USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Attleboro > Reports of town officers of the town of Attleborough 1930 > Part 8
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Very sincerely,
RAYMOND M. HORTON, WILLIAM H. KING, EDWIN F. LEACH, ETHEL H. BARDEN, FREDERICK V. MURPHY.
ESTIMATED NEEDS FOR 1931
Salaries and Wages
Salaries and Wages. . . . $ 3,760.00
Librarian. $ 2,200.00
Janitor. 1,560.00
$ 3,760.00
Clerical
6,677.00
Sr. Asst.
1,504.00
Jr. Asst.
1,304.00
Jr. Asst.
988.00
Jr. Asst ..
676.00
Extra Asst
312.00
C. R. Asst.
1,000.00
Pt. Time
893.00
6,677.00
$10,437.00
$10,437.00
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ANNUAL REPORT
OTHER EXPENSES Estimated Needs for 1931
Books
$3,000.00
Fuel
700.00
Light
600.00
Phone
45.00
Building and Grounds.
1,000.00
Bindery
1,000.00
Dodgeville.
20.00
Hebronville.
90.00
South Attleboro
225.00
Washington
65.00
Printing
125.00
Postage.
45.00
Insurance.
255.00
Trucking and Express.
50.00
Carfares
40.00
Incidentals (Supplies)
500.00
Securing Information
20.00
$7,780.00
10
ANNUAL REPORT
Department of Public Works
To His Honor, the Mayor, and the Honorable Municipal Council:
Gentlemen:
Respectfully submitted herewith is the sixteenth Annual Report of the Public Works Department of the City of Attleboro for the year ending December 31, 1930. Departmental operations during the past year have continued their expansion. The problems presented have been momentous in their importance to the Community and the decisions made governing the solutions accepted have been based upon the conditions present, the results desired, and the actual facts as presented when uncovered. A comparison of departmental activities over the last decade with what has gone before covering any similar period in our history, bearing in mind completely the facts, is indeed worth while.
The drought for this current year following closely that of other years was directly responsible for emergency conditions which were overcome in such manner as to make it unnecessary to restrict our water takers. Many other com- munities in the Commonwealth were not so fortunate. In recording our emergen- cy hookup in use in the Wading River Wells, it may be noted that there is a late winter as well as a warm weather use mentioned. After passing through an extremely tense summer we were able on September 30, 1930 to receive water from our new Pumping Station in West Mansfield.
The County Commissioners of Bristol took over Newport Avenue in South Attleboro between the State Line and Highland Avenue. After covering the legal phases of the location they turned this road over to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts whose Department of Public Works awarded a contract for its construction, the road location to be 80 feet wide and the construction to be of concrete with four lanes each 10 feet wide, between Washington Street Route No. 1 and the Rhode Island State Line. A new modern bridge structure over the railroad was authorized and work started in conjunction with this project. The land damage as made by the County covering the relocation under the law must be paid for by the City. The County awards total $19,669.00. Two distinct efforts have been made by this Department to have included in this project Highland Avenue between Newport Avenue and Washington Street. It is sincerely hoped success will crown the latest effort put forward by Mayor Stephen H. Foley.
As the year progressed it became noticeable to a marked degree that finally this community was suffering greatly from the general business and economic depression. This Department acting on instructions from his Honor, the Mayor, was glad indeed to cooperate to an extensive degree in helping to reduce unem- ployment. This was done without any call from the tax payers for money to be specifically appropriated to serve as a temporary expedient. Work was planned by the Department and funds were appropriated by the Government so that instead of the usual fall lay-off our forces were maintained and expanded right up to and through the end of the year. Without doubt from the signs at hand our unemployment problem will grow worse with the coming year as the industries peculiar to this community while being hit hard at a later time in the cycle of depression than we find in other places will, probably, by the very same precepts recover last as the business wheel turns upward.
Direct evidence of progress in bridging our streams can be noted by the new structure at holden Street over Bungay River. Essential improvement in drainage was taken care of in the locality of Pine, Maple, and Lafayette
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ANNUAL REPORT
Streets. Progress in sewerage improvements was made by sewer extensions on Park Street and Lincoln Avenue.
PUBLIC WORKS OFFICE
To appreciate the extensive range of work covered by our office force con- sisting of Mrs. M. I. Sharkey aided by the Misses M. M. Masse and B. H. Carney, one would have to understand completely the system and routine of accounting and bookkeeping which is covered by a multi-varied expenditure in our Highway Division and again in our Water Division. These two divisions are, of course, responsible for the bulk of the work, particularly with conditions as they have been during the past year. In addition we have maintenance, care, operation, and extensions of the sewer system as authorized by the City Government to be responsible for.
After considering our detail covering expenditures, the work and forms utilized in obtaining revenue, more particularly from the Water Division, would have to be understood to appreciate the accuracy and detail required from these young ladies. A complete record and examination of the Department work will allow any or all of our interested citizens to honestly and sincerely appreciate the efforts given by our office personnel.
ENGINEERING DIVISION AND CITY SURVEY
In keeping with the times calling for diversified application of engineering experience, this Department was aided by such adjustments of the personnel as was found to be reasonable and possible. In the summer we were fortunate in being able to carry out a policy of employing some of our own Attleboro boys undergoing engineering training to aid us in keeping up our survey and engineer- ing work .. The four young men of college training who worked with us during the summer exhibited a fine willingness and an excellent cooperative spirit as well as considerable ability in carrying out the tasks assigned to them.
In the Fall of the year after these men returned to school and the unem- ployment problem locally became pressing, your Superintendent was able to place with the engineering personnel three men who were worth while and had dependents. These were men of some. training and education and the idea has worked out excellently, both for the City and those men directly concerned.
About the middle of the year in order to co-ordinate the expansion as out- lined above Ernest W. Doyle was moved up from a rodman's rating to that of draftsman. Our instrumentman, Russell Tennant, has been working hard and has sacrificed along with the writer and our Engineer, Mr. Mawney, for the present, vacation time. It is the intention of the Department as soon as it is reasonably possible and the pressure because of present conditions relaxes to see that these men get time off to make up for that which has been due them.
Our Engineer in charge, Robert W. Mawney, has been busy keeping pace with an extensive routine, construction, and City Survey, and in arranging proper inspection to the construction contract work which is outlined in this report, more specifically, granolithic sidewalks, sewer extensions, and a river bridge at Holden Street. For a few weeks in addition to the personnel outlined above we had the services of a student rodman who was highly competent.
The City Survey work which has been done by this Department was ex- tended considerably during this year. Seventeen new Assessors' plats were turned over to that Department completed for use. The basic platting on the large plan of extensive survey was carried a considerable distance ahead of the sub- division records for the Assessors. Our field parties in addition to obtaining
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ANNUAL REPORT
data for plans listed above have delivered for office verification further extensive surveys, lines, and grades. ' Betterment plans, street layouts, and a multitude of other details covering contracts, specifications, etc., were also taken care of.
The required expansion recorded herein to adequately handle departmental duties forces the matter of adequate quarters for our administrative and engineer- ing personnel to the front for consideration by the City Government. Un- questionably it would be desirable to have these administrative quarters closer to our base of operations in rooms well lighted, readily heated, and having ad- jacent thereto an absolutely fire-proof and sufficiently large vault to properly care for all of the records for which this Department is responcible. I urge and recommend that the City Government give this problem the intelligent study and decision which its importance warrants in the welfare of our municipality.
HIGHWAY MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION Resurfacing
The Resurfacing subdivision under Highway Maintenance-and Operation was primarily set at $15,000.00 in our budget. On August 5th $8:800.00 ad- ditional was authorized under Highway Maintenance and Operation, a pro- portion of which was used to extend the resurfacing program originally planned for execution. The unemployment situation forced the decision to carry this kind of work along a great deal later than is usual in a normal season. While conditions, with the handicap of cold weather, made some drawbacks in efficiency, the ultimate result proved conclusively that the normal advantages more than overcame them.
On South Main Street between Thacher Brook and the Dodgeville Cemetery there were four pieces of work completed chargeable to Resurfacing. The first extended from the railroad bridge at Dodgeville to the cemetery. Between the railroad bridge and the northerly side of Tiffany Street the new road was not full width but was fitted to a small piece of stone road already built. From the northerly line of Tiffany Street to a pair of existing catch basins near the cemetery, a road width averaging 32.5 feet was carried and from there the switch and rails being taken out the new work was fitted to an existing stone road built several years ago. A total of 4,800 square yards of Massachusetts specifications penetra- tion highway was placed in this job and in addition a neat return into Tiffany Street completed the improvement. This work as can be seen from our statistical table was obtained, considering location, conditions, and position, at a low unit cost. All of the work was done with City labor after the granite circles had been placed at Tiffany Street and the drain extension authorized by the Council had been carried out. It must be realized all of the work here was done under traffic and the inconvenience of a detour with its maintenance was avoided. Public convenience was taken care of and no complaints were received either from the highway users or the merchants doing business thereon.
Completing this work our men and equipment were moved up to South Main Street at the Dodgeville switch. A small piece of road, 956 square yards in area was constructed to replace the railroad main line and switch which was removed on request. Widening the paved highway surface in this sag which has always been a mean place, particularly in the winter time, met with a general approval from a number of the travelling public using this route to Providence.
A third piece on South Main Street, also in a drainage sag and the cause of trouble in the winter, measuring 240 square yards was built opposite the mill yard gate.
A fourth piece on South Main Street including the paving of the area here- tofore occupied by the car tracks between Locust Street and Thacher Brook was next constructed. The major portion of the new work is between Thacher Street and Thacher Brook. With the rails removed, the Department wished to
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ANNUAL REPORT
utilize as much as possible of all of the existing improved foundation. The road section was, therefore, adjusted and the profile raised slightly, distributing properly the advantages available for the use of traffic. Most of the excavation in this work came from within the tie limits. Excavation from the existing roadway which was of good material was utilized to make a supporting foundation where the material under the railway location had been taken out. Thacher Street and Lamb Street were used to detour traffic in order that the work could be facilitated to keep the cost within the limit set. A low unit was obtained for the 3,825 square yards constructed after the culvert and basin improvement and the bridge slab widening over the brook had been completed.
It is reasonable to believe that a study by interested parties in our City Government would sell the idea of curbing on all of these outlying main routes before construction takes place. The work mentioned above including the first and last pieces of South Main Street improvement definitely falls within this class where a curb improvement would have resulted in a major benefit for the pedestrians.
The preliminary drainage work having been taken care of and the established water line improvement completed, the work of co-ordinating a surface improve- ment on Maple Street between South Main and Pine Streets went forward even though the season was late. Considerable excavation had to be handled ad- vantageously in this work to compensate for the use of our own labor against machines. A great deal of this material was utilized in co-ordination with the improvement of James Street between Maple and Carpenter Streets. The area included in the work running from South Main Street with a return into Lafayette and across Fine Street into Maple Street is 1,455 square yards. While the season was late, it is reasonable to suppose this Massachussetts penetration work will carry through the first winter with a little attention perhaps and then with very light expense can be used over a long period of years. The large force engaged assisted materially in maintaining our weekly payroll figure, thus helping to overcome unemployment.
On Dean Street between Bank and North Main Streets every year in the Spring for several weeks we have had road failure. With the traffic regulations in force, this block is being hammered a great deal more than formerly. In the fore part of the season 681 square yards of standard penetration was placed after the foundation was properly treated. This is an improvement reasonably priced which eliminates an ever recurring nuisance.
Water lines having been extended to clear the block beyond Falmouth Street, a stone road was extended on Forest Street between Maynard and Fal- mouth Streets approximating 980 square yards to take care of what has been a very heavily travelled commercial highway section. The clay and swamp foundation here called for a special treatment but I believe, bearing in mind the conditions to be overcome and the result obtained, an excellent purchase has been made by this road improvement. The importance of Forest Street, bearing in mind its commercial use by the City, cannot be over-estimated. It will be a pleasure to further extend, both easterly and westerly when drainage conditions are taken care of, the improved road surface on this busy street.
As has been customary in recent years rock outcrop within the used limits of the highway and rock cuts, particularly at bad curves, on the following streets were improved by drilling and blasting: County Street, Pike Avenue, West Street, Richardson Avenue, Tiffany Street, and Lindsey Street.
On Highland Avenue between Robinson Avenue and Adamsdale Road a K. P. mixed experiment was placed under this account.
On Thacher Street prior to using same for a detour for the South Main Street job, particularly on the railroad bridge southerly approach, parts of the street were scarified and surfaced to safely take care of the increase in traffic.
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ANNUAL REPORT
Besides the work outlined which covers practically the entire amount ex- pended except for the general expenses which usually-are lumped, we proportion in our subdivisions these charges so that our Highway Maintenance and Operation thus carries practically all of the actual expenses which legitimately belong therein.
DRAINS MAINTENANCE
Early in the year at the northwesterly corner of East and Pine Streets we had a catch basin failure. This catch basin was not, to my mind, at all a proper structure for the work it had to do and therefore we rebuilt a basin and adjusted with circle curb that side of the return into East Street from Pine Street.
Late in the year on Olive Street in a dangerous place at the foot of the overpass bridge slope we had a trunk drain failure which by its very nature caused considerable hazard and inconvenience to the public. Immediate steps were taken to replace that section of the drain which had failed. The old drain was of the horse collar natural cement pipe type similar in construction and design to pipe which in recent years has failed consistently on Olive Street, South Main Street, East Street, and Union Street. An additional manhole was constructed after our new double strength pipe replacement had been com- pleted. To summarize, the work started at a new catch basin at the end of the curve on Olive Street, a new manhole was constructed in the Manchester lot and approximately 100 feet of 24-inch pipe as described above with the 10-inch connections required was replaced. At this time I believe that it is only fair to our citizens to urge and recommend that the City Government act as promptly as is possible to replace all of this old horse collar pipe which, it is evident from the record of failure, has outlived its usefulness.
On August 5, 1930, the City Government made arrangements and supplied money to improve with a new drainage system Maple Street between South Main and Pine Streets and Lafayette Street between Mulberry and Maple Streets prior to the improvement of the road surface. The statistical record as submitted by our Engineer indicates that starting from a manhole on the westerly side of South Main Street at Olive Street this new pipe line came across South Main and down Maple Street to Lafayette Street where it forked, one end going to the junction of Mulberry and Lafayette Streets while the other end went to Pine and Maple Streets. He further indicates that on the Maple Street leg, so-called, we constructed about 327 feet of 15-inch Akron pipe, 283 feet of 12-inch Akron, and used 110 feet of 10-inch Akron connections from manholes to basins. This line included three manholes and three catch basins at Pine Street. On Lafayette Street we built 402 feet of 12-inch Akron with 85 feet of 10-inch con- nections, two manholes and five catch basins. 59.76 ft. of new circle curb was set at 5 of the basin corners.
On Bank Street southerly from the river under the Leroy Street Improvement the essential features of a drainage project were undertaken as part of the im- provement. Where combination structures were utilized, the labor and some of the material were charged against our maintenance account. Some of the charges for basins and accessories to the main line were absorbed by this account particularly for the basin structure on Bicknell Street and those basins just southerly from the bridge. This includes brick, throat stones, etc., as well as labor charges which should be properly distributed here. Besides this, material was purchased and work started under this account for a drain line running from the Bungay River northerly in Bank Street toward Holden Street, the plan under this account calling for drainage from the profile sag of the Bank Street grade line near the northerly end of the Woodlawn Cemetery. This is the first step in a comprehensive plan which will ultimately include the surface water drainage for plats either side of Bank Street going north from the Bungay River.
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ANNUAL REPORT
This work was planned and executed to absorb extra labor late in the year with funds available for a real, definite, and essential improvement much needed for years: The turn of the year found the work in process and it will unquestionably be completed early in the coming year. ....
Besides the projects outlined above under this account, $1,586.93 was expended in our regular seasonal catch basin cleaning. As has been explained before, some of our structures require cleaning oftener than others. In addition to this cleaning our inspection indicated the need for minor repairs in brick and iron work and $113.87 was thus expended. While the number of basins to be taken care of increases annually, there is no increase in our primary allocation under the budget to cover the extra work.
Our general account includes rail cutting for repairs, pick sharpening and other tool repairs and maintenance which cannot be definitely distributed, and amounts to $67.70.
STREET SWEEPING AND STREET CLEANING
Within the usual limits in the center of the City two street sweepers were busy daily throughout the year. Fach of these men have been in the employ of the City for some time and without question arrange and complete their work so that general satisfaction has been expressed at the results obtained for the money expended. As progress is warranted in expanding the area covered by street sweeping arrangements, the importance of mechanical assistance should not be overlooked.
The usual Street. Cleaning subdivision covered Spring and Fall cleaning of gutters up to the amount of money available. With the necessity for widening our outside roads and the use of tractor-drawn scrapers to cover the Spring and Fall gutter work thereon, arrangements should be made either to complete grading on the roads in question or else increase the allowance under this account so that the best advantage can be taken of the material available in scraping time.
The value of Spring and Fall inspection in cleaning out of culverts and opening of gutters should not be undervalued as it is of essential importance in highway maintenance, particularly in a community like ours where existing roads ante-date modern design. The struggle for improvements on these high- ways is a constant one and when success crowns our efforts, it seems to be ap- preciated by our outside residents.
STREET PATCHING
In maintaining our road mileage against what are now normal inroads from current traffic, the importance of proper patching of various kinds must not be overlooked. Seasons, particularly late fall, winter and early spring, by their variations, sensibly affect the amount of money that is necessary for patching operations. As our highway mileage is practically all black and pro- gress is being made in the problem of improving our main routes it may be under- stood that the current period is bound to be expensive in writing up patching charges. Feavy trucks and bus lines have developed the need for skillful and constant attention in this work. The charges as listed cover practically the costs of the work done in this type of maintenance. Proper control has to be made in preparing under this account for the winter season, which includes the turn of the year. Analysis of our figures on this basis truly presents the problem as solved for the year 1930.
Outside influences not within the control of this Department oftentimes materially affect expenditures hereunder. I wish to cite at this time the detour over our highways made necessary by State highway construction on , ashington
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ANNUAL REPORT
Street in South Attleboro and again on the opposite end of the City while the main artery between Taunton and Providence was being completed.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts paid to the City of Attleboro $694.56 for Washington Street detour over the Old Post Road, which, in the natural sequence, should be in my opinion applied directly to our highway account. In this case, payment coming at the turn of the year, this Department did not receive any benefit from the money which was turned in to the City Treasurer in accordance with instructions received from the City Auditor.
SIDEWALK MAINTENANCE
During the course of the year a great deal is said covering the need for improving and extending aidewalks. The sensible expansion of work on side- walks is not debatable, bearing in mind the interests of public safety. The real cramping influence, however, which interferes materially with progress in planning sidewalk maintenance and extension work is lack of co-ordination in the initial laying out of improved sidewalks so that in later years the maintenance problem is not the connected one which it should be. An observer in looking over our City can verify this viewpoint by finding in any of its wards block after block in which sidewalk improvements are present in, part but which have never been completed.
The subdivision figure available in the budget weighed against the mileage upon which work could be done is truly indicative of the difference between conversation and fact as applied to the problem in hand. I urge and recommend as a fundamental necessity in the interests of public safety a co-ordinated plan by the City Government for the improvement of our sidewalk conditions. Ac- companying this report is a statistical sheet covering work on the several kinds of sidewalks which we have taken care of.
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