USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Attleboro > Reports of town officers of the town of Attleborough 1933 > Part 12
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ANNUAL REPORT
The welfare problem spoken of in previous reports has continued to be of serious importance, not only in conducting our municipal affairs, but to this department in carrying out work when no funds were allowed for labor which was supposed to be obtained through the Welfare.
The insensible injustice of chronic kickers, who positively refuse to avail themselves of the opportunity to obtain facts, never ceased in the desire to hamper the progress of our efforts from welfare labor as applied to public work. The unwillingness of the average tax-payer to apply himself to ascertaining the cir- cumstances and conditions controlling welfare workers should be noted and it is urged herewith that intelligent study and discussion by interested officials, familiar with the problem locally, summarize and publish for the public benefit the sound, accurate story covering all of our welfare agencies, ir order that we may reasonably expect a united public cooperation in policies which will sensibly benefit all of those parties concerned.
This department, during the past, has proven time and again the worth of the Golden Rule, in dealing with people who happen to be immediate victims of a depression, causes for which they may have played no part in. I do not mean that human nature has changed substantially, only that most people when fairly used, appreciate it, particularly when the complete facts surrounding the condi- tions which have cramped them are made known. It is folly to expect 100% perfection from this or any other class of human beings. It is reasonable to recognize a small percentage of professional beats out of a large group and treat them accordingly.
We must never forget that habitually and for ages it has been the custom of windy kickers to maintain a noise directed at others, so that the public would not examine too closely the short-comings of the noise-makers spoken of. It is remarkable to see how carefully people of this kind, by devious methods, avoid facts in favor of fancies and prejudice, malicious or otherwise.
The efforts of this department, laboring under the stress of the times, have never ceased in trying to give our public the best that was available. There are things we would like to see improved, in common with large groups of our people, which are being held up due to local financial circumstances such as were reflected when the city government voted two consecutive pay cuts for a great number of its employees during the year.
We in this department have taken unjust criticism, founded on lies and fiction, having to do with the Wading River water project, so-called. People should understand the facts-first, that neither the Superintendent nor any one connected with this department had anything whatever to do with the expenditure of any of the money running to $369,878.60, according to an auditor's statement filed with the city government on November 1, 1932. Never forget that out of this amount and from the same financial statement, the sum of $55,050.08 is noted as being paid to Mr. J. J. Van Valkenburgh, the engineer who was in com- plete charge of this work. Remember that year after year passed with the need for the additional water supply, from 1924 on, without any substantial aid being given the department during the dry seasons from the new project until the last of September in 1930.
I can find nobody able to give me a record of any previous experience of this engineer in laying out a well-field comparable to what we have at the Wading River. The basic facts covering the investigation, or lack of it, by this man speak for themselves to any interested, fair-minded tax-payer. The size and design of the pumping machinery, its position, and the developed rate per well per minute during the use of these pumps, either separately or together, matched against the current good practice rate per well per minute used for similar conditions, permits no guess-work on the results obtained from Mr. Van Valkenburgh's water improvement effort at the Wading River.
Our people should also be informed concerning the sturdy efforts made, under the guise of completing the work, to allow the sum of $43,890.00 to be
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added to the amount already spent, this, mark you, before practical results were reported to the city government by the engineer in charge of the work in writing.
The sworn responsibility of your Superintendent of Public Works forces the presentation of the remarks concerning the Wading River contained herein. Personalities must be avoided. The responsibility of the man who received & large fee for the design and the construction of the works, as well as laying the basis for their operation, even to the point of establishing the minimum charge for power, is definite. It cannot be evaded and is substantiated by quoting from a letter under the date of November 4th, 1929, over the signature of Mr. J. J. Van Valkenburgh to the writer which said-"As to the current consumption of the pumpage in this plant, the following figures are obtained: By running the 2,500,000 gallon pump for a full 8-hour day, the current consumption would be 1170 K. W. H. per eight hours or 35,100 K. W. H. per month or by running the 1,500,000 gallon pump for a full 8-hour day, the current consumption would be 668 K. W. H. per eight hours or 20,040 K. W. H. per month. As it is intended to do part of the pumping with the other station and part with the new station, I find that by running the 2,500,00 gallon pump for six hours, and the 1,500,000 gallon pump for two hours of the 8-hour day, the current consumption would be 1044 K. W. H. for the 8 hours run making an average monthly current con- sumption of approximately 31,500 K. W. H."
Please stress the importance of this notice in your minds, as it not only accounts for the minimum charge in your power contract but establishes the intention of the writer of this letter in pumping operations having to do with the use of the large and small pumps he placed at the Wading River Station.
To go further and because it is important I will quote from the same letter showing pump design detail as planned by this engineer, which on neutral analysis of the works as turned over to the operating department, is of final importance:
"It is planned to install two (2) motor duiven Centrifugal pumps with an auxiliary gasoline drive. One of the Centrifugal pumps will be designed for a capacity of about 1,500,000 gallons per 24 hours against a 280 ft. head, requiring a 100 H. P. motor, while the other pump will be designed for a capacity of 2,500,000 gallons per 24 hours against a 310 ft. head, and requiring a 200 H. P. motor. The design of the plant includes the installation of a gasoline engine between the two pumps. In the event of electrical failure, it will be possible to drive either or both of the Centrifugal pumps by the gasoline engine.'
How can he support the figures he planned to use in pump design and water supply from the well-field for these pumps as designed?
I am unable to find why this department was never able to obtain even through the mayor, a complete and exact report covering what was produced for the money expended under the supervision of this engineer, all of which should be available for the department records and contributing to the benefit of its operations. Our people should, without exception, read what was allowed by the city solicitor at the time as a final report from the engineer to the City, delivered when the available funds up to that time were completely expended. The true eloquence of this report is in its utter indaequacy to cover the story which I believe should be honestly told. Other engineers, highly competent, will without question pass upon the Wading River project, with such complete- ness that those who care to may know full well all of the story to date.
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
It should be known by all of our people that the administrative office force of this department has successfully, and at the expense of many extra hours without pay, carried on their work, in spite of the great amount of detail added constantly during the year by the conditions as outlined herein. This was finally capped by the rush of administrative detail centered in this office in getting underway at the latter end of the year C. W. A. projects. This, when
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our own water bills and all of our financial statements and balances were, in the calendar course of events, being taken care of in addition to our regular routine work.
How many organizations can obtain the same success when their admin- istrative load is more than doubled at its peak? Thinking people will measure well this sort of performance before passing final judgment on the results they obtained for their tax dollar as applied to the Public Works Department.
As a positive necessity to protect the revenue side of our accounts, in face of the circumstances mentioned herein, we obtained from the Civil Service Commission authority to employ an additional assistant to our office force beginning December 13, 1933.
Care must be taken in interpreting our effort on the statistical side of this report to note the omission of C. W. A. details, which for the current year are a federal feature and, as such, will lap over the calendar year into 1934 for com- pletion in accordance with the initial plan outlined by Chairman Bartlett.
I deem it advisable to call to the attention of our citizens and tax-payers a fact which seems to be generally omitted in considering the department's efforts concerning the revenue side which approximate about $108,623.50 for this year and which is distinctive from any other branch of the city's service. This activity being revenue is important and it involved over 3,729 small accounts. The amount of detail involved in our office work on the revenue side must not be under-estimated. Semi-annual billing, monthly billing and quarterly readings with the other details are essential and require work.
ENGINEERING DIVISION
Pressure exerted by the depression reached into our engineering force in several different ways. Although our appropriations for work had been slashed right and left, the co-ordinating of efforts to glean results with welfare help required endeavor other than usual from our engineers. When to this was added the C. W. A. program in the latter part of the year it was necessary, in order to keep ahead of the program, that some vacations be sacrificed for 1933.
To the unir itiated it may be hard to understand why a simple question cov- ering a public improvement may take only a minute to ask but several weeks of engineering work to answer completely, properly and correctly. Oftentimes questiors of this kind are put up to our engineering force by the city government and valuable time given over to turning in the correct answer, without any extra provision having been made to care for the cost of the inquiry over and above that which is allowed to carry on current routine work. Many extra hours have been put in on public service for reasons of this kind without compensation.
The regular force in our engineering department was augmented late in the year by the addition of two men, one to aid in line and grade work and inspection when the C. W. A. program had been outlined and the other to protect the City's interest in keeping track of Federal liaison with its multitude of detail.
Line and grade was given on Hazelwood Avenue after the design had been completed. Allen Avenue in South Attleboro was taken care of in a like manner.
Survey design for the street with drainage and description, as well as line and grade, were handled for Adamadale Avenue. Merritt Place, Shaw Avenue, Lincoln Avenue and Read Street, car-track replacement work on West and Thacher Streets and South Avenue, also several other streets where the work required it, had outlines and grades taken care of by our engineers.
The engineering data and work required to extend the Orange Street, Olive Street, Leroy and Benefit Street drain construction was handled and designs were completed for the drainage in Peck Avenue, Peck and Perrin Streets to complete the project initiated from Bank Street through Leroy Street.
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An outline to improve the conditions in the locality of First and County Streets was started. Drainage on East and Parker Streets, Lincoln Avenue and Roose- velt Street was worked out for construction. Tentative plans were made for the drain in the locality of Horton and Pleasant Streets. Bushee Street was also checked by our engineers for drainage.
An investigation of the present South Avenue drainage was completed although no funds were provided to improve it.
Design line and grade for the Thacher Brook bridge crossing at Dexter Street and for the bridge piece added at West Street at the Seven-Mile River were taken care of. Studies were made to cover a bridge design at North Main Street at the Bungay River Crossing.
Lines and grades were handled for the Sidewalks and Curbing work and the necessary plans drawn for record.
Such engineering as was required on our sewer work was taken care of and it was necessary of course, not only to work in the distributary system, but at the disposal plant. The completing of lower Newport Avenue made necessary considerable engineering work in regard to land abandonments, etc., such as one finds ensuing after projects of this sort have been completed.
The County and Tiffany Street intersection was designed and considerable work done to complete its relocation, although no furds were provided by the City at that time for this construction. C. W. A. work later took care of this project.
Line and grade on Clifton Street and Highland Avenue and some work for the assessors were responsible for a great deal of work in this department.
It was necessary to make a study in the field for the location and measuring of new water mains and recording position and gate ties after construction for record.
The expanding program, on most of which we had no time for preliminary planning, allowed no pause in our efforts as the year proceeded. There were a myriad of other details, too numerous to mention in this report, which essentially must fall within the scope, either wholly or partially of this group.
RESURFACING
On Brown Street, on both sides of Robinson Avenue, it was necessary during the month of January, following a remarkably heavy rain, to care for a washout. Large boulders which were not reasonably safe, were drilled and blasted and some rock excavation removed from the deep cut easterly from Robin- son Avenue.
On lower County Street dangerous shoulders were filled in the early part of the year.
In the early summer a washout on Curtis Avenue was given attention.
The department has recorded on more than one occasion the positive need for an improved surface on Forest Street for its entire length. The reasoning outlined for the traffic to be accommodated was described in detail. Drainage construction required prior to the carrying out of this work also had been recom- mended on more than one occasion but to no avail. It was positively necessary this year to resurface that portion of the street between its return at Pleasant Street and the end of the stone road, southeasterly from the General Plate Build- ings. The work approximnted a center line distance of 710 linear feet and a width between paved gutters averaging from 17.4 to 20 linear feet. Gutters were reset, the excavation made, the foundation improved and a penetration roadway a- mounting to 1,463 square yards completed in an efficient manner at an extremely
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low unit cost, being an excellent return of great public convenience on the money expended. Strangely enough, professed students of this job so far neglected the facts that it is recorded many of our people have been misled thereby. Stranger still, no inquiries by these professed students have been made at the Public Works Department to ascertain the truth about this work. A contribution was made to this public work by labor assigned to us from the welfare department, in- experienced but willing. People living in the locality inform us they appreciate the improvement and extol the benefits derived therefrom.
Work was continued on Hazelwood Avenue. You will recall the acceptance of the street was completed several years ago. No funds were provided to put this street in reasonable shape. Excavating and hauling and spreading gravel, rolling and scraping were carried out in the early part of the year. Later bi- tuminous treatment was given. Assistance from welfare hand labor kept the cost down.
A small washout on Leedham Street was taken care of. Two large boulders were removed from the Old Post Road, having become loosened and rolled from the embankment into the vehicular way.
On Read Street, in the early spring, a serious washout from the large volume of water draining off of the adjoining ridge adjacent thereto, was repaired. The rippling surface between West Street and the Seven-Mile River was removed. A light mixed top was rolled in after scarifying and grading the old one. This improvement merits the approval heard. Welfare labor helped keep this work in low cost brackets.
Shaw Avenue, off Pleasant Street, never received all that one would have liked to have seen put into it at the time of its acceptance. It was necessary in the fall to work on this street before cold weather. Again aid from welfare help contributed to the success achieved.
Between County Square and the Seven-Mile River, on Thacher Street, South Avenue and West Streets, rails had been removed from the trolley-line at intervals prior to 1933 after the line had been abandoned and when company forces were available. Strenuous efforts had been made by this department in dealing with the old Interstate Street Railway officials to properly remove the entire structure, including ties, and to refill with good gravel and level off and grade this section of road so that the franchise would be lived up to and the City would not be put to any great expenditure to include this added width in the used vehicular way.
With regular bus line operation and increased traffic from other localities using this section of Route No. 123, it was positively essential to gain width in the interests of safety on the part mentioned. Special funds were sought but not provided. Therefore, with such help as could be made available the depart- ment completed excavating ties and the gravel refill, which was well graded and rolled on West Street and South Avenue to Tiffany Street. As it seasoned, a light mixed top, sufficient for binding purposes, was set temporarily. With only one-third of the amount of funds provided in 1920 for highway maintenance and operation available, the task outlined herein could not be permitted to absorb more than a share of these funds.
Crossing Tiffany Street on South Avenue, tie removal was completed up to Thacher Street. Such gravel as it was possible to place reasonably was put in and rolled as far as the foundation would permit. A bituminous blanket application was then placed and rolled to a point one-half way up Uhlig's Hill, after which the shoulder was built out with a bituminous mix and sealed in.
Between Snell Street and County Square on Thacher Street the ties were plowed out, poor foundation excavated, gravel refill set and a bituminous treat- ment, similar to that on West Street, was placed. In the late season the curves and cross-over were sealed on this new work to prevent the inevitable winter
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destruction under the traffic using this route of very light construction. Con- sistently this departmert has appealed to the city government, to the County Commissioners ard to the State Department to obtain an aid job on this portion of Route No. 123, without avail however, up to this time. In spite of these circumstances I feel that conditions are such that a first-class road job is needed ard all of the forces at the command of the City should be combined and co- ordinated in further efforts to make available the funds required for the work as desired.
In conjunction with a bridge improvement at the Seven-Mile River, under our mair tenance funds, it was essential to give traffic proper protection on West Street, along the filter beds and Orr's Pond. This necessitated the removal of the rail structure, which included a side track. Gravel refill, with a light bituminous mixed top was placed. Irsofar as the department had requested the officials then in charge of the railway to handle this removal on at least two occasions, without success, it was deemed essertial to push the work in preparation for utilizing in safety the added width of the river bridge mentioned. Some com- per sation for the work was returned when use was made of some of the rails, upon their beirg cut, for toppirg catch basins and manholes. The uncertain financial status of the practically defunct railroad company was given as the reason neces- sitating the delay in the rail removal on lower West Street, with legal obstacles caused therefrom also interfering with the action required.
On South Avenue, between Snell Street and the first Simpson job it was essential to scarify and surface full width a piece of South Avenue heaved by frost.
On West Street, including the cross-over, the work described herein had a center lire distance of 2,370 linear feet, with a width of eight linear feet, and amounted to 2,107 square yards of surfacing. On South Avenue, from Tiffany Street easterly, the work described herein encompassed an addition to the used way of 1,708 square yards, blar ket-treated, while on Thacher Street from Snell Street to County Square, a distance of 1,750 linear feet, with a width averaging about eight linear feet, 1,555 square yards as described herein were added to facilitate traffic.
Full advantage had to be taken of such assistance as we had available, including the opportunity to utilize welfare labor, in order to carry out this Route 123 task.
At South Main Street, adjacent to the Seekonk Line, this department has for many years been trying to co-ordinate an improvement. Our efforts not meeting with success, and the cordition of the street close to the line at the street railway cross-over being unsatisfactory without any reasonable hope of any immediate action by our government, made necessary improvement essential to care for the heavy rapid traffic using this East Line, so-called, at this point. Arrargemerts were made for removing the railway structure at the cross-over a sufficient distance to clear it, whereupon necessary road work was done to tem- porarily care for the cor ditions which were unsatisfactory. It is to be earnestly hoped that funds to carry out the real improvement of a permanent nature, so much desired on this lower end of South Main Street, be provided in the very near future.
On Thacher Street, between County Square and Lexington Avenue, no real highway work had ever been attempted. Ledge outcropping in the locality and road conditions which to overcome would be expensive, are present in this short piece. Why, when the street was constructed many years ago, they neglected to obtain a proper foundation and suitable line and grade, has always been a puzzle to the writer. The roadway was in such shape in the spring that something had to be done. Funds were so scarce that we were prevented from doing work involving permanency. The money expended however, on improving this roadway temporarily, was not wasted, as we concentrated on excavation to the extent of bringing the grade line into its proper range with other features
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involved in the locality. This scarifying, excavating, grading and rolling in- volved some rock work but was an investment insofar as it was a step in the building of a permanent improvement. Knowledge of the conditions local to the highway mentioned, forces the need for placing of underground structures to our attention as all of this work should be completed before any permanent road is constructed here. A surface treatment was carried by our Road Oil and Tar sub-division. Do not overlook the importance of this much-used cross town road, connecting Route No. 123 from County Square, with our East Line so-called, at its intersection with South Main Street, in considering recommendations as to its future improvement. Some stone charges to cover part of this work in our statistical report were absorbed as benefits contributed by our crushing plants toward reduction of expenditures.
Foi a great many years the city government felt that there were serious obstacles in the way of improving East Street, in the heart of the East side, be- tween Parker and Hazel Streets.
Repeatedly investigations have been made to clarify the legal status affecting a street layout within the limits mentioned. No real success has been obtained in properly clearing the legal record in spite of the efforts put forth. This un- certainty was pushed aside when this department, with the sanction of the Mayor, submitted a real improvement for East Street, between Parker and Hazel Streets, to the C. W. A. authorities, and obtained their approval. This approval, with the street layout already voted, allowed work to begin. There was no special appropriation provided by the city government and the City's contribution toward this C. W. A. project was entirely from the Public Works department's maintenance funds. At the end of the project, which was in process at the turn of the year, we will expect to see a sound foundation and a gravel surface in the roadway, gravel sidewalks, with such drainage as is essential and round corners curbed at street intersections.
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