USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Attleboro > Reports of town officers of the town of Attleborough 1930 > Part 9
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Circle curb replacing large returns was purchased for four corners on Bank Street at Bicknell and Leroy Streets and also for corners on Washington Street at Edgewood Avenue, Benner Place, and Quintin Avenue. In addition to this, straight curbing was bought for use in replacing short or broken pieces removed while doing work in different parts of the City with a quantity necessary to re- place a depleted stock to be available for use from the highway yard.
At this time it should be noted a modern, improved galvanized iron chain link fence with gates was bought for the Forest Street side of our highway yard replacing an old wooden fence which had rotted out. The open mesh of the improved type of fence bought is essentially important in keeping safe our truck- drivers using the yard at Forest Street. The cost of this fence was distributed through six of our highway maintenance subdivision accounts.
EQUIPMENT, MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR
Charges under this account include repair parts and labor for taking care of other than usual maintenance covering mixers, tractor fittings, road scrapers, carts, loaders, and small gear, all of which had been kept in constant use and are important in performing our maintenance work on highways. Ordinary charges which accumulate during the life of regular jobs have not been included here- under as the work in question had to sustain its proper burden. It can be under- stood, therefore, how this account is maintained at such a low figure bearing in mind the range of equipment which is included.
ROAD ROLLERS
The two-stall roller shed building which required essential repairs was taken care of. These repairs included labor and material for a new standard paper roof and electrical fixture replacements. A new set of tubes with incidential
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minor repairs were put in our old steam maintenance roller by the Wholey Boiler Works at a reasonable price. Besides these large items there was an improved scarifier frame welding job to be taken care of and several worn parts had to be replaced, material, of course, coming from the Buffalo-Springfield Roller Service. The charges for the year against our Huber gas roller were only a few dollars. The operation and running of our roller units is carried elsewhere as the work in which they were engaged dictated.
CRUSHERS
Our crushing plants at North Avenue and on West Street in South Attle- boro were kept fit for operation. The principal charges for material were two sets of Manganese hardened jaws which with other small items listed under this account and essential maintenance labor total a figure of $303.63 which is in- deed small for the year. Without question these plants will require considerable repair, not only to the crushers but to the elevators and bins within the coming year, should their use warrant it.
HIGHWAY AUTO MAINTENANCE
A major part of the actual charges for carrying the many motor units used by the Highway Department in its normal operation has been taken care of by the several accounts, special and otherwise, which have had the advantage of service from these units. The three large items which of necessity were taken care of by this account including a general overhaul for No. 3 Mack truck with cab, motor, and transmission repairs which have been itemized on the approved bill. The motor block on this truck was rebored and a similar overhaul was given to Mack truck No. 4 with a multitude of other items included in the bill. Mack truck No. 2, purchased early in 1921, was in a severe accident and through the splendid cooperation of the Mack Motor Company, was put into service at a cost of $286.16. This included a second-hand chassis of similar model which was purchased and from which were obtained replacement parts for repair at a great saving to the City. Besides these major items there were a multitude of regular charges for truck covers and going repairs during the year which did not properly belong elsewhere. The motor units in service by our Highway Depart- ment, bearing in mind their age and use, certainly have been an investment for the City.
ROAD OIL AND TAR
The general policy of carrying out highway treatments with bituminous road oil and binder as well as tar products was continued in accordance with our program. A total of 106,360 gallons of the several different kinds of material was purchased and distributed in all parts of the City as required. The material used included 45%-65%-85% Asphalt Road Oil, Standard Binder B, and Barber Liquid C with a special cut back Barber product utilized where needed. Also cold tar application and K. P. properly classified under this account were used as required.
The cover material was an excellent grade of sand obtained from Morse Sand & Gravel plant on Tiffany Street in Dodgeville and from the Courtois bank in South Attleboro. The service obtained at these plants was excellent and we may feel justifiably proud of the mileage covered and the results obtained.
Traffic, particularly on our side and back roads for the full twelve months of the year, continues to increase. It is to be expected with the large gasoline, fuel oil, ice cream, and other sorts of trucks covering daily our several miles of highway no slackening in building up our secondary highways can be expected if the conditions we face are to be properly met.
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Early in the season when the winter wear may have affected some few of our streets, the Department as has been usual made special efforts to save these highways by early treatments. Following this, of course, after prices had been obtained by advertising, our usual seasonal treatments were taken care of. Again in the Fall our policy called for strengthening for winter wear such places as indicated the need for treatment by the condition of surface surroundings, and traffic local thereto.
Besides our regular charges we have in this instance a miscellaneous ac- count which carries labor used in making and repairing special tailboards, tip carts, and a proportionate share of garage, barn, and yard charges properly assessable against this sub-division. A share of the cost of the new B. G. Mack purchased to replace the light International bought in February 1926 has been placed here insofar as the bulk of the moving of men and tools having to do with this account was for years taken care of by the old International spoken of above, also gasoline and oil and a multitude of other charges which accrue with work of this kind have been distributed.
It may reasonably be expected that our policy here has been one of the fundamental reasons which have allowed us to keep highway expenditures in a constantly descending proportion of the tax dollar in spite of the consistently increasing traffic conditions to be met.
BRIDGES, FENCES AND CULVERTS
In the accompanying statistics there is a detailed list showing the extensive range of work carried on under the Bridges, Fences, and Culverts account.
On the Deantown bridge over the Ten Mile River new nailing strips and a deck were placed and a few temporary repairs made on a guard fence.
Late in the year at Mendon Road overpass the Railroad replaced the stringers. The City put on a new 3" deck and a 2" wearing surface.
This work with the constant fence repair required due to local conditions accounts for a sizable portion of our gross expenditures. Here as well as under other sub-divisions a portion of the Anchor Post Fence contract was absorbed covering the fence on Forest Street.
At South Main Street over Thacher Brook with the removal of the railway tracks our cement slab was extended easterly to the street line including an additional sidewalk. Besides this an old stone culvert just southerly from the brook under South Main Street draining the Wendell and Gaffney meadows was replaced. This was positively necessary as the willow roots had filled the old culvert solidly.
A treated galvanized corrugated pipe of twenty-inch diameter was set in a six inch concrete shell. This work was done late in the year in conjunction with the highway improvements in that locality. Special quick setting cement was used to avoid delaying the work under way in accordance with our plan to complete a good job before winter set in.
Considerable fence painting in several different places listed was taken care of by men utilized in our program to relieve unemployment.
On Tiffany Street from the brook at County Street to South Avenue several culverts were placed. The material for these culverts had been bought late in the year 1929 and work had been started. The work was carried along through the turn of the year into 1930 on our record of expenditures for this year as shown. The positive likelihood of heavy trucking over this route to feed a road contractor on Newport Avenue or for potential work to be done on South Avenue made necessary in the interest of public safety this work.
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On our river bridges as well as on our guard fences the iron work was painted. Our iron guard fences were repaired and a constant stream of small expenditures was required to properly protect our public from failure due to accidents damaging the structures for which the City is responsible. We have a general account carrying our overhead cost and general distribution.
TEN MILE RIVER AND THACHER BROOK
The cleaning efforts required in the Thacher Brook and Ten Mile River were taken care of as the demands governing each stream arose. In cleaning the Thacher Brook work is considered essential to keep open this natural drainage channel in the interest not only of public health but of public necessity. The City owns, of course, within essential limits the right-of-way. Responsibility, therefore, must be measured by the facts and the conditions. The problem of the Ten Mile River cleaning is entirely different. Care must be exercised in expending City funds under the law in taking care of a stream whose ownership is placed in a large degree among private industries and citizens.
Public co-operation and proper police protection would be of great service in maintaining at a minimum of expense to the City the Thacher Brook channel, and I recommend that the City Government take all of the steps necessary to obtain this co-operation. Figured on the basis of the public interests I believe that the abuttors doing business adjacent to the Ten Mile River could in a co-oprative effort overcome the conditions which the public recognize as ob- jectionable by eliminating the causes.
Definite progress for improvement and cleanliness in maintaining the Ten Mile River seems to have failed because no single directing force with adequate authority and available funds is present to sustain a twelve months effort which is in the interest of all parties concerned. Five different visits were made at intervals during the year by the writer to the brook for inspection, and major cleaning took place on both streams in July, August, and September, during low water.
MISCELLANEOUS
The traffic painting item in our budget is no longer necessary owing to the taking over of this painting by the Police Department.
The usual rent was paid for the use of Maynard Street land, a profitable investment for the use given it.
Our vacation item was taken care of as far as was reasonably possible without interfering with the effectiveness of the working force. Some of our men have not had their usual time off owing to circumstances and conditions which are traceable directly to the depression and the need for keeping inexperienced men employed profitably. It is expected all of this time will be made up to these men as the opportunity arises.
Under Incidentals it may be noted that $137.50 was received from our insurance companies covering a slight fire loss at the Highway Barn on August 5th. The highway account was credited for this amount and the expenditures for these repairs was charged off under Incidentals to properly restore conditions as they existed prior to the fire. In addition a few small items, not properly chargeable were included such as highway distribution ledger, kit bag for the Engineers on highway work, etc.
Funds were made available but the conditions did not warrant the using of money for travelling in Massachusetts. In the early part of the year the writer attended the American Road Builders Convention at Atlantic City and by the contacts obtained and the information gleaned was materially aided in carrying out his duties for the year.
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Mr. Josselyn continued to maintain with the regular expenditures the City clock as is authorized by the Ordinances. Repeatedly and as recently as last year this Department has recommended a definite and improved policy to ade- quately and properly inform our public as to the whereabouts of our street locations with improved street signs. I am taking this opportunity to emphasize once more these needs outlined in our previous reports concerning street signs.
INSURANCE
The item under Insurance in the highway division is a sizeable one, all of which is necessary and the amount of which is controlled to a large degree by our employment figure. In addition to our regular public liability and compensa- tion policies this account pays for fire insurance on our highway equipment and buildings, except the truck units which are included in a fleet fire policy. The charge for this is not carried by this Department.
SIDEWALKS AND CURBING
In the budget there was an item to cover our sidewalk and curbing work which normally included some corner rounding as well as straight work on granite curbing and granolithic sidewalks under the Betterment Act amounting to $15,000. On July 15th the Municipal Council voted on recommendation an additional $1,700.00. A refund of $25.00 was received on this account for two pairs of second hand three foot returns and a new pair of two foot returns used by con- tractors with their work on gasoline station driveways.
There were 4,369.14 linear feet of straight curb set and in addition to this work the necessary two foot returns for driveways were placed. The contract for granolithic sidewalks included 2,544.25 square yards. In addition to this yardage our Engineer allowed a small extra payment to cover special reinforce- ments on driveways and the northerly sidewalk under the South Main Street arch, all of which is paid for by the City.
The Lull Estate of Pawtucket, R. I., received and executed the granolithic contract. Their contract finished December 15, 1930 and under its terms their final statement was not due until February 1931. Our engineering estimate covering the Lull contract for 1930 shows a preliminary figure submitted to the Auditor of $5,219.27, to cover a final payment on the Lull contract due in February and made to avoid having the funds available for this payment turned into other channels when the year turned. Before the payment was made, but after the check was drawn, an engineering discrepancy amounting to $115.31 was noted, and when the final payment was due, this Department acting on instructions from the Auditor turned over to the City Treasurer the contractors' check for a refund of $115.31 after which was delivered his final check for $782.89 leaving the net payment made to the Lull Estate at $5,103.96. A record of the work done can be found at our Engineer's office and the authority for that portion under the Betterment Act is in the City record.
There were placed in conjunction with our curbing work 32 circle curb corners. Besides the regular sidewalks and curbing account a special account was voted late in 1929 amounting to $2,650.00 to cover granite curbing and gutter on Kendall Avenue to retain sidewalk adjacent to Horton Field between Angell Street and Starkey Avenue. Two other items under the same account included granite curb retaining a walk at Capron Park on Dennis Street between County Street and Elmwood Avenue including the circle curb at Elmwood Avenue and curbing for the sidewalk in front of the village schoolhouse in South Attleboro.
This Department has recommended to the City Government before now that this sidewalk on Newport Avenue from the schoolhouse be extended to the existing walk by the Tannery. I understand a Council Committee is work-
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ing on the matter as I was present at an interview between the chairman and Dr. Wightman concerning same. As soon as this matter is settled, I believe it would be in order to complete a sidewalk along Newport Avenue to the North Attleboro Line and I so recommend. It is only proper in calling this matter to your attention to note that there may be objections to this work from unsatisfied abuttors.
1928 SIDEWALKS AND CURBING
A tree used to guy the heavily laden corner pole at Union and Capron Streets having been removed and arrangements having been made for a different wire hook-up at this corner, the granolithic sidewalk which was authorized on September 4, 1928, adjacent to the Hayward property on Union Street was constructed by Olof Pearson who had the contract covering that work. This work being completed and a few minor charges against the account having been taken care of, the balance of $47.76 was closed out by the Auditor.
1929 SIDEWALKS AND CURBING
In addition to the thirty-two corners of 1930, two corners already allotted for 1929, one the southwest corner of Mechanics and Hodges Streets and the other the northwest corner of Tiffany and South Main Streets were placed. Our charges to cover trucking and handling curbing were proportioned and taken care of.
A balance of $200.00 was available to complete granolithic sidewalk authorized by a vote of the Municipal Council on June 4, 1929. This work has been held up because of the proposed Bicknell Street changes under the Leroy Street Improvement. It was our expectation that the work would be completed as soon as the Bicknell Street grade line had been revamped. These circumstances were brought to the attention of our Auditor, who, however, saw fit to close out the account at the expiration of the year so that the task mentioned will have to await further action by the City Government to supply funds to complete it.
NEW EQUIPMENT
In the budget for the year we were first allotted $4,000.00 for new equip- ment. $2,500 was transferred from Pleasant Street Improvement to New Equipment by a vote of the Council on November 4th on a recommendation transmitted by the Mayor to allow the purchase of a new large pneumatic- tired dump truck. The special transmission which was being studied was not ncluded in the specifications of truck purchased so that after advertising the price paid for the unit received was $5,878.50. The remaining item was for advertising and expenses incidental at the time of purchase. A pneumatic- tired heavy duty A. C. Mack dump truck with Heil hoist and a five yard body was purchased.
SNOW AND ICE
From January 1st to April 1st, 1930, we had 14.75 inches of snow. In the last half of the year we had 6.00 inches of snow, giving us a total of 20.75 inches, making a comparatively easy season from the standpoint of plowing.
About 1,400 feet additional of snow fence was purchased to aid in winter maintenance. We also included a modern snow plow unit for the new large pneumatic-tired Mack truck obtained in the latter part of the year. Expenses incidental to preparing and dismantling equipment for the winter season with
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relief from snow burden is included under this item. All of our gear, sidewalk plows, truck plows, snow fence and snow tools must be examined, overhauled and maintained. As this detail expands and our equipment wears out without proper replacements being covered, it is to be expected this account, charted over a period of years, will show bulges to include replacements when noted, particularly if the winter season is harsh.
The City Government has not seen fit to change our ordinance covering the use of snow plows so that Departmental efforts have far outstripped the ground covered by the City ordinance. The obligation of abutting owners to overcome conditions local to ice storms and repeated thawing and freezing does not seem to be understood in this community.
The expense of sanding does not stop when the icy condition ends as disposal of the material which is desposited on sidewalks and streets must be taken care of. The law of the Commonwealth covering conditions which winter forces upon us should be practically understood by our people so that they would not be misled.
NORTH MAIN STREET AND COMMONWEALTH AVENUE WIDENING
For some time back the problem of properly taking care of North Main Street and Commonwealth Avenue so that the ordinary users of the highway might travel without undue hazard has been before this Department and the City Government. As has been noted the Municipal Council alone has the authority to locate, relocate, etc., highways within the limits of the City.
A relocation for North Main Street 55 feet wide was proposed, planned, estimated, and defeated some time ago. This project had with it a proper re- location for Commonwealth Avenue to be 50 feet wide and to connect properly for line and grade with the North Attleboro improvement.
This year after a record involving considerable detail the Municipa Council voted for a construction, relocation, and widening of North Main Street 50 feet wide to extend from Holden Street to the North Attleboro line. They also voted a construction, relocation, and widening of Commonwealth Avenue from North Main Street to the North Attleboro line. $12,000.00 in free cash from the treasury was appropriated for the work and a bond issue of $75,000.00 was authorized. It is to be noted here that this Department has not been able to obtain a list from the street laying-out body of awards or releases on the North Main Street project. It is the understanding in the Department that Mr. Henry Richardson has released on Commonwealth Avenue and a portion of North Main Street which he abuts. With this is mind, therefore, the free cash available for this work was planned to be used by employing our people here in Attleboro to do such work as was profitably available in the late part of the year after the votes mentioned above had been passed and approved on October 16, 1930. The Department expected there would be some work which could be carried on through the winter season and thus avoid the usual seasonal reduction in personnel. This project, of course, was only one of those used in obtaining a justifiable unemploy- ment relief.
Pipe and material for side-drains were ordered and delivered, a concret culvert was extended and the discharge trench excavated to properly take care of the planned improvement. This work met with the approval of Mr. Richard- son. An easement was obtained from Mrs. Sheffield by this Department through Mr. Frank I. Babcock allowing a drain pipe which would properly handle the basin area on North Main and adjacent streets between Holden Street and Hazelwood Avenue. On receipt of the easement a contract for what was properly machine trench and the laying of a drain and appurtenances complete was let to Jose Morrell & Sons of North Attleboro. His portion of the work went from North Main Street from a manhole through the Sheffield lot to the outlet.
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The remainder of the work in this system was reserved for and taken up by hand labor under the supervision of the Department. It was of material aid in main- taining our winter payroll. While it is true considerable portion of this work was done during the current year the unfinished part of course is carried over into 1931. Arrangements were made for the City Forester to supervise some tree removal with this Department handling the payroll for his part of the work. All of the wood available from limbs and logs was corded and delivered by this Department to the City Home where the Welfare Department took charge of it. This policy of aiding our people through the Public Welfare Department from work in hand is to be pursued wherever possible.
As the occasion arose and the weather prohibited other kinds of work, stone wall removal was taken up, the excavated material being carried to our crusher at North Avenue where it was utilized for crushed stone.
Under our accounting record for the improvement noted, there is a general item including labor and material. The bulk of the labor proportioned thus is for engineering details in preparing and getting ready for work the project at hand. Under material the bulk of this includes plans and records and a multitude of other details which go into work of this kind.
As the year closed, this project expanded rapidly to take care of a number of our men, particularly for the winter season ahead. The new Mayor, Honorable Stephen H. Foley, immediately after his election, spent a great deal of time in securing from the Commonwealth and the County promises of aid under Chapter 90 for this work on North Main Street in 1931.
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