USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Attleboro > Reports of town officers of the town of Attleborough 1935 > Part 14
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15
The Street Lighting account for this year covered the usual annual bill for street lighting, in addition to those lights added during the year which were authorized by the city government and ordered through the Mayor's office.
In our Water Division the maintenance of buildings item covered the repair of the roof at the water-barn, painting of same, repairs to windows at the water- barn, and flush-tank repairs at the pumping-station and cottage at South Attle- boro. Roof coating for the water-barn was purchased, in addition to smaller items used on repairs at this plant. Shop and Barn charges consisted of fuel for the water-barn, light, phone, etc. These were the larger items. Other ex- penses under this heading covered minor expenditures which were necessary in keeping the plant in good working order. Insurance items covering fire insurance for the water-barn and contents, public liability, workmen's compensation, liability and property damage on autos and fire insurance on the pump and boilers at the South Attleboro pumping-station were given attention under the insurance account. Our fleet of trucks under the water division was kept in good running order at a remarkably low cost. Repairs on trucks, registrations, chains, tires and tubes, etc., are some of the larger items under this account, in addition to gasoline and oil. This year an old Model A 1929 Ford truck which had outlived its usefulness was traded in as an allowance toward a new Ford Pick-up truck for use in our water department operations.
New meters were purchased and replacements made up to the limit of the funds available under this account. Extensive work on meter overhauling was carried out, parts being purchased and paid for under the maintenance of material account of the Water Division. Other expenses under this account included brass service valves, goosenecks, stop and wastes, couplings and other fixtures necessary to the operation of this branch of our work.
The Incidentals account under the Water Division was kept as low as pos- sible for the current year. Taxes were paid under the sub-division in the budget to Mansfield, Foxboro, North Attleboro and Attleboro. Control of these tax items are outside the jurisdiction of this department.
Thirteen 1-inch and four 2-inch new services were laid this year under Ser- vices. One 6-inch fire service was also placed. There were forty-nine 1-inch services replaced, twenty-seven being replaced from the main to the street line, five from the street line to the house and seventeen from the main to the house. There was one 12-inch service replacement from the main to the street line. There were also two 1-inch service extensions during the year, one from the main to the street line and the other from the street line to the house.
194
ANNUAL REPORT
Under our Main Line Maintenance account line-gate leaks were taken care of, gates were cut in and hydrant positions extended where necessary and other main line repairs were made. Hydrants, parts for same, fittings and fixtures, hydrant paint and grease and miscellaneous other items to properly maintain this branch of our work were purchased. Wherever the work called for it mains were lowered to accommodate same.
Under orders from the city government water main line extensions were made in Andover Avenue from Newport Avenue easterly to serve property- owners in that section. Road work on East Fourth Street called for thereplacement of an existing small main with six-inch pipe in the latter part of the year.
The Newport Avenue Main Line Extension account (C. W. A and E. R. A.) took care of proper deferred charges. The same applied to the Newport Avenue Water Mains account.
Under the Pumping-station division in our budget the salary item was given a cut by the city government. Fuel for the South Attleboro station was purchased after tests had been made as to the quality of the coal desired. Power and light charges for the West Mansfield station, due to its more extensive opera- tion, were paid as rendered, no change having been made in regard to the mini- mum charge for power at that plant. The oil, light and telephone items remained practically the same as in other years.
The filter beds at the South Attleboro pumping-station were given their usual essential cleaning at the most advantageous period for this work. Material charges such as wiper cloths, electric light bulbs, Venturi charts, floor-brush, daily work-charts, metal polish, hedge shears, etc., made up the bulk of the ex- penditures under Care of Equipment, Grounds and Beds. Expenses for labor cleaning the boilers and material to keep them in good working order are listed under the Boilers account in this sub-division. Under Pumps, rubber valves and packing for the air-pump at the Wading River, valves, bushings, grease, bolts, nuts, screws, as well as a relief valve for the force main, were purchased. The Incidentals account carried miscellaneous items which had, of necessity, to be charged here.
Our pumping records indicate 384,009,944 gallons of water were pumped from our South Attleboro plant. From the Wading River source there were 68,380,000 gallons pumped, making a total pumpage for the year from both plants of 452,389,944 gallons of water. This total includes flushings.
An E. R. A. project for improving and reconditioning our sewer filter beds was completed in January of this year. However, there is still great need for improvements at this most essential plant. Arrangements should be made without delay for the complete overhauling and cleaning of our entire sewer pipe-line system as recommended by this department on numerous prior oc- casions. Also, the trunk line concrete pipe trestle and crossing at Hebronville should be repaired without delay.
Spring and fall flushings of sewers were taken care of as usual by this department. Sewers were rodded out and blockades were removed from our pipe-lines where necessary. The usual charge, fixed by the city ordinances, for water used in flushing and clearing of blockades was paid to the Water Depart- ment.
The caretaker at the beds in Hebronville received, as will be noted in the accompanying statistics, the sum of $1,213.40 for the year. The work at the sewer beds included weeding and raking in the beds, removing and levelling off sludge and filling in with new sand. Taxes were paid to the Town of Seekonk and the City of Pawtucket when bills for same were rendered. Insurance items covering public liability and workmen's compensation were taken care of under the Sewer Division expenditures.
195
ANNUAL REPORT
On December 31, 1935 there were a total of 1,861 sewer connections serving 2,073 buildings in our system.
Charged against the Shaw Avenue sewer account were some deferred charges for material to replace some used on the work.
The Rifle Range account under the current budget was maintained in an economical manner through co-operation between the department and the com- manding officer of the local National Guard unit. The expenditures under this account include a tax bill, range charges for riflemen from the local company when they qualify for State work and labor and material necessary for the proper maintenance of the Deantown rifle range.
The North Main Street and Commonwealth Avenue Widening account was carried over from 1934. The expenditures under this account covered de- ferred charges for material used on the work and proportionate parts of repair bills for trucks used on the work. Early in October the sum of $9,600.00 was transferred from this account to an account for the construction of North Main Street from Sanford Street to the northerly line of the land of Interstate Transit Corporation, by a vote of the Municipal Council.
The Emory and Pine Street Improvement account, also carried over from 1934, covered expenditures for Binder "B" asphalt used on track removal ap- proaches at the intersection of Emory and Pleasant Streets, as well as top stone used on these approaches, gasoline, stone forks, sand, proportionate part of a tire bill and repair bill for trucks used on the original work, as well as many miscellaneous items properly chargeable here. This account also, late in the year, carried a transfer of $4,310.30 for County Street Drainage and Construction E. R. A. work.
The Construction of Bushee Street account, carried over from 1934, had a smail expenditure on the materials side for the welding of a cab on Mack No. 4 and a proportionate part of a repair bill for the Mack No. 5. These trucks had been used on the Bushee Street work. These charges closed the account.
The Adamsdale Avenue Reconstruction account, a carried-over account from 1934, covered expenditures for truck repairs, tires and tubes, gasoline, oil, steel, shovels, telephone charges, proportionate part of bill for Ford dump and pick-up trucks, as well as other smaller items used on the work. In the spring of the year sidewalks on this street were excavated, spread with gravel and graded.
Under the Park Street Reconstruction account, which was carried over from 1934, and closed out this year, deferred charges for material such as shovels, tires, tubes, truck repair bills, gasoline, etc., were taken care of. The labor item covered rolling gravel at the Forest Street yard E. R. A. project, this yard having been used as a base of operations while the Park Street work was in process.
The Construction of Hazel Street account, also closed out this year, had expenditures for material and labor which were practically the same as for the Park Street Reconstruction account, only in lesser degree.
The Improvement of Mechanic Street E. R. A. account was made possible by the transfer of funds from the E. R. A. Projects account early in May by the city government. The work on this street was extensive and consisted of re- setting curb, building basins, working on sidewalks and roadway, spreading gravel and dust and constructing a 7" stone base, penetration asphalt type, improved road surface. The material covered sand, stone, cement, gasoline, truck repairs, shovels, pick-handles, lanterns, tires, tubes, Binder "C" asphalt, etc., all used on the work and chargeable against the account.
Work on the Improvement of Pond Street E. R. A. account was accomplished, after recommendation by this department, by the transfer of funds from the E. R. A. Projects account early in May of this year. An existing 6" water main
196
ANNUAL REPORT
and services were lowered and hydrant relocated to accommodate the new road work on this street. The roadway was excavated and graded as were the side- walks, the span of the work being between Leedham and West Carpenter Streets. Tarvia "B" was placed on the roadway. The material covered that which was used on the work such as valve boxes, Tarvia "B", truck repair bills, lead pipe, extension for Corey hydrant, shovels, lanterns, blade for the grader, gasoline, kerosene and motor oil, in addition to a multitude of other items too numerous to mention here. Both this work and the Mechanic Street work had the advantage of labor assigned to us from the Federal government payrolls.
Just prior to the Pond Street improvement work the sum of $2,000.00 was voted for Pond Street E. R. A. drain work from West Carpenter Street to a point four hundred feet north of Knoll Street. Ten-inch, twelve-inch and fifteen-inch vitrified clay, salt-glazed drain pipe was purchased and laid within the limits of the work. Basins were built and a head-wall constructed near the ice-house. The material purchased under the account consisted of drain pipe, curb inlets, manhole rings and covers, grates and frames for catch-basins, sewer brick, gaso- line, kerosene, oil, shovels, etc. An E. R. A. project cared for the labor on this work.
The E. R. A. Sidewalk Project, brought forward from 1934, had expenditures for cement and expansion joints to be used on E. R. A. sidewalk work. The balance of the charges covered labor unloading the cement, a proportionate part of a storage bill for the compressor and the repair of a cement-mixer.
Under the Leroy Street Improvement account, carried forward from 1934, there was a materials item covering a proportionate part of a bill for a grader and a Ford dump truck, the ones which they replaced having done a great deal of work on this project.
In February of this year the Municipal Council voted an appropriation of the sum of $53.74 to be paid to Mr. Henry Richardson for gravel used on North Avenue and West Street while work was going on in that locality. This made up the North Avenue Gravel account and was in response to an estimate made up by this department.
In response to a vote of the Municipal Council in August of this year re- flector signs and guard fence were purchased under an account labeled Bridge Street Bridge. The signs were set at the railroad bridge on South Main Street in Hebronville and the wooden fence repaired, scraped, painted and replaced where necessary on the Bridge Street river bridge. Under the Hebronville Guard Fence account, voted in conjunction with the Bridge Street work, material was purchased for fence repair at Smith's Brook on South Main Street.
After recommendation by this department, the Municipal Council, early in October, voted the sum of $550.00 from the E. R. A. Projects account for the Construction of Bliss Avenue E. R. A. The roadway and sidewalks were ex- cavated and graded and a first application of Tarvia "B" was placed. The materials purchased consisted of Tarvia "B", kerosene, motor oil, cement for a walk at Cutler's on Bliss Avenue, gasoline, and various smaller items necessary on the work.
Work was started on the South Main Street Improvement account late in the year after transfers had been made for same from the Reserve Fund for Transfers account, E. R. A. Projects account and the Excess and Deficiency account by a vote of the Municipal Council. Ties were moved, the rails having already been pulled, and excavation started in the track-bed at Atwell's Curve. Gutters were paved at this location. Work on excavation, removing excavation and ties, etc., was then started between the Seekonk line and the Hebronville railroad bridge. This work will be reported on further in the coming year.
Upon recommendation by this department the Municipal Council early in July voted from the Reserve Fund for Transfers the sum of $500.00 to be used for the Construction of Ruggles Street E. R. A. account. This work was done in con-
197
ANNUAL REPORT
junction with a Federal project which provided the labor for the work. The roadway was excavated, graded and gravel spread on same. The sidewalks also were graded and given a gravel treatment. A first application of Tarvia "B" was then placed.
At the same meeting the Municipal Council voted the sum of $400.00 from the Reserve Fund for Transfers for the Construction of Central Street E. R. A. account. As in the case of Ruggles Street, this work was tied in with a Federal project which took care of the labor item. The roadway was excavated and graded and treated with a first application of Tarvia "B". Sidewalks were graded and given a gravel treatment. Material used on the work was charged against this account. It will be necessary to give the street a second application of Tarvia "B" in the coming year.
Under the North Avenue E. R. A. Drainage and Oak, Pleasant, Horton Streets and Gustin Avenue E. R. A. Drainage accounts, both carried over from a previous year, deferred charges for truck repairs, tires, shovels, batteries, sewer rods, curb inlets, jute, nails, and a multitude of other items, all of which were bought to replace those used and worn out on these two projects, were taken care of. Tranfers to the Lower West Street Drain account were made from these two accounts.
The North Avenue Special account, originating in 1934, which was set up as the City's contribution toward a Federal project to cover the North Avenue rail removal job, was used for the most part for the payment of bills for Tarvia "B". The roadway was excavated, scarified and rolled up to the city line and the road surface treated with tar application, after the removal of street car rails which had taken place in a previous year.
Late in the year 1934 a special account was set up on the motion of the sidewalk committee chairman for the purpose of constructing cement sidewalks and curbing, etc. No details were furnished this department concerning the purpose of the appropriation. This account covered such labor and materials as were used on projects which could not properly be charged to the Sidewalks and Curbing account.
In October of this year, by a vote of the Municipal Council, the sum of $4,000.00 was transferred from E. R. A. Projects account, subject to the vote of the Municipal Council to cover the cost of materials, equipment and supervision on a Federal aid project involving drainage work at Hebronville. The labor, except for supervision, was to be supplied by the Federal government. The work would provide better drainage facilities for that area on South Main Street between the Seekonk line and Hebron Avenue. Work was started in this section as soon as material had been purchased and delivered. Approximately twelve hundred linear feet of main line had been laid by the end of the year. Basins were built near the Seekonk line and opposite Goff Street. In the coming year work will be resumed immediately, when the weather permits.
This year, after repeated entreaties from this department and members of the city government, rail removal was finally begun in the center of the city by the company owning the street-car lines. Legal details on title of rails and other technicalities had held up the Federal award, it was our understanding, but these were overcome. Rails were pulled and ties removed starting on Park Street, continuing down South Main and Mill Streets to Union Street, thence to Pleasant Street as far as Emory Street at the intersection. The work was continued from the Union and Park Street intersection easterly about two hundred feet, thence westerly to the Park Street arch. The track-bed was excavated, filled with gravel and graded. Bottom and top stone was placed and Binder "B" asphalt was applied. The intersections at County, Park and South Main Streets and North Main Street were rounded and resurfaced. On North Main Street the work was continued northerly to Academy Street, thence further northerly to Sanford Street and on County Street southerly from the intersection of Park
198
ANNUAL REPORT
and South Main Streets to the bridge at Balfour's shop. The railroad arches at Park and Mill Street required the application of Bermudez asphalt. When one considers the size of the appropriation for this work and the marvelous improve- ment there is present, in addition to the greater amount of ground covered than was originally planned, it is quite apparent that careful and constructive planning had to be done by this department. As noted in a prior report, the sum of $3,250.00 was set up in 1934 late in the year for this surfacing following rail removal.
As has been mentioned before in this report under the account North Main Street and Commonwealth Avenue Widening, the sum of $9,600.00 was trans- ferred from said account on October 1, 1935 to the North Main Street Construc- tion account, from Sanford Street to the northerly line of the land of the Inter- state Transit Corporation. This work was positively required, inasmuch as the area from the intersection at Park, North Main and South Main Streets northerly to Academy Street and from Holden Street to Commonwealth Avenue had been improved in a satisfactory manner. This work was to be done in conjunction with a Federal project which was submitted but for which governmental approval had not been granted up to the end of the year. Materials such as drain pipe, curb inlets, catch-basin grates and frames, manhole covers and frames, sewer brick, cement, jute, shovels, pick-handles, culvert pipe, etc., were purchased immediately when notice of the appropriation was transmitted to this depart- ment. Test-pits were dug, and a head-wall constructed at manholes at the river bridge. Ten, twelve and fifteen-inch vitrified clay, salt-glazed sewer pipe was laid from the manhole at the river bridge southerly. Basins were con- structed, curb reset and the work had progressed to a point on North Main Street at Peck Street at the turn of the year. It is hoped that Federal approval will be forthcoming early in 1936 in order that the work may proceed to a success- ful finish.
The 1925-27 Street Widening Loan account, carried over from other years, served a useful purpose during the current year when the street-car rails were removed from the upper South Main Street area and the South Main, County and Park Street intersection. This account, which originally was intended to care for this area, was utilized for the work which was done on South Main Street ir excavating and filling the track-bed and placing of asphalt penetration. The bulk of the expenditure was for materials used on this work, in addition to many deferred charges properly chargeable to the account.
As reported in 1934, by means of a transfer from the Excess and Deficiency account late in that year, the sum of $4,000.00 was set up by the city government for the construction of Ashton Road. The actual construction work was carried over into the current year, however. The drain line was constructed from West Street to the northerly line of Lincoln Avenue. Work was then started on ex- cavating, removing subsoil and spreading gravel in the roadway. Sidewalks were given a gravel and dust treatment and were graded on both sides of the street. A first application of Tarvia "B" was applied in the roadway, after which it was dressed with sand cover. A stone masonry retaining wall was constructed at the Millard property, as part of an E. R. A. project which cared for the bulk of the labor on this project. In the coming year it will be necessary to give this street a second application of Tarvia "B".
The Ashton Road Construction account, being practically completed except for this second application of tar and cleaning up, allowed the transfer in August of this year of $2,200.00 to the East Fourth Street Improvement E. R. A. account. This street had been laid out from County Street easterly by a previous vote of the Municipal Council under the date of June 4, 1935. The work on this project was carried out in conjunction with a Federal project which furnished the labor necessary, except for supervision. The drain line was extended from County Street, basins and manholes constructed where necessary and round corners set at the intersection. The roadway and sidewalks were excavated, graveled and
199
ANNUAL REPORT
graded. Gutter paving was also taken care of. The work was fairly well com- pleted at the end of the year except for surface treatment which will take place as early as possible in the coming year.
The West Street Construction account, carried over from 1934, was made possible by a vote of the Municipal Council which allowed the transfer of the sum of $15,000.00 from the Excess and Deficiency account for the purpose of covering the cost of construction of standard penetration type pavement on West St. between No. Main and Water Sts. Street-car rails having been removed, as well as ties, and gravel refilling done, as soon as the weather permitted work was started on excavating, scarifiying and rolling the roadway. Sidewalks were graveled and graded. Basins were rebuilt and new ones constructed and the drain line extended between the bridge and Water Street. Bottom and top stone were hauled in and placed and a 7" stone base, standard penetration type asphalt road surface constructed. Guard fence was placed at the river bridge on West Street. The job was completed to all practical purposes this year, except for finishing up and the charging off of deferred charges which, of necessity, belong here.
On August 23rd, upon recommendation from this department, the sum of $1,100.00 was transferred and credited to an E. R. A. Drainage project on lower West Street and Read Street; $450.00 of this amount to be transferred from the North Avenue E. R. A. Drainage account, and the balance of $650.00 to be trans- ferred from the Oak, Pleasant, Horton Streets and Gustin Avenue E. R. A. Drainage account, by a vote of the Municipal Council. The work consisted of the laying of twelve, fifteen and eighteen-inch vitrified clay, salt-glazed drain pipe, with the necessary manholes and catch-basins from the Seven-Mile River at the Read Street bridge, crossing West Street at Read Street and thence running westerly to the intersection of West Street and the Old Post Road. The improve- ment in drainage facilities for this section, long since recommended, is indeed a great one and one which residents in this locality seem to appreciate.
In May of this year, after repeated recommendations by the department, we were informed that a project for rail removal in South Attleboro village, carrying from the ice-house driveway at Orrs' Pond through to Washington Street, had been approved and authorized by the E. R. A. authorities. In order that the work might start it was necessary that the City put up some money. In accordance with the materials figures as submitted the sum of $9,202.50 was recommended by this department as one which could reasonably be expected to allow the work to begin. Therefore, under the date of May 21, 1935, the following vote was passed by the city government :- "Voted that the sum of $9,202.50 be transferred from E. R. A. Projects account, subject to vote of Municipal Council to be applied to the rail removal project in South Attleboro Village in accordance with the recommendation of the Mayor." Rail removal was then started by the Interstate Transit Corporation. After the rails were removed, ties were pulled and hauled away by this department. The track-bed through the village was excavated and gravel-filled, and a 6-inch stone base penetration type pavement took the place of what had formerly been the car- track area. Gutters were paved and round corners set at the intersections. Stumps were removed and the wood from same removed. A hedge was removed and reset near the Old Post Road to conform with the widening. The inter- section at West Street and the Old Post Road was given careful attention. Side- walks were excavated and given a gravel and dust treatment. Dry rubble masonry retaining walls were built at the Balser and Wightman properties, which were within the limits of the track-bed improvement. Construction of a retaining wall at the Wilbur property will be carried forward to the coming year this work having been held up pending decisions as to the desires of the abuttor at this location. The work under this project was done by labor taken from the Federal government rolls and when all of the factors are taken into consideration it will be noted as an excellent improvement, one which has been long desired and, it is our understanding, is greatly appreciated by those people living in South Attleboro village.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.