USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Attleboro > Reports of town officers of the town of Attleborough 1934 > Part 19
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Within the funds provided it was of course impossible to purchase economic- ally in the quantity necessary to make up a carload of our standard cast-iron B. & S. water pipe. The city government recognized this fact and was sparing in authorizing new extensions.
Three six-inch extensions authorized were placed-one on Verndale Avenue in April for a distance of 168 feet-one on James Street from Mulberry Street nortnerly. made necessary to accommodate a house which had formerly been receiving service in a manner different than allowed within the present regulations for a distance of 156 feet, and on Linden Street for a distance of 50 feet to ac- commodate a new house being built. These six-inch extensions totaled 374 feet.
Late in the year an industrial expansion at the General Plate Company was studied in conjunction with the operators of this plant and the city government. Arrangements were made in accordance with the regulations governing water- takers to extend in Field Road, a private way, an eight-inch line with necessary gates and appurtenances. The line was practically completed as the year turned every effort being made to work in coordination with this plant, then in active operation, so as to maintain a minimum of interference and permit an unin- terrupted payroll. The recorded length of this extended line is 427.2 feet.
It should be borne in mind, of course, that all of this work has reduced very considerably the amount of water pipe on hand usual for extensions. In the natural course of events, if any further work of size of a main line nature is to be carried on in the coming year, this stock must be replaced.
The labor item under this account was kept at a minimum through the intelligent and judicious application of welfare help available. Please record in your minds the fact that at the present writing, with the circumstances of labor present in the E. R. A. expansion, the task of assembling and coordinating any welfare labor program hangs on so many loose ends that it warrants your con- sideration before expecting accomplishments therefrom. The problem is entirely different than it was only a little over a year ago, before the Federal government operations, over whose regulations we have no control, were present in the com- munity.
As was authorized this account carried a proportionate part of the cost of a new Fordson full crawler tractor purchased late in the current year. The balance of our material expenditures under the account were for valves, hydrants, lead, jute, gasoline, kerosene, exploders and other items, as tools and implements necessary for carrying on the work.
It may be readily observed that against the lineal feet of mains added to our system, the unit cost, based upon our expenditures, was extraordinarily low, whereas the actual valuation as listed, when reasonably priced, improved the water system properly from an investment basis.
Carried over as the year began there was a small amount of labor which necessitated an expenditure under our current Main Line Extension account in the amount of $17.56 for Ashton Road water lines.
When the City Council met on November 13, 1933, they authorized an ex- tension in answer to a petition of a water main in a direction northerly from the northerly end of the water pipe-line already existing on Ashton Road to accom- modate new construction. At the same meeting they also authorized a main line extension between West Street and Lincoln Avenue on Ashton Road.
Arrangements were made for this work to proceed after it was approved by the Mayor on the twenty-third of November, 1933. While preparation was in
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process, the C. W. A. program was hurled into our theatre of operations as was outlined in the 1933 report. The problem of having the money available go as far as possible to permit the carrying on of such C. W. A. work as would give, in the winter months, the most valuable return to the most labor it was possible to employ, caused a change in the Ashton Road work accomplishment as the Mayor submitted the Newport Avenue project, so called, to include some water pipe work on Ashton Road.
The project as outlined by the Mayor in obtaining the Federal aid on this street eliminated the southerly dead end connecting Lincoln Avenue with West Street in Ashton Road. The very sensible benefits obtained from this S" ex- tension, aggregating in length 238 feet with necessary gates and appurtenances, have been previously outlined.
On the extension northerly from the northerly dead end in Ashton Road 122 lineal feet of 8" pipe line was completed to accommodate a petitionel handling new construction.
Both of these Ashton Road jobs, as the history indicates, were carried out very early in the year.
As pipe deliveries permitted, the work on Newport Avenue, in accordance with the history outlined in the 1933 report was carried on early in the year as part of a C. W. A. project. It will be recalled, of course, that the provision of funds for this work had already been taken care of. We were allowed to complete our projected plan to the extent of laying 4,498 lineal feet of 8" pipe and making proper connections with our crossings, thus completing the task as planned ex- cept for looping up for circulation our ends on the westerly side of the four-lane cement road.
Included was thirty-eight feet of 12" pipe, nine new hydrants with gates, the specials and fittings required in the projected plan and a special brook- crossing.
Material began to be hauled into this job by the thirteenth of January and it was swinging along in good shape by the twentieth of that month.
Few people not connected with our sort of work, can realize the excellent and skillful supervision which permitted these water pipe lines mentioned on this government aid project to go forward in the severest winter we have had in years successfully, and without any appreciable damage or loss.
These facts are noted to differentiate on the record of other communities who tried similar tasks without success. The personnel engaged, therefore, earned and deserve a compliment on their accomplishments.
Later in the year the question of water service for some scattered houses on the westerly side of Newport Avenue along the four-lane cement road was brought to the attention of the city government. The water committee and the Mayor were unable to ascertain a method of obtaining funds sufficient for the projected 12" extension in the development of this area. Federal aid was again sought and obtained. Such 2" pipe as was required to handle the immediate needs of the property-owners abutting the westerly side of Newport Avenue who desired water was then placed. This was done under an E. R. A. project, the government supplying the labor and the City the materials. All of this project was completed without an additional appropriation on the part of the City in the latter part of the year.
As we pull out of the depression and the locality develops, the original plan will have to be carried out to give adequate service. This will mean providing gridiron supply in sufficient quantity for the locality needs as developed.
WATER MAIN EXTENSIONS AND REPLACEMENTS IN PINE AND EMORY STREETS AND NEWPORT AVENUE WATER MAINS
On each of these accounts deferred insurance charges were written off. In August the balance available under this first account amounting to $343.43 was transferred to the Highway Maintenance and Operation account.
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On the Newport Avenue Water Mains account an additional deferred motor charge was written off.
SEWERS-MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION
In the 1934 budget there was appropriated the sum of $3,400.00 for our sewer system, consisting of $3,000.00 for the filter beds and $400.00 for the repair and care of sewers. In addition to this amount, $500.00 was voted from the Excess and Deficiency account in November to allow the completion of work then underway in definitely improving the sewerage system.
For the maintenance and operation of the system a fixed charge of $100.00, payable in accordance with the City ordinances, for the water used in flushing and clearing blockades was taken care of. The regular spring and fall flushing of one hundred and sixty-one dead ends and the removal of blockades or other causes for complaint in the main pipe line system was handled at a cost of $370.73.
When work is performed always with the necessity for staying within avail- able funds present, the permitted operations on the pipe-line system do not allow work along lines desired in best practice, long overdue and much needed at this time. Arrangements should be made for the complete overhauling and cleaning of our entire sewer pipe-line system. In addition, to this, the trunk line concrete pipe trestle and crossing at Hebronville should be put in first-class condition without delay. Funds required should be provided at once. Not only is the need present for this kind of a job in our sewer pipe system but it is an excellent business proposition and one which the system has earned. A fair investigation of its costs during its life will definitely prove these facts.
Over a period of years, with figures available from the State Department for communities on a comparable basis, it will be seen that this branch of your public service has been maintained at an annual cost so low that it distances all com- petition.
Taxes to the amount of $88.70 were paid to the Town of Seekonk and the City of Pawtucket to cover sewer division real property located therein.
For the year 1934 the sum of $1,226.80 was paid the caretaker at the sewer beds. The reconditioning work which was mentioned in the report covering the year 1933 was carried on in a major way with E. R. A. assistance and in such fashion that while marvelous results were obtained the City's expenditure in actual cash, as measured against the job, was unbelievably low. Uninitiated observers, who have no familiarity with the detail such circumstances require in working our coordinations of this kind, are utterly unable to appreciate the very excellent and positive benefits which all of our tax-payers received, in most cases without even knowing it, in the carrying out of this work project. Even to one experienced, only a careful analysis reveals the consistent advantages obtained for the City of Attleboro.
In order that our recommendations written in a prior report could be carried out and the rehabilitation for the remaining sixteen beds could be completed, it was necessary to obtain financial assistance for the City's portion of this cost. The City's contribution in the matter of material and equipment on a rental basis is sizeable when measured properly and equated in dollars and cents. Few of our people or members of our government seem to recognize the direct value gained which can logically be built into plant assets, greater than the figures recorded indicate when reporting department expenditures.
Under the date of May 2, 1934, approval was obtained for the initial E. R. A project for improving and reconditioning the remaining sixteen filter beds. Extensions were granted to carry this work along to and through the end of the year, the last being approved under the date of December 8, 1934, to carry over and do some clearing up. Included in the project was cleaning and the provision for rotating intensively the small number of beds available during the work of going over and reconditioning the sixteen beds left from last year. The work
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included the removing of sludge and grading of same at the dump, excavation of the filtration sand present which was heavy and clogged and the refilling of the sixteen beds with new sand, also the removal of tight areas not taken care of in original construction.
The department, bearing in mind the location of the work, made an effort to maintain here as many men as possible from the Hebronville, Dodgeville and South Attleboro districts, so they could save carfare.
SHAW AVENUE SEWER
In years past, prior to surfacing the street, this department had been in- terested in completing a sewer extension on Shaw Avenue. Abutting property- owners had objected. This year opinion in that locality had a reversal. On petition, a sanitary sewer was voted for Shaw Avenue. In July, 1934, money was provided to cover its cost on our engineer's estimate. Work was carried out in October and early November at a cost below the engineer's estimate. This was because once more the department, by skillful planning was able to utilize facilities which our engineer had no means of foreseeing. It meant a saving of dollars and cents to the tax-payers in this community.
PUMPING STATION DIVISION
Under the Pumping-Station account in the budget for this year a figure was appropriated amounting to $18,733.20. The first control, covering the salaries of the chief engineer and his three assistants, was handled by the city government. It was found, owing to the basis of the payroll make-up, that the amounts given had to be amplified to carry out the strict payroll requirements, no allowance having been made in the original budget covering overtime positively required on the lap present because of our state law regulations on a force whose coverage is so tightly drawn on these men taking care of our water pumping operations. After the matter had been explained in detail to the finance committee of the Municipal Council, funds were provided to follow the normal procedure. Few people appreciate the fact that the permanent personnel in numbers covering our water pumping has not been added to in spite of the need, due to the necessity for having to cut in and out on Wading River supply when necessity requires.
A careful study was made of fuel conditions for the South Attleboro station, as well as of the power story at West Mansfield. A saving was made over 1933 so that expenses within this sub-division were taken care of by the account itself.
For the year 1934 at the South Attleboro pumping-station 380,253,000 gallons of water were pumped. The largest day in total for both stations for the year was July 16, 1934, when 1,853,00 gallons of water were pumped. The smallest day for the year was September 2, 1934, when 870,00 gallons of water were pumped. The fuel charges directly apportioned against this South Attleboro pumping station for coal were closely held in check.
At the Wading River for the year 1934, 59,964,000 gallons of water were pumped. During the first quarter of the year 28,386,000 gallons of water were pumped and out of this amount 300,000 gallons were pumped to waste testing wells for Whitman and Howard, while 188,000 gallons were pumped to waste keeping the force main line flushed and free. For the balance of the year out of the total mentioned above as being pumped at the Wading River station, 1,103,000 gallons of water were used in flushing our the force main being of course pumped to waste. This gave us a total of water utilized for flushing mains and testing wells at the Wading River station of 1,591,000 gallons for the year.
During the first quarter of the year additional to the power charges fuel oil for heating the Wading River plant had to be supplied. The light charges due to running the usual midnight to eight a. m. shift amounted to $28.86, for this
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quarter. During the second quarter of the year the April power charge was slightly in excess of the minimum set for the power rate basis for the plant, while May was practically the minimum. In June, however, we once more began the summer draught which builds up the need for what help we can obtain from this plant. The electric light bills for the second quarter were small, most of the light being used in June. Power bills were present while fuel oil charges were not. In the third quarter we had an expenditure in July for electric lighting and for power. These charges were reduced in August for lighting and power, while in September we went back to the minimum charges, both on the lighting and the power. In the final quarter of the year we once more have present fuel oil charges in October and in December. Minimum power charges were held for the whole quarter, with light bills increasing again from the minimum as the year got older.
Taxes, insurance, telephone and other miscellaneous charges must be con- sidered at this plant at Wading River on the premises of our water department operations. Repeatedly we have asked for records to properly set up Wading River charges but Mr. Van Valkenburgh never saw fit to turn them over to us. Repeatedly, since the plant began operation we have recommended that insofar as the results obtained from it were unsatisfactory, a complete and immediate study should be made and steps taken at once to eliminate the trouble, reduce costs and permit our people to have good water; also allow the department to return to such an efficient basis as our record of accomplishment at South Attle- boro indicates we deserve. There are factors in our fire protection and elsewhere which make pertinent all phases of our water supply as it affects our community life and industry which I believe should be recognized by our government in waiving prejudice and obtaining proper beneficial action forthwith.
On No. 3 and 4 boilers at the pumping-station at South Attleboro there has been considerable work done. This must be expected due to their great age and continuous service. It was essential in July to appropriate $350.00 along with $300.00 already provided in the sub-division under the budget for boilers to pro- tect the account for work potential or in process. In the forepart of the year some work was done by the Wholey Boiler Works in setting three new tubes on the No. 3 boiler. The cleaning of this boiler, boiler gaskets, boiler compound, soda ash, lime, packing and plugs, took up considerable of the money originally pro- vided. Late in May the Waite Construction Company made considerable repairs on the No. 3 boiler by taking down the front wall over the doors and re- placing same with door arches and jambs, using first quality brick and cement to lay up same, taking down fire brick lining in fire box to the first sound header on the two side-walls and replacing with first quality fire-brick laid up in fire-brick cement and sealing between the fire-brick and boiler drum with asbestos. The No. 4 boiler, after cleaning, had a small job done by the Wholey Boiler Works in June, replacing a boiler bushing. An overflow valve was supplied by the Schutte-Koerting Company for the No. 5 injector, while Pope and Read furnished a brass elbow for the No. 4 boiler. In July the Schutte-Koerting Company did a sizeable repair job on the injector on the No. 4 boiler.
In July the Refractories Specialties Co., Inc., was awarded a job totaling $327.00, from which a 5% discount was allowed if paid before August 5, 1934. This included a great deal of work on the No. 4 boiler, tearing out brick work on sidewalls and replacing same with QUIK PACH, plastic tearing out face of bridge wall and replacing with QUIK PACH plastic, removing all material from front arch and replacing with QUIK PACH plastic, removing area that was pulled away from wall-left hand side wall over the bridge wall and replacing after keying same, with QUIK PACH plastic, removing old rear arch and replacing same with Perfecto Rear Arch covering same with 2" of insulation as well as the rear of the shell of the boiler, removing fire brick on inside rear wall that was bulged and sealing inner wall before replacing area with new fire brick laid in Sairset High Temperature Cement, removing fire brick on inside right hand wall adjacent to clean-out door and including door arch that was bulged and replacing same with Siraset Cement, repointing all brick work back of bridge wall and within fire box
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and wash-coating same with Sairset Cement, removing outside right hand wall adjacent to rear wall that was bulged and cracked section on rear wall where gasses were leaking through and after keying same and sealing, replacing with new red brick and removing left hand top corner of boiler wall adjacent to rear arch where gasses were passing through and keying and sealing this area with fire brick and red brick. All of this work was handled to the satisfaction of the chief engineer, under whose direct supervision it was, and allowed us to return this boiler to service. The really difficult part of our old fixed steam plant repairs of the kind included for this year lies in the fact that we have no adequate guarantee that the rest of the plant can be continued for a further reasonable life. I recom- mend studies by the city government toward modernizing South Attleboro with- out delay. It should be noted that the most of this boiler work took place at that part of the year when our pumping was at a high rate and in considerable volume during the summer months.
On our pumping units the usual minor repairs were taken care of. Such lubri- cating grease as was needed was obtained. Packing as required was taken care of. A set of 288 Valves was purchased for the Snow Pump. New brushes for one of the small motors at the Wading River were bought. A bill was paid to the Worthington Pump and Machinery Company in the amount of $198.62 for valve washers, spring seats, etc., for the Snow pump engine. In April we had a man from the Franklin Machinery Company working on the Snow Pump plunger which, as has been recorded in recent years past, has given us considerable trouble. The record bears out the rigid economy which we have been forced to at both of the pumping-stations. It bears out the definite recommendation consistently made by the department for the proper modernization and co-ordination of our water pumping apparatus. This not only from the standpoint of the con- venience to be obtained for the public from the service but also with the demands in mind which are placed during the year upon this equipment calling for such improvement as will safely, adequately and completely take care of the com- munity under all reasonable circumstances and yet again at emergency peaks.
Light, phone and incidentals were taken care of as occasion demanded.
A major item under the sub-division, Care of Equipment, Grounds and Beds; had an expenditure of $175.00 covering essential chimney repairs at the South Attleboro pumping-station which, of course, could no longer be put off. Oil burner repairs were made at the Wading River. A tractor charge for work done in and about the south station was taken care of. The usual charges for electric light bulbs, wiper cloths, Venturi and other kinds of recording charts, etc., which are needed to keep the plant running were handled.
The work done under chimney repairs at the South Attleboro pumping- station included removing a core-wall approximately two feet to bring the top of the core-wall about four inches below the outer casing and capping off core-wall with concrete cap. The outer casing was taken down somewhat and rebuilt because of loose bricks on the corners. The outer wall was capped with a four inch by six inch concrete cap reenforced and properly pitched to insure its proper functioning. Whatever pointing was necessary was done for about ten feet down from the top. The work was carried out to the satisfaction of the chief engineer at the plant, in its completeness.
Lubricating oil for all of the machinery, such as engines, pumps and motors' was provided of a kind and quality satisfactory to the forces using it, in such quantity and at a cost as was deemed reasonable for the work accomplished.
The need for taking care of the filter beds, so called, at South Attleboro, is important. Neither the public nor the government seems to recognize this importance. The factors which control this essential task are so many and, in proportion as to the result obtained, so clearly outside of human influence that I deem it a duty to recommend prompt attention be given these facts. Judgment, based on knowledge, long experience and a far-flung series of studies has for years and is today successfully tiding the community over precarious recurring situations. The writer has the responsibility aided by his plant chief.
.
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Action is needed for obtaining without delay first, a real filtration area for the South Attleboro plant and secondly, the necessity for said filtration plant having an elastic control which will remove the elements of uncertainty that impair efficiency and which are outisde of local jurisdiction but for which we must assume the responsibility.
During the current year advantage was taken of all possible means to utilize labor, regardless of source, to hasten the cleaning. The matter was of such importance, in view of conditions, that I believed it an emergency. To prevent any misunderstanding the heads of such forces as aid was obtained from were so notified. The net result, of course, was not only a quick, competent job, without loss of time when numbers were needed, but a very sensible saving in dollars and cents to the City. Any cost analysis neglecting consideration of all of the facts concerning the labor utilized, as well as the disposition of trucking and other charges, would of course be useless if one wanted the truth. Such dollars and cents advantages cannot obtain in the future. The work is very important, positively necessary and must be done well, with the best means available, regardless of strange ideas on costs which emanate from inexperience and pre- judice.
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