USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Attleboro > Reports of town officers of the town of Attleborough 1931 > Part 12
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On Holden Street the special cross-over at the new river bridge was completed, making ready for a future twelve-inch cross-town line as far as the bridge structure is concerned.
On Linden Street beyond its limit of acceptance, a short extension was built to accommodate a new house. Before this work was started it was found necessary to insist that the street be reasonably graded so that the profile would permit ample cover to prevent freezing in this dead end water line.
In response to petitions short extensions were made on Major Street and Longfellow Street.
To avoid trouble in the near future some work was done at Pearl and at School Streets on the water lines coming out of Pine Street in time to clear the Pine Street construction work. The general public seems to have small realiza- tion of the great amount of detail necessary in preparing for street construction work of this kind.
A ten-inch circuit which was brought through from Union Street was con- nected up at Pine and Park Streets before being taken through Pine Street to Gardner Street in preparation for the Gardner Street work outlined above.
On Pine Street in the fore part of the year our exploration showed the need for an additional replacement of four-inch pipe with eight-inch between Maple
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and Mulberry Streets and this was done without delay on receipt of knowledge, through special test pits made, which indicated conditions contrary to the records we have had available.
Consistently and for years this department has suffered from lack of facilities to properly take care of a bleeder on the end of our six-inch line in Pleasant Street. Therefore, when Mr. Cooper volunteered to permit the use of a brook on his land, which passes under the road by a culvert, for the purposes of taking the water from the bleeder mentioned, advantage was taken of the offer with the hope of improving the service to our poeple in a particularly difficult location.
Following the modern trend and with the approbation of the city govern- ment a six-inch extension was constructed on the easterly side of South Main Street, northerly from Tyler Street, to accommodate some new construction and eliminate the need for crossing the new road at any time with trenches for the purposes of water supply repairs or services.
WATER MAIN EXTENSIONS AND REPLACEMENTS IN PINE AND EMORY STREETS
In the Pine and Emory Street special account to care for water pipe-line replacements where inadequate service existed or extensions were required as described in last year's report, steps were taken to finish the work designed as favorable opportunity arose. Circumstances other than normal, bearing in mind the need for keeping men at work, rather than adding to the unemployed list, governed the arrangements made.
An eight-inch water line having been brought through Forest Street from Holman to Emory Street was carried down to Torrey Street with the necessary connections and fittings and was later taken to the projected terminus where it was fitted into the line coming up old Park Street, just before its intersection with new Park Street. The work on this line was carried on through a wet trench and in material which permitted only carful work of the most trying kind. Steps were taken to utilize the trench as backfilled by grading material to aid in draining the new proposed road surface which followed along behind the water work. This extension consisted of 911.3 linear feet of eight-inch water pipe with three tees and one new hydrant gated and may be considered as a major improvement in this locality from the standpoint of complete water service properly line gated (two eight-inch and one six-inch).
The advantage of having this account active so that it could take care of our payroll and thus keep men employed must not be underestimated. The balance brought over from the year 1930 was $1,986.58 and after completing our orders a balance of $414.05 was available at the end of the year, indicating an expenditure on this project of $1,572.53 during the current year. The valua- tion of the extensions and replacement to the water works plant under this account is of course, in excess of the classified expenditures carried in the special account. This must not be forgotten in carrying out for rates or for borrowing purposes a fair valuation on the water plant, fixtures and structures which the city operates as a water department.
Where possible on this work welfare labor was utilized and our records indicate that fifty-six man hours by this help aided in producing the results. Mean conditions present prevented the use of inexperienced labor.
NEWPORT AVENUE WATER MAINS
The history of the special account labelled late in 1930 "Newport Avenue Water Mains" as outlined in the report of that year can be enlarged upon to include a list of crossings as follows:
1. At Barrows Street a ten-inch line connecting an existing ten-inch line with a six-inch line already present.
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2. Just south of Orr Street a twelve-inch crossing planned to intercept and feed a proposed new eight-inch line and a six-inch line which follows down the easterly side of Newport Avenue from Barrows Street.
3. In the locality of Carleton Street an eight-inch line under the pavement beyond the existing water lines.
4. At Hudson Avenue a similar eight-inch crossing.
5. On the new state road at stations 224-50 and 236-00 eight-inch crossings were also made and at station 247-50 a twelve-inch crossing was placed, all of these crossings being plugged at both ends to clear the pavement.
Fortunately the costs on that portion of this work as carried out have been such as will permit, with the state road work out of the way, a further practical extension toward connecting up of the crossings adjacent to pipes having water available. I feel sure that with the aid of welfare help from the south end these benefits can be stretched beyond the original design. At the beginning of the year this account carried a balance of $2,006.98 left over from last year and with expenditures for this year totaling $643.05, there will be a balance available for work to be done during the coming year of $1,363.93.
SEWERS-MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION
The problem presented during the year by our sewerage system and filtra- tion disposal beds was made increasingly difficult owing to the unbalanced early summer rainfall which caused grave interference with normal maintenance. As was outlined in a prior report, while the number of connections has steadily increased and the ability of the beds to function adequately was steadily de- creased through usage, the money available for maintenance, instead of being enlarged to properly care for the changed conditions, has been shrunk by the city government. With this idea in mind therefore I desire to emphatically call to your attention the immediate and positive need of extending properly the filtra- tion area, now heavily over-loaded according to the computations of existing good practice. In addition to reasonable extension, the old beds should be thoroughly renovated to overcome the ravages of seventeen years of steady use.
The conditions which threatened to overpower our forces and funds avail- able were finally controlled by the intelligent use of labor assigned to us by our welfare department working under the supervision of our regular forces. On the filter bed cleaning alone two thousand three hundred and six man hours were utilized from this source and it was this aid that really allowed the department to complete its functions at the beds within the funds assigned to it.
The same full-time man in charge of the filtration units in Hebronville and Seekonk carried on throughout the year, aided by men from the central department to handle detail, trucking and teaming during the regular spring and fall cleaning in addition to the welfare labor as outlined above. The regular spring and fall flushing of dead ends in clearing of blockades, after inspection on the trunk lines and laterals, was taken care of in orderly fashion and in addition, normal troubles, such as root blockades and manhole failures, were handled as they presented themselves. The regulation legal fee of one hundred dollars allowed for this purpose was paid for water.
In grading Hawthorne Street to the accepted profile, lack of cover presented a hazard on the sewer between Jewel Avenue and Bushee Street. Funds were made available and this sewer and manhole were practically rebuilt. Some concession in the cost was obtained by the use of welfare help for the excavation.
Acting on a petition presented to the city government and their order forth- with, which I understand was approved by the health officer, a short extension was constructed on Kilby Street and the conditions complained of were thus eliminated successfully. In this case also, when a favorable opportunity was present on the work in question, welfare help was utilized and aided in keeping down the departmental cost.
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ANNUAL REPORT
To cover our departmental efforts the $2,250.00 appropriated in the budget was enlarged by a transfer of $300.00 from the Park Street Sewer Extension account in August, 1931. Then, further enlargement took place by a transfer of $375.00 from the account "Reserve for Transfers" early in September, which, with a final transfer of $110.00 from the Elmwood Avenue Sewer account, gave us a total of $3,035.00, of which amount $3,027.30 was expended, covering completely all our endeavors as listed for the full period of the year, including the short extensions. It can be readily understood by comparing this total expendi- ture with that of previous years, when the range of work covered was not so extensive and the filtration conditions were more nearly normal, that depart mental efficiency was well maintained and excellent co-operation was received, when needed most, from welfare help.
Having in mind the actual facts therefore concerning our sewerage system here in Attleboro I cannot stress too strongly the urgency for improving the existing system without delay and the material need for an immediate study covering the major necessity for including such extensions and works as will give adequate and satisfacotry sewer service to South Attleboro. The need for expert trunk-line repair at the Ten Mile River crossing which the city government has had for some time should not be underestimated. Repairs are needed now.
Included in the report are statistics covering expenditures, extensions and connections, etc.
1931 MAJOR SEWER EXTENSIONS Elmwood Avenue
Acting on a petition which had been presented to the city government some time since, twenty-seven hundred dollars was appropriated at a July meet- ing of the Municipal Council to be used for a sewer extension on Elmwood Avenue.
In looking over the construction as outlined after the material orders had been placed the writer planned a real saving in dollars and cents on this proposi- tion by organizing the excavation with the bulk of the work performed by welfare help. The essential key men, of course, such as pipe-layers, bracers, supervisors, truckmen and a mason and tender, were men of experience whom we have utilized before in the performance of this type and kind of work. The job progressed at a reasonable rate and was completed with a cost of approximately twelve hundred dollars, not including the usual overhead charges which will be taken care of as they arise on due dates. This result permitted a real saving of ap- proximately fifteen hundred dollars, or slightly less when the final bills are settled. Already some of this money has been used by transfers to help out other work and thus avoid additional appropriation. A transfer of one hundred and ten dollars from this account was made to the account of Sewers-Maintenance and Operation on December 8th by a vote of the Municipal Council, while on Decem- ber 15th the Honorable Body authorized the transfer of two hundred dollars from the same account ot the Construction of Major Street account. On Decem- ber 29th a final transfer from the account in question in the amount of five hun- dred dollars was authorized by the city government to be utilized on the Con- struction of Bushee Street account.
The efficiency of the welfare labor employed on this project was demonstrated to be of a high grade as the sixteen hundred and ninety-seven and one-half man hours figured at the regular rate would still have allowed a reasonable cost for the work and a balance available to assume charges which accrue. The job was about 1027.55 feet long, carrying twenty-nine Y branches, and having four manholes.
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ANNUAL REPORT
Park Street Sewer Extension
Under the Park Street Sewer Extension account the final payment on the W. W. Staples contract for the work on the Park Street sewer extension which was done in 1930 was taken care of when due early in this year and amounted to $713.63. This was the sum which, according to our engineer's record, was the proportion held back under the terms of the contract. In addition to this an eight-inch sewer 196.48 feet long, carrying two manholes and six Y connections was placed between Torrey Street and Davis Avenue so that this section of street was cleared, with co-operation from the property-owners, permitting the laying of a stone penetration road surface.
On this work also, outside of the skeleton organization, welfare labor was utilized and once more in this kind of work, even though the trench was not all dry, the efficiency of this green labor was clearly demonstrated, so that one hundred and sixty-two and one-half man hours applied against the regular rate, would still permit available funds on a reasonable estimate to care for accrued overhead charges when due.
Besides this work there were some small items which were taken care of in connection with the maintaining of that section of Park Street where the new sewer work had taken place through the winter and spring rains. Much of this was due to the effect of frost action and heavy rains, and under the circum- stances, bearing in mind the need for temporary maintenance, is not al all un- usual.
The matter of having the connections all completed from this main sewer extension is one eagerly looked forward to by this department so that the invest- ment for a real highway improvement, already started, may be fairly and properly protected. Accompanying statistics are included in this report.
RIFLE RANGE
In the budget of 1930 one hundred and fifty dollars was appropriated for this account. The usual disbursements, totalling one hundred and forty-six dollars and fifty-seven cents, took place, all of the work being done under the direct supervision of the commanding officer of our local national guard unit. The usual range charges and taxes were taken care of within the total mentioned. Unemployed Company I men were put to work whenever and wherever possible at the range.
Under the law of course it is the duty of this community to properly take care of the local rifle range. I believe the importance of keeping this range in first class condition should not be underestimated as the interest in small-arms practice and skill is indeed a real investment which cannot be measured in money when properly capitalized in time of national need. I feel that our local com- pany and the civilian rifle group utilizing the range may well be proud of their achievements in open competition and it is to be hoped their sincere efforts will be appreciated by our local government in the support which is given them.
BROADWAY BRIDGE ACCOUNT
On May 19th the sum of $2,500.00 was appropriated as the city's share in the cost of widening and improving the railroad overpass bridge at the state line on Washington Street in South Attleboro.
The agreement as it has been understood was that there were to be contribu- tions besides this amount from the county, the state and the railroad company, all of which were to be combined for this improvement. At the expiration of the year this work had not been started and inquiry at the state house in Boston brought no satisfactory answer as to the reason for the delay.
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The impression was given, in answer to this inquiry made at the very end of the year, that the importance of the project was understood by the state authorities and that they were having studies made so that, with the possibility of a joint participation by Rhode Island and Massachusetts, a major improvement of a permanent structure might be worked out.
The city and the county have stood ready to pay their share of this work which the railway company was to consummate in a manner satisfactory in plan and detail to the highway division of the state department of public works. This department has heard nothing from the railroad company concerning their reasons for failure to start this work. It must be further understood of course that this department has never been given any jurisdiction in the carrying out of the work available under this account and neither has our budget at any time included any of the money which was made available for this structure change expected at the Washington Street overpass.
*
Conditions outside of local control are forcing shackles upon our munici- pality which must be cut by a united, concerted, persevering effort, if we are to survive the economic shock which has now taken so serious a hold upon New England. Indiscriminate and horizontal slashing of expenditures is to my mind comparable to the action of an army in rout. The algebraic result obtained by such treatment is not the best result we can expect. Some of our depart- ments in taking up this shock are strained to the utmost limit of endurance and their vigor and courage must either be recognized or sacrificed.
While the average man might offhand make only a casual decision in a matter of this kind, the superlative intelligence expected from trained leaders would never fail to designate by its action the importance of maintaining a strong bulwark against the inroads of depression in our municipal life by maintaining properly the classification essential to uphold the spirit and leadership expected from those departments receiving the shock.
Everybody should know for instance that in 1920 for the maintenance and operation of our highways there was expended $85,426.00, not including the Sidewalks and Curbing expenditure which is under a Betterment Act and everyone should know that in 1930 this comparable amount became $70,189.31. They should further know in 1931 the comparable amount became $47,609.21, and that there should be permitted to be applied against this 1931 expenditure by a legislative action the amount of $10,066.83, which was received in June of 1931. They should further understand our highway maintenance and operation account for the coming year will be reduced while the funds available under the legislative act will more than double itself so that the net amount applicable for this account against which local taxation can be charged will be indeed a very reduced figure.
All of this has been taking place in our highway division since 1921, in spite of the fact that each succeeding year has found a greater highway burden to carry and a larger demand for better highway surfaces and structures.
Public convenience and necessity start basically with the highway system of any community. None of our endeavors can omit including highway condi- tions in the final marking. These facts must not be omitted from consideration in municipal affairs as fatal damage can readily be done and our highway in- vestment practices ruined by such omissions.
Having the community well started and serviced with highways, the water system supplying and protecting it calls for immediate and very serious attention. The daily health and well-being of the lives of our people, their families and all of our industries depend very essentially upon our ability to give service adequate in its detail for the necessary purposes of these modern times.
This service had annual revenue committed to the collector amounting to $81,833.47 in 1920, and without increasing the rates in spite of many improve-
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ments in service, this annual revenue committed has grown to the point where in 1930 it amounted to $112,448.29, and in 1931, while it showed a serious depres- sion mark it still was able to commit $109,097.78. As of itself, the business of this department, taken in connection with its vital and positive importance to the community will not stand maltreatment without serious damage resulting.
The sewerage system shows that in 1915 when new, its maintenance and operation cost was $2,852.01 with hardly any connections present and in 1920, this same maintenance and operation, after the war and during a year which was listed as a depression time, cost $3,214.62. In 1930 the cost, in spite of the very great increase in services and the great amount of use which our disposal plant had without any additional area being added and in spite of the normal and expected increased maintenance charges due to age and facts present, was $2,626.69. In 1931, with a still greater increase in the demands made upon the system for satisfaction, the comparable maintenance and operation expenditure amounted to $2,766.39.
Each of every one of these divisions of this department has to be taken care of in its completeness before other departments in the city can even begin to function efficiently. Should there be those among you who dispute this fact, permit me to call to your assistance your memory concerning what has happened and could happen again should a raging blizzard snow in and tie up the city. Analyze the situation well in its completeness before undertaking to permanently scar the efficient ability of this department to perform, which is recorded herein. Where in this city, in the state, or in the nation, does your search unearth any similar comparable municipal department which has been run so directly counter to the trend of the times in municipal affairs to expand expenditures? Over the last dozen years the proportion of our Attleboro tax-payer's dollar allotted to us has been a consistently reducing figure. Be sure to note the record of performance we have submitted for our regular workers as well as our job relief program and the remarkable, psychological victory recorded in the statistics included in the welfare work which accompanies this report.
High courage, unswerving faith, persevering will, with a world of fair- minded, tolerant, psychological common-sense understanding, properly directed, particularly when dealing with people, will allow the several divisions of this department, the municipal administration in its completeness, and the community as a whole, to survive this present economic crisis and to take a more seriously sound part in the progress made in our daily lives.
It is truly with a great deal of pleasure that I submit to our employees and all of our good citizens who have co-operated with us, either in the administration or the community, my sincere and heart-felt thanks for their aid during the year which has just been completed.
Respectfully submitted,
JOHN O. TABER, JR., Superintendent of Public Works.
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ANNUAL REPORT
EXPENDITURES 1931-PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT Charges to December 31, 1931
General Administration
Superintendent's Salary
4,000.00
Engineer's Salary, Assistant Engineer, Rodman, etc. 6,520.05
Clerical labor
3,716.66
Engineering Supplies
147.93
Office Supplies
309.87
Insurance .
51.40
Superintendent's Auto Maintenance.
3.65
Rent
840.00
Light
27.28
Telephone
111.38
Incidentals
0.00
$ 15,728.22
Highway Division
Resurfacing
8,649.33
Drains
2,113.07
Street Sweeping
1,953.58
Street Patching
6,667.02
Street Cleaning
3,559.33
Sidewalk Maintenance.
2,569.58
Equipment, maintenance and repair
290.34
Road Rollers
337.79
Auto Maintenance
654.33
Road Oil and Tar
11,137.07
Bridges, Fences and Culverts.
2,259.23
Crushers. .
620.87
Ten Mile River and Thacher Brook
234.77
Insurance .
1,548.08
Rent, Maynard Street Land.
69.60
Vacations
677.89
Signs, Clocks and Numbers
194.49
Incidentals.
24.73
Necessary Expenses within Mass. for securing infor- mation to improve department service. 0.00
Snow and Ice.
3,706.41
Sidewalks and Curbing.
18,490.03
New Equipment .
321.70
North Main Street and Commonwealth Avenue Widening
46,187.77
Emory and Pine Street Improvement.
30,646.28
Leroy Street Improvement
9,345.35
Edgewood Avenue, Quintin Avenue, Fisher Avenue and Benner Place Construction.
2,588.64
Layout of James Street
637.17
Holden Street River Bridge
2,753.39
Pleasant Street Improvement.
19.36
Layout and Construction of Payson Street, Clarence, Paltic and Fourteenth Streets.
476.39
Sidewalk Curbing for Capron Park, Horton Field, and South Attleboro School 14.14
Bank and Water Street Bridges.
467.63
Elmwood Avenue Construction
2,222.92
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