USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Andover > Town annual report of Andover 1910-1914 > Part 38
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Pryce, Richard. Jezebel. Richmond, G. L. S. Mrs. Red Pepper.
*Ridge, W. P. Name of Garland.
*Ridge, W. P. Thanks to Sanderson. Rinehart, M. R. Window at the White Cat.
Runkle, Bertha. Scarlet rider.
Sedgwick, A. D. Fountain sealed. Sheehan, P. A. Miriam Lucas. Sidgwick, Ethel. Promise. Sidgwick, Ethel. Succession. .
Silberrad. U. L. Keren of Lowbole.
Spearman, F. H. Mountain divide.
Stevenson, B. E. Gloved hand.
Stockton, F. R. Kate Bonnet. Straus, Ralph. Prison without a wall. Terrell, D. à B. Sister-in-chief. Tompkins, J. W. Ever after.
*Vachell, H. A. Blinds down.
Vaizey, Mrs. J. B. An unknown lover.
Van Slyke, L. B. Eve's other children.
Walpole, Hugh. Fortitude.
Watts, M. S. Nathan Burke. Watts, M. S. Van Cleve.
Webster, Jean. Daddy-long-legs.
Webster, Jean. When Patty went to college.
Wharton, Edith. Custom of the country.
White, S. E. Gold. Whitechurch, V. L. Left in charge.
Wiggin, K. D. Story of Waitstill Baxter.
Woolley, E. M. Cub reporter. Wylie, I. A. R. The native born.
CHILDREN'S BOOKS-NON-FICTION.
973 A129 Abbot, W. J. Story of our navy for young Ameri- cans. Allen, N. B. Industrial studies.
600 A42 917.1 B36 Bealby, J. T. Canada. 973 B57C Blaisdell & Ball. Child's book of American history.
128
REPORT OF BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS
To the Citizens of the Town of Andover:
Your Board of Public Works submit their first annual report, (actual service from May 5, 1913) including the continuance of the old Board of Public Works in this year, the twenty-fifth of the Water System, and the seventeenth of the Sewer System, for the year ending January 12, 1914.
INSTITUTION
The present Board of Public Works was created by the accept- ance, March 3, 1913, of the provisions of Chapter 345 of the Acts and Resolves of 1912; but on account of an error in the method of acceptance, caused by the mis-interpretation of Section 4 of Chapter 345, the acceptance was in doubt. A special Act of Legislature was required to legalize and ratify the acceptance of Chapter 345 of 1912, on March 3, 1913, and to authorize the Town to call a special town meeting for the election of officers for the new Board of Public Works. This Act, also, ratified the acts of all the officers of the departments involved. This Act passed April 15, 1913, and is known as Chapter 493, of the · Acts and Resolves of 1913. The officers of the new Board of Public Works were elected May 3, ,1913, and immediately en- tered on their duties. The election resulted as follows: Lewis T. Hardy, Barnett Rogers for three years; Andrew McTernen, Willis B. Hodgkins for two years; and Thomas E. Rhodes for one year.
ORGANIZATION
The first meeting of the new Board of Public Works was held Monday, May 5, 1913. The organization of the Board was
5
as follows: Chairman, Lewis T. Hardy; Secretary, Thomas E. Rhodes; Treasurer, Willis B. Hodgkins.
WATER AND SEWER DEPARTMENTS
Your Board found the Water and Sewer Departments in excellent condition. These departments were well organized and working efficiently. These departments possessed a complete record of the business of the past, a good accounting system, a knowledge of their equipment and capacity, and always ready for action. The resignation of Mr. F. L. Cole is to be regretted, as we believe that he has been a capable and efficient Superin- tendent and an economical executive of these departments ..
THE WATER DEPARTMENT
For a detailed account of the Water Department see the report of the Superintendent of Water and Sewers. The failure of the Town to authorize the Board of Public Works to sell $10,000.00 worth of water bonds, restricted the amount of water- main extensions. Two petitions for water-main extensions were necessarily refused, viz: the extension on Woburn Street and the other on Bellevue Road.
THE REMOVAL OF THE HIGH PRESSURE PUMPING PLANT
There has been a request to your Board for the removal of the high pressure pumping plant on Bancroft Street to some place that will eliminate the nuisance to the neighborhood. The Board has considered the matter with those interested and are of the opinion that something should be done. The development of this part of the town seems to depend on the removal of this nuisance, and recommend it for your consideration.
THE WATER BONDED DEBT
The bonded debt of the Water System is now $184,000.00, of which amount $50,000.00 is redeemable by sinking funds which amount to $28,083.63. The balance of the bonded debt is paid by annual appropriations by the Town. An appropriation of $750.00 is asked for the sinking funds account.
6
WATER SYSTEM COSTS AND REVENUE
Our present mileage of water mains is 47.70 miles, a gain of .71 miles for the year 1913. With this increase of mileage of water mains there follows an increase of revenue, net mainten- ance, cost of pumping, gallons pumped, number of service-pipes in use, number of meters in use, number of hydrants, and a decrease, in the unit cost per million gallons, with a greater increase of the unit revenue per million gallons. See the Com- parative Table.
The unit cost per million gallons in 1912 was $57.06, the unit revenue per million gallons was $95.99, leaving a profit per million gallons of $38.93. In 1913, the unit cost per million gallons was $56.42, the unit revenue per million gallons was $99.58, leaving a unit profit per million gallons of $43.16, or an increase of profit per million gallons of $4.23.
This is not to be considered as indicating a permanent gain, for if one will examine the Comparative Table he will find more or less fluctuation along these lines. But our increased cost in the item of pumping per million gallons is caused, at least in part, by the fact that the water department, in order to comply with the labor laws of the State; was forced to engage another engineer at the pumping station. This will, of course, affect the cost of pumping in the future.
THE SEWER DEPARTMENT
THE ABBOTT AND MARLAND VILLAGE SEWER PROPOSITION
In accordance with a vote of the Town to recommit the Abbott Village and Marland Village sewer proposition to the old Board of Public Works and report at the next town meeting, the same has been considered. We find that the old Board did go on record March 13, 1913, at their meeting of that date, as recom- mending the adoption and construction of the sewer system according to the plan of McClintock and Woodfall.
Your present Board have not received any petition nor been approached by the parties interested. It is the opinion of the
7
Board, as there has been no demand for it, that the demand should be urgent and necessary to a large part of the community, or that the Board of Health should recommend its construction for the public health, before the proposition should receive serious consideration by the Town. We recommend the dis- missal of the whole proposition.
THE SEWER BONDED DEBT
At the beginning of the year 1913, the bonded debt was $53,000.00 ; $20,000.00 in bonds matured in July, 1913, leaving the bonded debt now $33,000.00. The Sinking Fund is $11,153.85, leaving a net bonded debt of $21,845.15. In 1919, there will mature $3,000.00 of these bonds, and in 1928, the balance of $30,000.00, and an appropriation of $1,000.00 is asked for to be applied to this account.
SEWER EXTENSIONS
The only sewer-main extension this year was a short length on Chestnut Street. There was one applicant for sewer exten- sion on Avon Street, but as the Town had not voted to extend a sewer main on Avon Street, your Board deemed it wise to wait for your authority.
The Board believe that some authority should be given them to extend sewer mains where demanded if practical, and some criterion should be established whereby sewer mains may be extended along streets where only a part of the abutters desire it. It puts the Board in a peculiar position when they have to judge whether or not to extend sewer mains where there is a conflict of interests and no unanimity of demand. The question naturally arises, how many of the abutters should be considered as a sufficient warrant to extend sewer mains along any street. Or should the question be judged by the financial interests on the street? There may be many abutters on a street whose collective expense or tax for the extension of the sewer may be much less than a single abutter who has no use for it. These are questions that the Town should determine and make some rule to govern such cases. This is the opportune time to con-
8
sider this question, for sewer extensions will be constantly de- manded as building increases.
THE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT
Your Board found the Highway Department in a state of dis- organization. A department without a home, without records, without a system of bookkeeping, and without an inventory of equipment. Its integrity as a specific department was apparent and not real. This department was practically without small tools such as shovels, picks, rakes, etc., and the machinery was mostly located on private property and most of it in a state of needed repairs.
The Board's first consideration was to secure a temporary superintendent of streets, and Daniel Webster was appointed. A system of bookkeeping similar to the Water and Sewer Depart- ment was adopted. After considering several applicants for superintendent of streets, the Board finally engaged Mr. G. W. Wood.
The inadequate facilities for sheltering the highway depart- ment's equipment was, in the opinion of the Board, urgent and a necessary step towards economy and efficiency. A building was erected for that purpose on the land adjacent to the building of the water and sewer departments below Lewis Street.
With the housing of the highway department's equipment, with a good system of bookkeeping, and a probable adoption of a method of collecting and recording data of the nature of work done, where done, when it is done, and costs data, the Board has taken the initial step towards organization, economy, and efficiency. Time, the great factor in the measurement of results, will be required to prove the workableness of the reorganization of the highway department.
HIGHWAY CONDITION
Our highways are in a deplorable condition ; in a state of slow starvation. Many portions are water-logged because of poor drainage, and many more are mere water-ways in stormy
9
weather. There are unmistakable evidences that our yearly ap- propriations have been insufficient to replace wear and tear for many years, and a gradual deterioration has been the result. Our parsimony has borne fruit. Radical methods are now neces- sary to bring the roads to a condition required by present traffic. It would require an appropriation of $50,000.00 per year for a period of five years to bring them to the present demand of travel. But this method would be too burdensome and unwise. Why not build our roads as we build our water and sewer system ?- Issue highway bonds and put the work out to contractors. This would be less burdensome and would be more equable. But here we are against the fact that highway bonds can be issued only for ten-year periods, which practically means a "pay as you go " policy. This gives us but little relief, increased appropria- tion is inevitable if good roads are demanded. But good roads are more economical than poor ones; a macadam road is more economical than gravel; oiled gravel more than unoiled gravel. Good roads should be the slogan. We recommend an impartial and unprejudiced consideration of this whole problem at the coming town meeting.
WORK ON THE HIGHWAYS
The work on the highways has been extensive, reaching from the North Andover line on Tucker Street, Highland Road, Elm, Haverhill Street, from the Lawrence line on Union Street, Corbett Street, and the River Road to the Tewksbury line. Under the charge of J. Wagner nearly all streets (44) east of Lincoln Street, Bannister Road, and Woburn Street received some re- pairs, besides the general jobbing, non-street work, and moving the crusher. Under the charge of John A. Haggerty all streets within the Ballard Vale fire limit were cared for. Mr. Joseph Bourdelais had charge of all repairs in the western part of the town to the River Road and to the Tewksbury line. The town has I21 streets containing 175 miles of roadway; it is no ex- aggeration to say that 85 per cent of these streets have received some kind of repairs. This does not mean 85 per cent of the mileage, of course. The character of the repairs has of neces-
IO
sity been surface work; no real constructive repairs could be made without sacrificing much necessary surface repairs. What the town needs is constructive repairing, the elimination of the causes that are destructive to our highways. For years the storms have worked destruction in the same places; the same process of repairs goes on every year. These places should be made storm proof.
THE MAPLE AVENUE PROBLEM
In the year of 1912, a Mr. Samuel Walker built a house oppo- site the culvert on Maple Avenue and caused the water-way to be dammed and turned the water on the roadway, causing much damage. This, also, was a material cause of the washout on Harding Street June 20, and again on August 27. Although this condition was known before last town meeting, nothing was done to provide means for the remedy. Your Board was in- formed of this condition soon after their duties began, and were informed that there was no redress for the Town. Your Board decided to remedy the condition, although the money was much needed on the highways, by carrying the water from the culvert on Maple Avenue under the street in a 15-inch pipe to a point on High Street at the culvert near the residence of Mrs. Katherine McNally. This dra n is connected with eleven catch-basins and manholes. The work began July 28, and was completed Septem- ber 16. The approximate costs, including washout repairs, was $2500.00 This drain, with further extensions on Walnut Avenue, Maple Avenue, and High Street, and eight more catch- basins added, would complete the surface drainage of these streets, and with paved gutters make washouts almost impossible. The Boston and Maine Railroad Company have built two catch- basins and laid large pipes to the brook, thus providing for the drainage above the bridge on Harding Street. If Harding Street was furnished with curbstones and the roadway macadamed from curbing to curbing, washouts on Harding Street would be almost impossible. This would be the most economical solution of this old problem.
II
WHY THE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT HAS A BALANCE OF $1073.70
It is the opinion of the Board that some means should be adopted whereby the Board may have the knowledge of all money available for the Highway Department in season to complete all repairs within the revenue. It was the belief of the Board, from the authority of the Selectmen, that the funds available for high- ways were nearly exhausted early in November, which caused a curtailment in highway work. Had the Board the knowledge that this amount, $1073.70, was available, they would have been able to complete the work contemplated, viz: the macadamizing of Brook Street, Harding Street above the railroad bridge, and the building of two catch-basins, much needed, on Park Street. If this condition exists every year and the balance is not avail- able for the following year, it follows that such revenue is use- less to the Highway Department and cannot be considered as a highway revenue, although intended for the Highway Department.
DUST LAYING
It is the opinion of the Board that the most efficient and economical method of laying the dust on our streets is with oil. But it would be poor policy to oil worn-out streets. The streets to be oiled should first be put in good condition and shape, for the oil would preserve the street as well as lay the dust. The first and second years would require two coats of oil, but after that one coat would, no doubt, do. The following extract, taken from the Massachusetts Highway Commission's Report for 1912, is self-explanatory and verifies our belief in the efficiency and economy of oil :
AVERAGE DAILY TRAFFIC
Light teams
Heavy teams one horse
Heavy teams, two or more horses
Automobiles a day
A good gravel road will wear reasonably well and be economical with Needs to be oiled with Oiled gravel fairly good either hot or cold oil I-2 gallon coating (cold oil must be used yearly)
50 to 75
25 to 30
Io to 12
100 to 150 over 150
75 to 100
30 to 50
20
500 to 700
12
The cost of laying dust on our streets exceeds the revenue by $1115.87, or 100 per cent. The assessment for dust-laying must, therefore, be doubled if it is to be borne by those receiving the benefit.
COMPARATIVE TABLE OF EXPENDITURE AND REVENUE FOR 1912 AND 1913
1912
1913, May 1
Items
Revenue
Expenditure
Revenue
Expenditure
Highways and Bridges
$4000 00
$7136 57
$8265 25
$14127 85
Drains
2235 36
Sale of stone
158 60
Street sprinkling
I198 88
1151 42
984 44
Oil for streets
I282 85
Railroad Taxes
4155 23
4659 56
Macadam.
3000 00
4753 96
2954 69
1417 82
Andover Street
3000 00
2992 26
Salem Street
2000 00
1999 76
Elm Square
597 57
608 09
Horses and Drivers
2295 00
2295 00
2790 55
Salary
I200 00
I200 00
850 00
Miscellaneous
450 00
Sidewalks
1500 00
1649 65
2000 00
1507 04
Oil wagon, etc.
1500 00
1409 30
Snow
1000 00
781 24
455 25
420 59
Sidewalk revenue
143 65
Balances
$24248 93 $23416 53 $25077 27 832 40
$23385 25
1692 02
LOWELL STREET CONDITION
The reconstruction of Lowell Street is absolutely necessary, but it is beyond the means of the town to do it thoroughly. Your Board has caused repairs to be made on a large part of the street to the value of about $1000.00, but this is insufficient to make any noticeable result. From Main to Lincoln Street the highway has been resurfaced and well drained. Two new catch-basins were built and all culverts made workable, and one new culvert built.
Your Board is of the opinion that the State should take over this street as a state highway, and some influence should be brought to bear on the Highway Commission to take possession of it.
13
COLLECTING AND RECORDING MAINTENANCE DATA BY STREETS
The idea of collecting and recording data of work done by streets each day, has been independently carried out by the secretary of the Board on his own responsibility and expense. Its practicability and value, in the opinion of the secretary, is unquestionable, and but little time is required in collecting and recording the data of each day's work. It gives an intelligent survey of the work done each day, and the deductions that can be drawn are many.
The collection of cost data in the actual process of construction is a necessary factor in measuring economy and efficiency. " Comparison of unit cost is the only criterion by which to judge the economic merit of a structure, a machine, or a method of doing work." The data is a record of the past work and costs from which to measure the life of repairs on the highways, and will aid the Board in making estimates for the budget. A sum- mary of the year's work, as given in the table below, gives the taxpayer an intelligent idea how, for what, and where his money is spent.
The method of collecting and recording the data is shown in the forms below. The first is the daily collecting sheet, the second the recording sheet for loose-leaf binder :
Date Sept. 3.
ELM .
Name of Street
Repairs
GRAVEL MAC. PAV.
*
Length 420
Amt Material 24, Stone
New Roads
GRAVEL MAC. PAV.
Water
Sidewalks
GRANOLITHIC CONCRETE GRAVEL
Oiling 1200 Gals.
Bridges
No. Men 8
Gutters
Total Hrs. 86
Walls
No. Teams
Fences
Total Hrs. 38
Culverts
Catch Basins
Roller Hrs. 9
Remarks :
*Tarvia binder on #2 stone.
I4
ANDOVER PUBLIC WORKS-ROAD DEPARTMENT
ELM.
Name of Street
REPAIRS
NEW ROADS
GUTTERS
WALLS
FENCES
BRIDGES
GRAVEL
CON.
GRAN
CATCH BASIN8
GRAVEL
MAC.
PAV.
GRAVEL
MAC.
PAV.
*
DATE
LENGTH
AM'T MATERIAL
WATER OILING
NO. MEN
TOTAL HRS.
NO. TEAMS
TOTAL HRS.
ROLLER HRS.
$
C
REMARKS
/
Sept. 3
420f
24 S
1200g
8
86
4
38
9
217
69
Tarvia binder on #2 stone
.
SIDEWALKS
CULVERTS
SUMMARY TABLE OF MAINTENANCE BY STREETS
Abbot
Sept.
Gravel
Cleaning gutters
$ 15 96
Andover
July
Macadam
Putting Tarvia blanket on
211 60
Argilla
July
Gravel
Scraping and filling
24 00
Avon
Sept.
Macadam
Scraping and taking off waste
29 68
Bancroft
Nov.
Gravel
Repairing culvert
19 12
Bartlet
Nov.
Macadam
Cleaning and repairing culvert
39 46
Brook
Sept.
Gravel
Repairing washout
8 84
Central
Oct.
Gravel
Scraping and cleaning gutters
53 19
Chestnut
Sept.
Gravel
Scraping and repairing sidewalks
159 12
Corbett
Aug.
Gravel
Scraping and raking stones
50 00
Cuba
Aug.
Gravel
Changing grade, excavating bould- ers
Elm
Aug.
Macadam
297 07 Resurfacing, blanket, patching, side- walks
2154 02
Essex
Oct.
Macadam
Cleaning gutters and patching
49 40
Harding
Aug.
Gravel
Repairing washout
60 08
Haverhill
Oct.
Gravel
Patching
45 04
Highland
Sept.
Gravel
Scraping and taking off waste
108 50
High'
Sept.
Gravel
Patching, cleaning, repairing gut-
ters 45 40
Holt
Oct.
Gravel
Patching
6 42
Locke
Nov.
Macadam
Cleaning
3 80
Lowell
July
Gravel
Resurfacing culverts, catch-basins
878 72
Main
June
Macadam
Resurfacing, patching, blanket, cleaning
1620 45
Morton
Sept.
Gravel
Scraping and cleaning
70 90
Orchard
Dec.
Gravel
Taking out stones
2 20
Park
Oct.
Macadam
Cleaning out gutters
19 14
Pearson
Oct.
Gravel
Cleaning and repairing gutters
14 04
Phillips
Aug.
Gravel
Washout, repairing gutters, clean- ing
36 16
Porter
Sept.
Gravel
Washout, scraping and patching
70 24
Poor
Aug.
Gravel
Scraping and raking off stones
43 28
Punchard
Oct.
Macadam
Draining
5 12
Red Spring
Sept.
Gravel
Cleaning out gutters
I 88
Salem
Nov.
Macadam
Cleaning
33 18
School
Nov.
Macadam
Cleaning gutters and culverts
27 62
Shawsheen
Sept.
Gravel
Repairing gutters
8 12
Stevens
Dec.
Gravel
Cleaning out gutters
14 28
Summer
Sept.
Gravel
Scraping, cleaning, sidewalks, fence
Tucker
Sept.
Gravel
Repairing washout and patching
100 30
Union
Oct.
Macadam
Resurfacing
897 00
Wolcott
Dec.
Gravel
Sidewalks
12 24
Walnut
Aug.
Gravel
Washout, paving gutters, sidewalks
498 61
Washington
Oct.
Gravel
Scraping and taking off waste
52 60
Whittier
Oct.
Gravel
Cleaning, repairing sidewalks
3 54
Florence
Dec.
Gravel
Cleaning, repairing sidewalks
12 84
Burnham
Dec.
Gravel
Cleaning
4 20
Jobbing
Aug.
Cleaning catch-basins, and general work
167 23
Crusher
Nov.
Moving
32 80
Non-street work
I21 06
Total
$8242 23
16
The dates in summary indicate when recording commenced or work began. The data is necessarily incomplete and was done as an experiment before presenting to the Board for considera- tion. It covers only part of the work done under the foreman, Mr. J. Wagner, and is only approximately correct. By carefully collecting and recording data, accuracy may be reached, and by adding from time to time features that will suggest themselves to the department, valuable records of our highways will result.
SIDEWALKS
Our sidewalks are in a deplorable condition, especially those we call gravel, which are but mud walks in the spring of the year, or in the frequent periods in winter when the frost tem- porarily leaves the ground.
Your Board is of the opinion that the most economical walk, when measured in the life of the walk, is the granolithic. Al- though the first expense is much greater, the long life of the granolithic more than compensates the difference in costs. But as extensive construction of this kind of walk seems impossible at present, we believe that a coating of cinders put on our present gravel walks would make a great improvement.
ELM SQUARE IMPROVEMENT
Because of some demand for the improvement of Elm Square, your Board has caused surveys to be made, plans drawn, esti- mates of cost made, and present them, by an article in the War- rant, for your consideration. Although your Board has not taken action as to their attitude on the proposition, they do agree that the Town should have the opporunity to consider and dis- cuss the question and determine if the time is opportune for the improvement.
THE PARK DEPARTMENT
Your Board found this department, as in the Highway De- partment, without records, account books, or schedule of its tools. Accounts were opened and are kept in the Board of Public Works, as in all the other departments under their charge.
17
The upkeep of the Park for the past year has been up to past standards. But little improvement has been done to the Park this year. Your Board purchased twelve seats, which were much needed and were well patronized. Your Board caused to be rebuilt thirty feet of the brook wall, which caused the removal of several trees that were in the way. The culvert on Whittier Street was made wider at this point, and therefore eliminated a dangerous condition.
Your Board investigated the proposition of reconstructing the pond as was voted at the last town meeting. After a survey had been made and the problem thoroughly considered the conclusion was that the appropriation was insufficient to do the work in a satisfactory manner. But the Board have caused a plan to be made, and submit it for your consideration and have estimated the cost ($1200.00) for its construction.
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