USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Attleboro > Reports of town officers of the town of Attleborough 1931 > Part 8
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Among other items, under street acceptances, engineering work was carried out on Lincoln Avenue, 45 feet wide and 730 feet long, Elmwood Avenue, 40 feet wide and 1030 feet long, Curtis Avenue, 40 feet wide and 958 feet long, Bushee Street, 40 feet wide and 915 feet long, Major Street, 40 feet wide and 583 feet long, also the relocation of Park Street southerly from the intersection of Park and Emory Streets, 45 feet wide and 1323 feet long, preparatory to construction operations which will not only include this portion of Park Street but be carried along as far as Bishop Street.
Our force handled the engineering detail work in laying 5,284 square yards of granolithic sidewalks placed during the year, as well as a total of 3,700 feet of granite curb and 905 feet of circular curbing at sixty-nine street intersections also eigthy-three two-foot returns for driveways, besides the relining of curb on some of our construction projects in a total of 7,230 linear feet. Plans were made to cover the work which was under the Betterment Act and preparation made for record at Taunton and assessments for the collector.
Surveys, plans, designs and inspection for sewer construction were supplied for Elmwood Avenue, Kilby Street and Park Street aggregating 1,358 linear feet. This calls for record plans which were made up and assessments provided for same. Data was supplied for thirty-nine additional sewer service connections and additional estimates were made for work projected.
Under our several different accounts it was necessary in the laying of 8,611.05 feet of water pipe to conduct engineering investigations and this detail, with the replacements of 825.87 linear feet, making a total of 9,436.92 linear feet of water pipe laid for the year, added commensurably to our work. Locations were given for eleven new hydrants. Under our regulations it may be understood that petitioners' plans and profiles and easements when necessary were checked prior to the starting of this work and the essential engineering records kept during and after the completion of the work.
In conjunction with the special projects, considerable work had to be handled in projecting drainage developments as required on Elmwood Avenue and Dennis Street, Commonwealth Avenue, Curtis Avenue, at the Horton & Angell property on Bank Street, Emory Street, Park Street, on School and Mulberry Streets in conjunction with Pine Street where work was begun and previous work was finished, and on Bank and Leroy Streets. This added 3,983 feet of drain lines, carrying thirty-six new catch basins and six manholes. Some of these basins are combination manhole and basin structures. Five old stone culverts which had collapsed were replaced with modern pipe culverts. Again, on our high- way surfacing projects, the rough grading, sub-grading, base and surfacing work called for survey and detail which absorbs considerable time and effort.
In order to economically accommodate our force, it was found necessary to purchase a light Ford pick-up truck which was placed at their disposal. On our contract work, essential inspection was required by the superintendent and supplied from this force.
The records of our several council committees on streets, lights, bridges, sewers and drains, and other matters, will indicate a great deal of time and study
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from this department on numerous matters which arose but which have not yet reached the stage of prosecution. The value of preliminary study by the respon- sible officers in charge of our public works should not be underestimated when charting our expenditures.
RESURFACING
Distributing our expenses under resurfacing does not really place accurately before our people the facts concerning the work obtained. I believe most people can readily understand this when they appreciate the fact that it was here a great deal of welfare labor was employed. The increasing number of welfare men available, as a matter of record, may be said to have controlled, particularly as the weather grew unseasonable, the work projects undertaken. While it might seem to the layman a simple question to hand a man a pick and shovel and expect a day's work, the successful development of this labor by dozens calls for serious thought and attention. A new psychological problem is now present and must not be neglected.
It should never be forgotten that wherever possible benefit of a permanent nature is highly desirable in planning so that as conditions improve, the tax- payer may have the deserved satisfaction of knowing he is collecting on an in- vestment of his expenditures, even though recorded under welfare items.
It is indeed difficult to obtain the best results as outlined herein without deep-rooted and sincere one hundred percent co-operation from all of the officers, departments and branches of the government involved in the problem of carrying these men from the time of their application for help to their restoration as independent citizens.
To the resurfacing operations, which include considerable heavy grading, especially outside of the traveled way as far as the street line on the streets as listed, Hawthorne, Alder, Brown, Linden, Water and South Main Streets, and Lincoln Avenue, 2,534 1-2 man hours were contributed by welfare workers.
North of Bank Street bridge, after the approach work, which was taken care of under a special account, was completed and the drainage arrangements were handled, 2,764 square yards of improved road surface, penetration in type, replaced the run-off of light construction mixed top which accommodated the existing grade condition at the Woodlawn Cemetery.
On Park Street between Torrey and Emory Streets a major operation was taken care of in constructing the vehicular way to its true design and section, with stone penetration amounting to 2,044 square yards, after sewer work was completed therein.
Our equipment having been busily engaged for the advantage of our local help and the warm season of the year being well extended into the fall, a nasty condition existing just northerly of the Dodgeville Bridge on South Main Street as far as the schoolhouse was improved. This was graded to a balanced section and a stone penetration road, consisting of 1,042 square yards, was completed.
Circumstances warranting it, the season was then forced, and the remarkable November weather taken advantage of by filling in with stone penetration that portion of South Main Street between the old switch location at Dodgeville to a point in the vicinity of Locust Street. There were 1,205 square yards of stone penetration placed on this work and the operations were maintained in a compact manner so that a violent turn of the weather would do us minimum damage. Both of these South Main Street jobs were accomplished under traffic and aided materially the public convenience as they eliminated conditions which were highly unsatisfactory without undue cost. All of these penetration jobs as described herein were valuable in keeping our force expanded efficiently.
On Water Street, between the river bridge and West Street, 1,550 square yards of penetration were placed in the fall in an excellent manner so that the maximum benefit of the vehicular way available was utilized and gravel sidewalks
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were outlined and graded. This work was positively essential and should be carried to completion southerly from the bridge in the coming year with proper drainage provisions being made prior to the start of the surfacing. The bridge run-off was balanced temporarily with rolled mixture and it was while engaged in the middle of this work that the rear axle on our sixteen-year old steamroller broke. Immediate steps were taken to repair the machine. The job was such as at that time seemed to be expensive, even though it was distributed properly to those accounts which had through the year gleaned immediate benefit by the use of this machine.
Besides this yardage of stone road, which apparently amounts to a reason- ably permanent expenditure, grading and gravel surfacing was given a sizeable amount of attention. Grading and gravel surfacing on Lincoln Avenue, a new street, reshaping, gravelling, rolling and surface-treating Linden Street for its complete length, placing an important surfacing experiment on Summer Street, major grading and surfacing on Hawthorne Street with such aid as has been described, changing Alder Street from a lane within its acceptance limits to a street properly graded with treated gravel surface; and beginning some work on Bushee Street after recording, and prior to the availability of a special account, were a few of the grading and gravelling jobs taken care of. Several other small jobs were performed, and these, while not amounting to much in money, because of the use of facilities provided, were an investment to the city.
Work on Crandall Court is an excellent example of this group of streets. In South Attleboro on Brown Street, in the locality of the old Brown farmhouse on the southerly side of the street, excavation was made to remove an extremely hazardous condition with help provided; and an earnest request made for a proper and adequate layout for this street, rapidly becoming important in the development of the locality in which it is situated.
Statistics for the resurfacing sub-division accompany this report.
DRAINS MAINTENANCE
While the number of catch basins in the highway drainage system here in the city constantly increases annually, the allotment to maintain and care for them recedes rather than expands. It is difficult to understand the reasoning in the allocation because the hard study and work necessary to complete the tasks reasonably chargeable to the maintenance of our drains under these cir- cumstances with the annual growth described has limits.
This year it was necessary to reconstruct a catch basin and repair a broken pipe connection at Pine and Carpenter Streets, prior to turning the area over for the large construction program which went on there.
Also, a serious condition was eliminated at the southwest corner of Brook and Holman Streets by doing away with a small decrepit catch basin and re- placing it with a full size structure with the necessary connections direct to the covered part of Thacher Brook.
At the foot of the hill on Olive Street where a new drain had been placed in a previous year the settlement was checked up and paving placed to improve an existing condition. On the west side of Thacher Street, between Prairie Avenue and Linden Street, it was found necessary to set a new sidewalk culvert. Other incidental repairs as noted by the cleaning and inspection crew were taken care of. Thacher Street needs a drainage system. Olive and Robert Streets also must have drainage soon.
On Bank Street the work which was begun last year was carried through January 1st into this year, completing within the limits of the funds available the drainage essential prior to improving the highway up to Veery Road. This work was completed as economically as possible, having only the necessary structures constructed at this time but our design was so planned as to accommo- date, when funds were available, the proper caring for catch basins at the corner
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of Veery Road, Tanager Road and Upland Road with the necessary pipe lines connecting same. It seems indeed too bad that this work as projected could not be afforded at the present time as it will be necessary when all of these cross-town streets are accepted, surfaced and treated.
The usual spring and fall cleaning was carried out with special attention being paid, in addition to the regular basins, to those basins whose capacity or position warranted it. Besides the surface conditions which control factors of this kind, the overhead conditions, such as hard, heavy rainfall, etc., must be carefully kept in mind so that trouble during such periods can be avoided. It is with pleasure that we report the year past as being practically free from complaints of this kind.
The most positive recommendation within our power is made herewith in advocating the real establishment, legally and properly, of the original water- mark elevation at the Dodgeville pond. This would permit immediate improve- ment in our residental localities on both the east and west sides. It would re- move complaints from those people whose land in being flowed in such a manner as they feel is contrary to results expected from the establishment of the legal high water mark. Further than this, a reduction in the elevation which is being used as a dam-crest would supply just so much more expeditious relief in the Ten-Mile River drainage area in eliminating damage hazards from flood waters for manufacturing plants abutting the river in the center of the city. I believe it may be properly said that the parties who own property bordering the Ten- Mile River and are particularly interested have a direct, primary responsibility in any change made and in its resulting effects on them. Action without delay is warranted in my opinion.
From the standpoint of public duty I believe the city government should insist on the re-establishment and maintenance of this water mark because of the direct effect it has upon Thacher Brook and its tributary pipe-lines draining the east side of the city as well as water-courses and pipe-lines on the west side of the city. To aid us in carrying out this part of our highway maintenance twenty-one welfare man hours were available. It must be understood that this work requires training and experience. The few small general charges properly distributable have also been taken care of in the accompanying statistics.
STREET SWEEPING AND STREET CLEANING
Under our Street Sweeping sub-division of highway maintenance two patrolmen were employed full time including a vacation of two weeks each.
The small equipment and tools needed were purchased and the correct portion of our overhead, yard, barn and garage charges, amounting to but a few dollars, still such as would cover the debris removal, were included in our gross total.
The necessity for replacing our rubbish cans which have been badly battered and are practically worn out should have the immediate attention of our govern- ment in 1932. All of the receptacles now in use are several years old.
Under Street Cleaning we have taken care of our usual duties up to the limits of the funds available. In the early spring the gutters have been hoed and debris and dirt removed and on all of those streets where no curbing exists our road scrapers have re lined the gutters and removed surplus sods, weeds and other material which might interfere with the flow of surface water in its pursuit of egress from the highway.
This scraper work, of course, with a tractor-drawn machine has annually added to the width of our outside roads and should not be neglected for the sake of a few dollars because of its investment benefits in widening, at low costs, the used vehicular way on treated country roads.
Instructions have been given during the spring and fall cleaning to insist on the cleaning out and examination of culverts as the gangs passed on the different
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routes. Obstructions not made fast which have been placed in the gutters are returned to the people who have seemed to be responsible for them. In spite of our constant notices many people insist upon blocking our gutters without legal permission and in such a way as to constitute a hazardous obstruction which may cause injury and damage to persons or property engaged in lawful use of our highways. I believe the enforcement of the law applicable to these circum- stances should indeed have the sturdy support of our city government and of interested parties, thus insuring maximum protection to highway users.
Observation of the results in our streets after night storms of serious in- tensity certainly would be convincing to any who might doubt the reasoning outlined herein as to the jolts and shocks which people in machines are subjected to after a heavy snow covers over some of the material in question.
The consistency with which the street cleaning sub-division has shrunk in ten years, from 1921 to 1931, even though the odds against which we must work in this phase of street maintenance have more than quadrupled is the most sincere kind of a compliment to our department. This year, on at least two occasions, in addition to the regular work, our curbed gutters were cleaned with the aid of welfare help, the total applicable to street cleaning being 2278 1-2 man hours.
PATCHING
Accompanying this report is a concise record of our expenditures under the street patching account. It must be understood that final judgment should not be passed on the operations covered under this work until one is thoroughly cognizant with the complete conditions which control the expenditure.
Calling for more skill than is usually appreciated, only 90 1-2 man hours from the welfare department were included as being helpful to the results ob- tained. When we realize the road mileage, with the several different widths included therein, and which masses a grand total in square yards, running from gravel through different kinds of macadam blanketed, and with cheaper treated roads backed up by a small percentage of improved stone roads, I am sure contem- plation of the problem forces the opinion that our units, bearing in mind the type and kind of traffic which is here, are indeed more than reasonably economical.
Practically full benefit as to rental, and an additional saving besides, from the Forest Street siding and storage tank, by using same in conjunction with handling our bituminous patching material was obtained. The carry-over aided in an excellent showing for material, which includes of course many different types and kinds. Prices of stone and bituminous patching material, in bulk and in barrels, for the account have been protected in gross by this set-up.
We must not omit mention of the necessity for many detours made essential by our expanded road construction program, located in different sections of the city and calling for extra patching work.
Advantages wherever obtainable from other work were co-ordinated to be of aid to this account.
Included herein we have a practical report of the labor and material charge which have been written off.
SIDEWALK MAINTENANCE
Our cement sidewalk contractor, Robert MacDonald & Son of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, fixed up a number of places which were reported during the year as requiring granolithic replacement, the total of which work amounted to $296,88.
Our accounting also indicated bituminous material, sand, gravel and stone dust in amounts such as were used with other miscellaneous material on this work. Oftentimes the opportunity was present from other work, after the charges had been absorbed, of aiding in our sidewalk maintenance work. It
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must be said that the importance of support in extending our improved side- walks, besides replacing our broken-up tar walks, falls short of the required government ratio its importance warrants.
On this work, therefore, it may be understood that advantage was taken of 1,611 1-2 man hours from the welfare department when available. I believe the department should be supported in continuing work on this basis, even though the grading is heavy, as the benefit without doubt has a high degree of permanency and the field in this city is a large one, well able to stand continuous and well- directed attacks on conditions as they exist.
ROAD OIL AND TAR
The general policy of utilizing to the full advantage the reasonable cost of bituminous road oil and binder, as well as tar products, has been taken ad- vantage of to the limit allowable and planned to be of more value for the winter season in reducing other maintenance costs. A total of 103,051 gallons of the several different kinds of material has been purchased and distributed in all parts of the city as required. Included in this list were 45, 65, and 85% liquid asphalts, Standard Binder "B" and "C" and a light liquid Barber product in conjunction with asphalt cold patches under experiment. Of course, our cold tar applications and some K. P. which could be properly classified on special work were used as required. We continued to use with convenience a good grade of sand obtained in one part of the city from the Morse Sand and Gravel Company and on the other side from the Courtois Sand and Gravel Company bank in South Attleboro. Results proved to be very excellent.
Traffic conditions, not as they were in 1910 or 1920, but as they exist today, cannot be forgotten when thinking of the expenditures required to cover this particular account and it is with pride that we can record, not only the mainte- nance as we have outlined it, but a consistently sound improvement on several miles of our outside streets. Large trucks seem to go everywhere today and busses are rapidly falling into the same radius of operations, the season for both now being twelve full months in the year, a situation directly different than was formerly the case fifteen and less years ago.
Statistics for the expenditures listed under this account amount to $11,137.07 and a total of 399 welfare man hours was utilized when available in the latter part of the year. In this work of course, training in covering is very essential.
BRIDGES, FENCES AND CULVERTS
Under Bridges, Fences and Culverts the operations properly recorded are indeed extensive in maintaining our structures within the city limits not taken care of by any other account or any other agency.
The largest work taken care of, as the accompanying detail record and statistical sheet will indicate, was at the Hebronville overpass bridge on South Main Street. This work had to be planned and co-ordinated so that traffic would not be interfered with and so that the efforts of our forces, dove-tailed with those of the N. Y. N. H. & H. Railroad Company, this company having some work to be done on the iron and timber beneath the structure before we could proceed. This included of course the necessary treated beam replacements. It must be recognized that with the constantly increasing stream of traffic on this much-used route to points south, this and other bridge structures are receiving, without question, a great deal more wear and tear than was ever expected at the time of their design and construction. An expenditure of $225.06 for labor and $943. 49 for material is noted to cover this bridge repair.
The foot-bridge at Hebronville was overhauled at the relatively small cost of $43.37, this work being done in conjunction with the railroad company, whose interests were in the iron part of the structure. A guard fence was repaired when broken in the locality of these two bridge structures.
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Other guard fences at Bridge Street, Brown Street, County Street, Dexter Street bridge, Hodges Street, Holden Street, Knight Avenue, Lindsey Street, Mechanics Street bridge, and one other on Mechanic Street, Mendon Road slopes, North Main Street, Olive Street, Pike Avenue, Pleasant Street, Read Street, South Main Street, Summer Street, Thacher Street, Thurber Avenue, Tiffany Street, Washington Street and Wilmarth Street were maintained and repaired. In the coming year it will be positively necessary to properly over- haul and rebuild in more detail a number of these guard fences.
We also had minor small bridge repairs at Cliff Street, Thurber Avenue, also Lindsey and Thacher Street railroad overpasses, and Washington Street Bridge sidewalk. Other work, record of which must not be omitted, is the replacement of stone culverts, many of which had collapsed or fallen under the burden of modern traffic, one on Highland Avenue, at the westerly foot of the first hill west of Washinton Street, another the first culvert on Park Street just southerly from Maple Street, a third at Pike Avenue near Adlers, while three others were placed in Union Road in order that the highway could be kept open for traffic. This work bearing in mind its range and importance was necessary, interesting, economical, beneficial and progressive. The statistical record is detailed in the accompanying report.
For Pond Street printed notices for the public benefit, indicating the closing of the structure by the railroad company for repairs, were taken care of.
TEN MILE RIVER AND THACHER BROOK
Sincere efforts were maintained to keep Thacher Brook clean from its source to its confluence with the Ten Mile River. The rubble walls, where it is enclosed between Falmouth and Park Streets, were mortar-chinked and it was cleaned its entire length. All of this work was done at a reasonable price and in such a fashion as to eliminate complaints.
Unceasing vigilance on the part of our police force and interested residents and manufacturers is the price which we must pay for keeping this important stream clear of all debris, ranging from buckets and grass to old Fords, until such times as the city sees fit to inclose the stream for its entire length.
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