USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Attleboro > Reports of town officers of the town of Attleborough 1933 > Part 15
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MISCELLANEOUS ACCOUNTS
An allotment was made which it was expected would cover the usual vaca- tions in the highway division but on account of C. W. A. plans made in the late part of the year, some of these vacations were sacrificed for the present and the funds diverted toward other expenses in the plan of adjustment.
We were protected for the usual expense for rent for the large tank occupying the ground on Maynard Street.
A sensible plan was noted under Signs, Clock and Numbers, the gross of which was cut in the initial budget so that rigid economy substituted for our initial plan in this line.
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The Incidentals account was, in accordance with our practice, kept to an irreducible minimum.
The benefits and advantages of the splendid work record of the department is recognized in our rate structure for the insurance covering compensation and liability. This was a welcome dividend under the pressure of economy and the policies maintained in force for fire coverage absorbed premiums over which we had no control and necessarily added to our account.
CONSTRUCTION OF BUSHEE STREET
This account brought forward was peculiar in that the labor and material was differentiated under the original account. Charges are apportioned to cover tire replacement in accordance with the allotment on trucks which were ergaged on the construction work. Tar treatment was handled, also insurance charges were taken care of.
The labor distribution during the year 1933 was small and in no way chal- lenged the symmetry of the record. Satisfaction is recorded by this office con- cerning this job as its benefits have stimulated other people in the community desirous of obtaining like improvements.
Figures from our engineer's record have been reported before this, covering work done here. The work done for abuttors must be remembered at this time, being carried out on the face of agreements approved by the Municipal Council or as directed by the chief executive.
Fasement ard drainage rights for the lower end of the street should be ob" tained by our legal department if this is the will of the city government, before further improvement takes place in the locality.
ADAMSDALE AVENUE RECONSTRUCTION
It will be recalled that the initial recommendation in the locality of Adams- dale Avenue was to locate and establish a grade for Brown Street, permitting this street to act as the backbone and develop therefrom several side streets with proper designing. For reasons other than engineering, the policy was not fol- lowed in spite of its superb logic. Upon the completion of Allen Avenue, work was begun to establish Adamsdale Avenue around Lee's Pond to Brown Street.
The sum of $4,000.00 was voted from "Reserve Fund for Transfers" by the Municipal Council under the date of August 1, 1933, and approved by the Mayor on August 12, 1933, to carry on work on this street layout. The vote stipulated that Soldiers' Relief and Welfare labor be employed, thus maintaining a policy which this department had already established wherever possible in the interest of municipal economy and practical social judgment.
There was considerable grading work to be taken care of, a sizeable drainage project to consider, then gravelling the highway and an outlining of sidewalks in sizeable cuts for hand work. Tar surface treatment, of course, was given the roadway which was immediately constructed so that advantage could be taken before the completion of the work of an excellent gravel road. Figures indicate material benefit was obtained from the elasticity which work of this kind per- mitted us in maintaining an efficient and coherent organization.
As C. W. A. work opened up in the latter part of the year, the finishing work on grading was held up until 1934 and funds were left which were to ac- commodate the accumulated charges for our transportation equipment used on the work already accomplished, and other overhead distribution, and to complete the job.
The amount of $2.25 noted is a refund to the original appropriation.
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ANNUAL REPORT
The street layout approved June 20, 1933 was accompanied by a plan which indicated a center line distance of 1,427 linear feet and a uniform width of forty feet, which was worked on the basis of two seven foot sidewalks and twenty-six feet of vehicular way.
It was necessary to support the easterly sidewalk leaving Allen Avenue with additional embankment to what could normally be expected because of the pond shore line and, should the engineer prescribe it, we will take steps to protect this slope in the coming year. It is estimated there will be 1,045 cubic yards of excavation when the work has been completed and 800 cubic yards of filling for grading purposes. The sidewalks, when completed, will take 185 cubic yards of gravel. The drainage consisted of 294 feet of 10" pipe, three catch basins and one manhole.
LINCOLN AVENUE CONSTRUCTION
Early in the year before the season opened, the necessity for improving and exterding Lincoln Avenue beyond Roosevelt Street to Ashton Road was ap- preciated by the city government in that they decided to construct it. On February 13, 1933, the Municipal Council voted an appropriation of $1,500.00 for the work. This sum was absurd for the task had it not been intended to utilize, in return for welfare aid received, labor from several people whom it was felt were able bodied.
Insofar as this department had no authority to enforce such an idea, our task of supervising the work which this labor was used on, contributed materially to the benefit of the community and the advantages of obtaining benefit from funds exper ded on public welfare, in spite of obstacles, was demonstrated again by the results obtained by the department on this work.
Drainage was taken care of, sidewalks graded, gravelled and dusted and the roadway was graded, graveled and surfaced with a tar treatment. Later an order was written covering some curbing. Another step had been taken in developing taxable property.
The drainage work consisted in the placing of 567.5 linear feet of 10" pipe and 48.6 linear feet of 12" pipe, with one standard catch basin, five conbination catch basins and manhole structures and three standard manholes. This drainage empties into an existing drain in West Street, passing along the westerly side of Roosevelt Street, crossing to the northerly side of Lincoln Avenue and running alorg the northeily side of Lincoln Avenue to Ashton Road. Two circle corners 11 feet each were placed at Blackburn Road, while curb totaling 53.40 feet was set at Roosevelt Street.
There were 1,170 square yards of surface treatment, 201 cubic yards of excavation and 225 cubic yards of gravel refill besides the drainage.
ELMWOOD AVENUE CONSTRUCTION
This account carried forward took care of an additional treatment of Tarvia in its completeness for the street itself and absorbed proportionate charges for the overhaul and improvements in painting some of the trucks as a truck assess- mert for the transportation benefits which had contributed toward the completion of the work, ard also a proportionate part of clearing and grading the yard property which had served for a depot and base for the work accomplished under this account.
MERRITT PLACE RECONSTRUCTION
This account carried over from 1932 and in the fore part of the year, the large stump jutting into the street on the northerly side was removed and gravel-
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ling completed and a bituminous mixed top surface, serviceable for this sort of roadway, was placed.
It was voted to have transferred in June $20.00 from the Reserve Fund for Transfers to accommodate a grading condition the Council desired to accomplish for Mamie Franklin who felt they should slope back her lawn. As a policy, the acceptance of dead end places is not warranted. However, it can be seen sensible exceptions have got to be made to accommodate conditions already existing which serve a sizeable group of people honestly contributing to the welfare of the community financially and otherwise.
CONSTRUCTION OF WALLS- HAWTHORNE STREET
This account brought over from 1932 absorbed as charges against it, truck painting, yard improvements, and insurance apportioned against the work for service rendered in carrying out the tasks assigned.
CONSTRUCTION OF HAZEL STREET
This job was almost completed from a practical point of view and was in service before 1933 came along. Of course, tools and stock which had been supplied to size were replaced, the charges going against work which had benefited therefrom on Hazel Street project.
Sidewalk finish work was taken care of. Some trucking equipment and tire charges which normally belonged to work of this kind were apportioned thereto. Efforts were made to settle upon the completion of a wall at the Peets' property which would be satisfactory to the city government. It is anticipated in the early part of 1934 this wall will be constructed to the complete satisfaction of all parties concerned.
Yard charges and other overhead items were apportioned. Some stone product charges for the work were taken care of as the account warranted.
It should not be forgotten that continuity should be maintained in bringing up to grade that extension of Mulberry Street which can be reasonably expected, because of the fact that our drainage pipe line passes to Thacher Brook, from the area of Hazel Street and the drainage improvement allocated under this account, through lower Mulberry Street.
This project in its completeness is really a major improvement which has definitely aided property and people in the locality and played an important part in supplying a payroll foi local help by the use of hand labor at a time when it was sorely needed.
LEROY STREET IMPROVEMENT
Under this account boiler charges and the cost of a few minor materials used in the work were taken care of, also some barberry hedge for the Ingraham property at the corner of Bank and Leroy Streets was purchased and set, to replace some destroyed during the work.
Mention should be made of the marvelous development which originated with this improvement in working out a drainage solution for three places which had heretofore been among the worst in the City as the basis for complaint. The first was in Leroy Street itself and was covered by the initial step in the work. The second is in the locality of Leroy, Benefit, Peck Avenue and Peck Streets. Consistently, as has been possible, the department has extended the pipe line from the end stub left at the Leroy Street improvement toward the completion of the second improvement mentioned.
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ANNUAL REPORT
It is hoped that C. W. A. aid will be enlisted to continue and complete this phase of the work. Arrangements have been taken up, through the Mayor's office, with the City Solicitor, to obtain the necessary papers for an easement from the Interstate Trarsit Corporation across the Gee Whiz right-of-way and through the property of one Alexander Treen on Peck Street, so that we may extend a pipe lire into Peck and Perrin Streets and overcome the serious drain- age condition which has caused so much complaint in this locality. The com- pletion of this improvement, with the elimination of the Gee Whiz grade-crossing and a resurfacing of the road, will record a most beneficial expansion of our drainage system.
EMORY AND PINE STREET IMPROVEMENT
Against this improvement was properly charged, as was impossible when the work took place and up to the extent allowable, by the amount involved for the work, charges covering roller and truck repairs, also items for yard changes, plus a small overhead distribution.
In some instances where curb was reset and tar sidewalks broken by these operations, the point has been raised as to the replacement of these tar walks, the expense to be borne by the City. I believe the chief executive and such members of the city government as are interested should take steps to clean up the matter after investigation.
When accumulative charges due are paid, the balance available could be applied against further road work.
SOUTH MAIN STREET DRAIN ADDITION
Inability to proceed with further pipe extension on this project was due directly to physical handicaps of the owner of the property involved. A small charge mention herein is an apportioned one.
ALLEN AVENUE CONSTRUCTION
This account carried over and allowing work to continue in the fore part of the year was of serviceable aid in permitting us to keep employed men who were able to utilize funds for sensible purposes having to do with their local obligations.
It was necessary to obtain additional money to complete the work. This was not unexpected as the initial appropriation was made with the defirite under- standing that more money would be needed to finish the project which the city government ordered within the limits they had decided upon.
This wide street is an excellent improvement and without question has helped to sell the idea of similar work to be carried on in the locality. Excavation, grading, tree removal and sidewalk gravelling work which took place, all pro- duced a splendid result ultimately so that when the account was closed out, after transfers had been made to it of $214.32 from the Curtis Avenue Con- struction account balance and $692.85 from the Pleasant Street Improvement account balance, in conjunction with the carried-over balance of $1,077.89 and a refund of $4.35, the total experded during this year amounted to $1,989.41, closing the account and completing the project. The job was a hand labor project and was intended primarily to provide work of a worthy nature.
Engineer's figures for the work are of interest and are recorded herein.
The work included in this project indicates excellent drainage construction consisting of 175 linear eet of 12" pipe, 395 linear feet of 10" pipe with 102 feet
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ANNUAL REPORT
of 10" connections, two standard catch basins, one manhole and three combina- tion catch basin and manhole structures.
The grading operations consisted of 1,750 cubic yards of excavation, 1,100 cubic yards of gravel fill for the roadway and 395 cubic yards of material for the sidewalks. There were 5,756 square yards of bituminous treatment in the vehicular way. All of this work contributed to a highway whose section con- sisted of two 7-foot sidewalks and thirty-six feet of treated gravel surface, for a street layout fifty feet wide. The walks were heavily surfaced with stone dust, the total of which is estimated at one hundred and twenty-three tons.
NORTH MAIN STREET AND COMMONWEALTH AVENUE WIDENING
It should be remembered in this account as outlined the proposal was for North Main Street to be constructed to the North Attleboro line. As the North Main Street contract, which the State supervised, was winding up, the Mayor took the matter up with the Massachusetts Commission of Public Works ard was told that by all means the work would be carried to completion at the North Attleboro line, along the same lines which the contract had covered up to Com- monwealth Avenue.
This fact has been recorded before and is being brought to your attention at this time solely to bring out the fact that up to this time this department has heard nothing further from either of the agencies concerned, namely the Commonwealth or the County.
In the fore part of the year and as work could be done which made possible the correct distribution, charges were assessed against the account for roller repairs, also painting and repairing of trucks which had been used on the work.
In compensating in small way for the welfare contribution, minor charges for handling Red Cross supplies and firewood were entered against this account.
Under instructions from the Mayor maple trees were placed at the Holden property. Engineering charges, including blue-prints for land-takings, also repairs to truck used by engineers, were taken care of when the occasion arose.
Circle cuib was purchased and set at the southerly corner of Claflin Street. Stone charges due against the work in the amount of $82.22 were also written off. These included thirty-nine tons of peastone used on the Commonwealth Avenue seal and not written off before, stone dust used on sidewalk work on the easterly side of lower North Main Street and a small amount of No. 2 stone left from drainage charges connected with the work.
Substantially we in this department believe the order should be completed, the work carried to its termination and the balance left in the account, if any, put to work earning for the community on further highway improvement. A great deal of work was done on lower North Main Street in adjustment ard engineering study and planning and juggling of proposed street lines, all of which took considerable time and while interesting, up to now has provided no result worthy of the name, insofar as no action has been taken by the city government.
No one should omit consideration of the contribution of this work, from its initiation, towards providing jobs for our local unemployed, neither should they omit exact consideration of the welfare contribution.
PARK STREET RECONSTRUCTION
This account cared for the extra wear on Bishop Street which was caused by construction work. Stone charges, in the amount of $275.07 also were cleaned up as the account became available for the write-off.
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Equipment, labor and material charges became due and were apportioned for this work on scrapers, road rollers, truck equipment, etc.
An agreement entered into by our executive, working with the Municipal Council, was carried out to the extent of having a bill approved for a wall and steps which were constructed at the residence of Joseph Wright, the share which this department was authorized to approve being $100.00 to cover damages remedied by this work.
Other numerous small items which go toward completing work of this kind were apportioned and taken care of so that the drain completion awaiting proper low water on Bishop Street will close the work and allow our due charges to be taken care of.
It should be recorded as soon as one abuttor who has signed an agreement obtains additional work or funds from the City, immediately others seem to feel . duty bound to request and fight for something additional to their agreement terms. This department has no jurisdiction in affairs of this kind as these matters were handled by the Municipal Council, with approval from the Mayor. We carried out orders and when the units are realized, the extraordinary results for cash expenditures supply additional proof of the invested effort of considerable welfare labor, skillfully utilized. Remember the horrible conditions present before work started on this project and honestly marvel at the improvement we now enjoy. I sincerely recommend its extension to Briggs Corner as soon as possible.
In other reports we have recorded the road work on Park Street quite defi- nitely and the sidewalk improvements as controlled under sidewalk accounts.
The drainage summary, however, is in order in the vicinity of Park and Bishop Streets, consisting of 647.5 linear feet of 12" pipe, 118.5 linear feet of 10" pipe with 56 feet of 10" connections, four standard catch basins, two manholes and one combination catch basin and manhole structure. This drainage on Park Street runs both sides of Bishop Street then easterly thereon into a water outfall at the end of a culvert. All of this is completed except the special structure which is at the end of the outfall. An intercepting drain, which not only gives ir itial advantage to this job at the lower end, but contributes to the Emory Street improvement, has been recorded heretofore and should not be overlooked as a municipal asset.
CITY SURVEY
During this period of depression it has been reasonably difficult to find out the policy which would really satisfy the interested parties connected with City Survey operations and benefits. Recently, acting with the Mayor, the depart- ment has sought to obtain the advantage of additional funds from outside sources, which would permit a considerable enlargement in the scope of the work available if only local funds at hand were utilized. When it became necessary to buy a group of new blank plats which would, without question, run into considerable money, the need for extra financial aid to permit the intelligent planning and carrying out of the policy desired, was apparent.
It should be known that we waited in the State House at Boston, with every hope of obtaining C. W. A. aid, until after midright upon one occasion. We received assurance that aid would be forthcoming for a project of this kind, only to have the authority revoked within forty-eight hours. Insofar as the State administration had worked to help us in this case it was a keen disappointment. to have it over-ruled. We will try again.
Considerable work was done in bringing plats already made up to date with such changes as required being taken care of. Three new plats, Nos. 61, 62 and 63 were completed and turned over to the assessors. A lot of draughting work and plotting details on the large plans covering Holman, Emory, Park, Torrey, Forest, Falmouth, Maynard, Pleasant, Lindsey, May Streets, Newport Avenue and the railroad was carried out. A plan of Adamsdale Avenue was worked out for acceptance.
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RIFLE RANGE
Close cooperation was maintained by this department with the commanding officer of the local National Guard Company in keeping at a reasonable price an in an economical manner the activities at the rifle lange at Deantown. This, as you all understand, is in accordance with the law and while the expenditure is recorded as $142.55, it must not be forgotten that this sum includes a tax bill amounting to $10.92, range charges for riflemen from the local company when they qualify for the state work, in addition to the labor and material necessary for the maintenance of the above-mentioned Deantown rifle range.
STONE
The usual revolving fund of $2,000.00 to cover our stone accumulation and write-off was set up in our budget. $1,943.87 covered the total bills, labor and material against this revolving fund. $1,943.87 was charged off for stone products utilized within the year, to the several accounts coming under the head of the Public Works Department, for the purposes for which this stone as charged, was utilized. Thus on January Ist the account stood as $2,000.00 and on Decem- ber 31st this account had expended $1,943.87, which had been returned to it December 31st, leaving the revolving fund perfectly intact for further use.
In addition to the stone which was charged off, our operations for the year demanded the use of 402 1-3 tons No. 2 store, 297 1-3 tons No. 1 stone, 204 tons peastone, and 15 1-3 tors dust. These materials charged at lesser prices than we can purchase for irdicate within the year our stone plant contributed to the department work what would amount in a business to $1,118. 39 just for one phase.
In addition to this, excellent managemert allows our stone plant to enter 1934 in good condition to take advantage of every opportunity of furnishing substantial returns to the City on their investment.
Here again it must be recognized very excellent use has been made of welfare labor as it was available for the purpose of aiding our operations under this account.
CLOSED ACCOUNTS
Curtis Avenue Construction, account had a balance carried over of $214.32 which was closed by a transfer voted on April 10, 1933 to the Allen Avenue Construction account.
Pleasant Street Improvement account which had a balance carried over of $692.85 was used to very good advantage when transferred to the Allen Avenue Construction account and thus closed.
The Layout and Construction of Payson, Baltic, Clarence and Fourteenth . Streets account carrying a small balance of $80.33 was cleaned up. A needed tar application was placed and finished Fourteenth Street, and the culvert header on the side wall taken care of on Baltic Street, so that the work was completed successfully and the account closed.
WATER DIVISION-MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION
The strict economy program which we were under orders to carry out was definitely indicated in the reduced maintenance payroll item. A direct effect of the depression on this division was shown by sharp reduction in new water services and other related efforts.
Definitely economy in appropriation indicated the need for increasing where possible revenue, and our meters, being the cash-register for the division, their overhaul and replacement had as much attention as was allowed by funds available.
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ANNUAL REPORT
It should be recorded here that in several localities direct effect of the Wading River water could be traced through meter overhauling.
Only work which was absolutely necessary was carried out on maintaining buildings and the question arises as to the effectiveness of this policy as true economy, irsofar as work delayed on building maintenance usually increases the need for even greater expenditures at a later period.
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