemetery, the bulk of the account being surface treatment there.
BUILDING THACHER BROOK BRIDGE
Where Maple Street crosses Thacher Brook the new cement structure, as voted, was placed. W. W. Staples of North Attleboro was the contractor.
107
ANNUAL REPORT
The constant presence of our Engineer during the actual work was required because of conditions encountered. During the work our water pipe crossing was handled under this account and proper gravel fill to include the street line limits as projected was taken care of. The temporary drainage was replaced with catch basins and pipe line connections placed to become part of the finished drainage scheme of this locality.
Pipe charges, brick, cement, stone, gravel, K. P. used to temporarily serve the approaches, proper truck charges, tools, etc., were taken care of not only for this work but for the retaining walls required. These retaining walls of granite extend northerly 18.75 linear feet and on the downstream side have been placed not only to handle surface water drainage outfall besides the brook itself but to safely retain embankments which in the past have given serious trouble.
It is hoped that in the very near future we will be allowed to continue the drainage work in Maple and adjacent streets and carry out the permanent street record after which surface expenditures, curbing and other improvements can be looked forward to. The traffic obtaining benefit from this improvement is great and many highly appreciative remarks have come to us on this account.
RIFLE RANGE
This account carried the usual taxes and target charges, and in addition some small expenditures under the guidance of the local Company officers for range improvement. If the interest aroused in rifle and pistol shooting is main- tained in this locality, it will be wise to expand the effort controlled by the ex- penditures allowable on the Rifle Range.
A. B. C. STREET RAILWAY
The A. B. C. Street Railway has been maintained in face of conditions heretofore reported. The debt payments on the road and equipment have been completed so that the actual merits of this proposition as it exists can be determined. The Interstate Street Railway Company's interest in this trans- portation privilege is definite and upon decision to abandon the road, this Com- pany absorbed, by agreement with the Governing Body, whatever benefits there are in return for transportation service of positive kind for our people at Briggs Corner. In closing out the street railway as a going part of the City's business, I recommend a complete, exact, and detailed report of this venture into Municipal ownership.
When authority for abandonment is granted, another serious problem will have to be met, due to highway expenditures which will be required. This matter merits your very serious attention.
SEWER MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION
The regular man was maintained at the Sewer Beds full time and the usual Spring cleaning was adequately taken care of. Our maintenance charges carry- ing Spring and Fall flushing, and cleaning and taken care of such obstructions as were reported, were not large.
The increase in use of the sanitary sewer system in our City warrants im- mediate study and action to adequately take care of filtration at the beds. I feel that further delay in projecting a proper study, including plans and estimates for a sizable extension to this sanitary sewer system in South Attleboro, is not a good for the City.
FONTNEAU AVENUE SEWER EXTENSION
A recommendation from the Health Department urging accommodation in the locality of Fontneau Avenue was acted upon and the sewer extension author-
108
ANNUAL REPORT
ized. This work was delayed until late in the year owing to red tape caused by this street being a private way and priority required for other projects.
1927-1928 SEWER EXTENSIONS
The 1928 sewer work in Hebronville called for street finish which was taken care of. A proportionate charge of survey overhead was placed against 1927 sewers.
1928 SIDEWALKS AND CURBING
This account was carried over in order that work authorized at a date late in the season could, when good weather came along, be finished.
Granolithic at the Lincoln School and on Maple Street, Union Street, Bank and Holden Streets not recorded heretofore was completed. The curb and paving work shut down owing to winter weather on Laf yette and Maple Streets was also taken care of. The work at Briggs corner was referred back to the Municipal Council owing to legal difficulties.
WATER DIVISION
The water problem for the year was difficult practically from the beginning. In April we had an exceptionally large rainfall, 72 inches being recorded with an inch of snow. This heavy rainfall period extended into the first half of May, but from the middle of May through June, July, and August, up until the middle of September, the accompanying statistics will show a remarkably dry season. Supply trouble was had by most of the communities throughout the Common- wealth, and we, of course, had ours.
The available storage water from reservoir and pond was manipulated to give us a maximum rate for filtration area at all times. The supply was carefully conserved and the overhead storage was not a serious worry.
The rate of filtration, however, was not adequate to meet the heavy draft which, of course, was at its peak during the dryest part of the year. An auxiliary pumping installation was set at the Wading River and connected to wells recently driven which carried the community through the season without too much hard- ship compared to that recorded in other places in New England.
The Department solicited the co-operation of our citizens through public notices. Because of the support of the rank and file of our people, we rode suc- cessfully through the dryest period recorded. In spite of the needs of the com- munity outlined, however, there were a few people who seemed to have utter disregard for the common weal and insisted on wetting down lawns not only in the sunshine but in the moonlight. Most of these people are known to the Department. The record indicates they could have been of real value without being gravely inconvenienced by joining with those of us who unselfishly con- served water during drought and time of need.
The auxiliary unit started pumping on August 20th and worked until October 17th, the periods of pumping being governed by conditions at the South Attleboro Plant. This plant delivered 414,656,000 gallons and the auxiliary unit delivered about 23,450,000 as measured against the consumption of 416,450,000 gallons for 1928. Bearing in mind the urge to save water, the increase speaks for itself in considering our future prospects. The circumstances have been mentioned heretofore in departmental reports. An additional ice plant near Bacon Street must not be forgotten.
Our motor equipment was brought upto a high standard and with the extension of our patrol range, a light Ford service runabout was added. The Dodge truck
109
ANNUAL REPORT
in service for the bulk of light repairs was traded for another Dodge. The old Ford Dump truck was held because in view of the small trade value, it was decisively of more value to the Department on our bulk work.
The inspection policy continued to work out advantageously and 1,401 in- vestigations with repairs when required were handled on complaint or report.
One hundred thirteen new services were placed, four of which were Fire Services, seven were 12 inch, and six were 2 inch, the balance being the usual one inch cement lined installation. Beside this there were 27 replacements as listed.
The smashing of hydrants by motor vehicles, particularly on Sundays, holidays, or at night, continues to irritate the Department. Reasonable success has been had, however, in collecting the cost of repair. There are instances where hydrants have been struck, and with no water showing the responsible parties neglected to report the incident. At this time I wish to call t > your attention the need, perhaps, in the coming year of financing the installation of water ser- vices in accordance with the Legislative Act in the Towns of North Attleboro and Mansfield after the new system is in operation.
Our usual taxes, insurance, and other maintenance charges were taken care of and our main line maintenance was kept at a minimum. Besides the hydrant repairs under this account, a bad condition existing on County and First Streets was corrected by removing a four inch piece of pipe between the large main and the six inch line connecting up First Street and replacing it with six inch.
At Oak Street on the easterly side of the railroad a combination job was done in conjunction with main line extension. After replacement in Shaw Street and Shaw Avenue was made, cutting in gate control and bringing six inch hookups into the corners at Foley and Oak Streets, and Shaw Avenue and Oak Street was handled so that in the future another improvement might be carried out in this locality with ease and convenience.
At the Simmons Factory a special flange job was done in setting back a hydrant which in years back had been placed so as to be, under present conditions, an inconvenience to the public.
After the East Street work was taken care of, a hydrant was set just around the corner at Solomon Street in accordance with our spacing.
MAIN LINE EXTENSIONS
At the turn of the year Laurier Avenue, authorized in 1928, was in process and not finished, therefore, authorization for this account to be carried over not only to complete Laurier Avenue but to do Prairie Avenue and Jefferson Street was received and the work went forward promptly.
During the current year all of the work authorized or mentioned has been taken care of except a short line off Washington Street into Belair Avenue. There seems to have been some trouble in obtaining the proper papers at this location. The Department aided the petitioners materially on two ocassions. It is to be hoped that conditions will be such that this work can be done as the family desiring the service is in a position to really appreciate it.
At Ellis Street running northerly from Lamb Street a peculiar extension was granted in that the Department would have preferred to connect this line with a water line on Clarence Street rather than leave the dead end.
Lincoln Avenue and Roosevelt Avenue water lines were laid to service the new Fuller and Barrowman plat on proper petition.
Prairie Avenue was connected up to Palm Street and through to Linden Street. This is a very definite improvement.
At Park Street a short extension was made from Davis Avenue and will be properly connected in the near future to the line coming down old Park Street.
110
ANNUAL REPORT
At Ruggles Street besides extensions required to serve petitioners, a dead end was eliminated and circulation allowing better service obtained.
On Shaw Street and Shaw Avenue inadequate pipe was replaced and extended.
The main on Verndale Avenue was entended to grant service to a new house. As it exists, it is not desirable from the standpoint of Department efficiency.
On East Street running easterly from George Street a replacement of a small line with 6 inch pipe was put in and an extension beyond Solomon Street in a private way was placed to accommodate a new house. This allowed the hydrant installation recorded above.
On Royal Street an extension has finally been placed to serve the petitioner. A great deal of difficulty had to be overcome because of conditions not usual. A plat recorded in Taunton shows a different condition than existed in the field. The Water Department lost no time in doing this work as soon as possible after the correct papers were filed.
At Hebron Avenue a genuine improvement for water service was taken care of by connecting up two dead ends. This improved not only the fire pro- tection but also domestic service.
PUMPING STATION
The personnel at the Station under the Chief Engineer, George Cook, handled the problems as presented and recorded above in a manner to give our City a maximum benefit bearing in mind the conditions surrounding them.
The gross pumpage at the South Attleboro Station as compared to years past speaks for itself. The auxiliary aid and the reasons for same as recorded in this report are definite.
The normal payroll, coal account and other sub-divisions reported are indeed reasonable considering the work and the conditions. An unusual factor, of course, was the necessity for considerable work on our boilers which were built in 1907 and have been in service constantly ever since. New water columns and valves had to be put in on No. 3 and No. 4 boilers. This work, of course, had to be done bearing in mind urgency and ag in the necessity for maintaining service at the Pumping Station.
A main steam line valve failed after having been in service for many years. This necessitated a positive shut-down of all of our pumping apparatus. Our force working with a crew from Pope & Read replaced the valve with one on hand, thus relieving the fear of the City's being entirely without a water supply. A proper valve for reserve was immediately ordered to replace the one put into service.
In the last few years there seems to be definite misunderstanding regarding the care of the grounds at the City property surrounding the Pumping Station. In order to maintain an appearance satisfactory to this Department, more money should be made available for use in the care of the grounds.
The scope of the operations outlined above by the Department can be compared with those of twenty years ago and thus enlighten our people on the positive progressive development taking place.
At this time I believe it is in order to recommend a departmental building program adequate not only for the present but also for the future as forecast. This could take place in conjunction with consolidations as outlined at the time of the purchase of the Cummings property to improve the efficiency and economy of operating.
The abandonment of trolley lines in the City in the near future will place a burden on the City which I believe should be studied and distributed properly.
111
ANNUAL REPORT
Our other facilities for the public convenience, Highway, Water, and Sewer, should not be allowed to lag.
Close co-operation between the legislative and executive", branches of the City government, as has been demonstrated, is an asset of immeasurable value in obtaining adequate results.
To the entire personnel of the Department I extend my sincere thanks for their combined efforts which have contributed so much to the successful depart- mental year as measured by results and herein recorded.
Respectfully submitted,
J. O. TABER, Jr., Superintendent Public Works.
EXPENDITURES 1929-PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT Charges to December 31, 1929
General Administration
Superintendent's Salary
$ 4,000.00
Engineer's salary, Asst. Engineer, and Rodman, etc.
6,183.08
Clerical labor ..
3,095.78
Engineering Supplies
162.25
Office Supplies.
331.50
Insurance
49.00
Superintendent's Auto Maintenance
49.48
Rent
840.00
Light
19.92
Telephone
82.57
Indidentals
1.30 $ 14,814.88
Highway Division
Resurfacing
$ 9,930.29
Drains
1,908.63
Street Sweeping
1,862.44
Street Patching
8,123.17
Street Cleaning
3,834.75
Sidewalk Maintenance
2,790.62
Equipment, maintenance and repair
312.74
Road Rollers.
321.28
Auto Maintenance
1,278.80
Road Oil and Tar
13,653.09
Bridges, fences and culverts.
2,163.53
Crushers.
303.90
Ten Mile River and Thacher Brook.
391.09
Traffic Painting
158.91
Insurance
1,218.30
Rent, Maynard Street Land
69.60
Vacations
552.07
Signs, Clock and Numbers
280.99
Incidentals
24.21
Necessary expense within Mass. to secure information to improve department service.
4.35
Snow and Ice. .
4,442.47
Sidewalks and Curbing
11,276.17
New Equipment
9,808.20
112
ANNUAL REPORT
Pleasant Street Improvement 11,061.24 10
Leroy Street Improvement.
Layout and Construction of Clarence, Fourteenth, Payson and Baltic Sts ...
593.92
1925-1927 Street Widening Loan
1,227.44
South Main Street Drain
19.91
Resurfacing Newport Avenue
189.48
Building Thacher Brook Bridge
3,451.18
Removing N-T-A Rails.
460.11
Biltmore Street Construction
796.83
1927 Highway Maintenance and Operation
6,330.26
1928 Highway Maintenance and Operation . 5,743.46
1928 Sidewalks and Curbing.
1,598.67 $106,182.20
Street Lighting
$ 33,226.76
Water Division
Maintenance
Payroll
$ 9,469.63
Maintenance
Material
1,982.84
New Meters.
2,838.83
Services
6,115.00
Shop and Barn.
358.79
Maintenance of Buildings
218.32
Main Line Maintenance
1,755.50
Auto Operation
2,599.28
Insurance
746.14
Taxes
574.68
Incidentals
8.92
Necessary expenses within Mass. to secure information to improve department service.
2.20
Emergency Pumping Job.
667.97 $ 27,338.10
Main Line Extension.
8,258.00
1928 Main Line Extension.
1,337.38
Pumping Station Division
Payroll
$ 7,577.81
Coal
4,074.31
Oil
247.68
Pumps
219.59
Boiler Maintenance.
636.30
('leaning Filter Beds.
417.17
('are of Equipment, grounds and beds.
146.02
Light
114.00
Phone
59.79
Incidentals
76.24
13,568.91
Sewer Division
Filter Beds.
$ 2,336.05
Repair and Care of Sewers
372.75
2,708.80
Fontneau Avenue Sewer Extension
273.47
1928 Sewer Extensions
123.83
1927 Sewer Extensions
10.00
Rifle Range.
105.48
1. B. C. Street Railway
1,330.53
$209,278.34
113
ANNUAL REPORT
Resurfacing
Brown
58.91
County
39.10
George
4.12
Hawthorne.
14.61
Hebron Avenue
313.69
Linden
7.94
Lindsey
158.96
Mann
32.76
Mechanics
7.94
Mendon Road .
139.96
Monument Square.
108.32
Newport Avenue.
2,353.09
North Main.
17.17
Park
786.08
Parker
12.90
Payson
24.13
Pearl
847.71
Pike Avenue.
141.28
Pond
110.42
Prairie Avenue.
694.55
Read
12.84
Richardson Avenue
89.18
Robinson
Avenue.
23.93
Slater
53.65
Smith
64.40
Starkey Avenue
2,536.04
Steere
35.72
Thacher
23.15
Tiffany
14.62
Turner
199.85
Union Road
49.75
West
139.56
Wilmarth
164.15
General account.
649.81
$ 9,930.29
DRAINS MAINTENANCE
Drain and Basin Repairs :
Labor
$ 148.24
Material
260.97
409.21
Cleaning Catch Basins:
Labor
1,218.54
Material
280.88
1,499.42 $ 1,908.63
STREET SWEEPING
Labor
$ 1,843.69
Material
18.75
1,862.44
STREET PATCHING (Bituminous and Gravel) Labor and Material Account
100.98 T. Pea Stone & 265.07 T. No. 2 Stone. $ 631.05
12,344 Gals. K. P. @ $ .1322
1,650 Gals. Winter Patch @ $ .16 275 Gals. Tarmac @ $ . 13.
1,931.65
Truck and horse operating charges 583.54
Miscellaneous-sand, gravel and small items 109.83
Labor
Mixing, placing, handling materials, etc. 4,867.10 $ 8,123.17
114
ANNUAL REPORT
STREET PATCHING (Bituminous and Gravel)
List of streets worked on:
Adamsdale Road
Highland
Perrin
Alder
Highland Avenue
Phillips
Bacon
Hodges
Pike Avenue
Bank
Holden
Pine
Benefit
Holman
Pleasant
Bicknell
Hope
Pond
Bishop
Howard Avenue
Prairie Avenue
Bliss Avenue
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.