USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Andover > Town annual report of Andover 1921-1925 > Part 25
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Respectfully submitted,
ABBIE S. DAVIS
Custodian
152
TOWN OF, ANDOVER
TWENTY-SECOND ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS
EMBRACING THE THIRTY-THIRD ANNUAL REPORT OF WATER COMMISSIONERS AND TWENTY- FIFTH ANNUAL REPORT OF SEWER COMMISSIONERS
FOR THE YEAR ENDING
DECEMBER 31, 1922
ANDOVER, MASS. THE ANDOVER PRESS 1923
WATER COMMISSIONERS 1889-1899
*JOHN H. FLINT
*JAMES P. BUTTERFIELD *FELIX G. HAYNES
SEWER COMMISSIONERS
1893-1894
1894-1899
*WM. S. JENKINS
*WM. S. JENKINS
JOHN L. SMITH
CHARLES E. ABBOTT
*JOHN E. SMITH
BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS
1899-1902
1903-1906
*JOHN H. FLINT
*JOHN L. SMITH
*WM. S. JENKINS
*FELIX G. HAYNES
-
*JOHN L. SMITH
*JAMES P. BUTTERFIELD
*FELIX G. HAYNES
1906-1907
*FELIX G. HAYNES
*JOHN W. BELL, Treas.
JAMES C. SAWYER, Sec'y
*LEWIS T. HARDY
*HARRY M. EAMES
1908-1912
*LEWIS T. HARDY
*JOHN W. BELL, Treas.
JAMES C. SAWYER, Sec'y
ANDREW McTERNEN
WILLIS B. HODGKINS
1914-1916
THOS. E. RHODES ('19) BARNETT ROGERS ('16)
*LEWIS T. HARDY ('16)
ANDREW McTERNEN, Sec'y ('18)
WILLIS B. HODGKINS, Treas. ('18)
1917-1918
BARNETT ROGERS ('19) THOS. E. RHODES ('20) ANDREW McTERNEN ('18)
CHAS. B. BALDWIN, Sec'y ('19) WILLIS B. HODGKINS, Treas. ('18)
1919-1920-1921 ARNETT ROGERS ('22) WILLIAM D. MCINTYRE ('21) ARTHUR T. BOUTWELL ('22)
PHILIP L. HARDY Sec'y ('21) THOS. E. RHODES, Treas. ('23)
1907-1908
*FELIX G. HAYNES
*JOHN W. BELL, Treas. JAMES C. SAWYER, Sec'y
*LEWIS T. HARDY
ANDREW McTERNEN
1913-1914
*LEWIS T. HARDY ('16) BARNETT ROGERS ('16)
ANDREW McTERNEN ('15)
THOS. E. RHODES, Sec'y ('14) WILLIS B. HODGKINS, Treas.(15)
1916-1917
BARNETT ROGERS ('19) THOS. E. RHODES ('17) ANDREW McTERNEN ('18)
CHAS. B. BALDWIN, Sec'y ('19)
WILLIS B. HODGKINS, Treas. ('18)
1918-1919
BARNETT ROGERS ('22) ANDREW McTERNEN ('21) PHILIP L. HARDY ('21)
CHAS. B. BALDWIN, Sec'y ('22)
THOS. E. RHODES, Treas. ('20)
1922
THOMAS E. RHODES ('23) PHILIP L. HARDY ('24) WM. D. MCINTYRE, Treas. ('24) ARTHUR T. BOUTWELL ('25) EDWARD SHATTUCK ('25)
SUPERINTENDENT
FRANK L. COLE
Deceased.
*JOHN L. SMITH
*JOHN W. BELL
*LEWIS T. HARDY
JAMES C. SAWYER
2
REPORT OF BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS
To the Citizens of the Town of Andover, Mass .:
Your Board of Public Works herewith submits its annual report for the year ending December 31, 1922.
This is the tenth annual report of the Board under its reorganiz- ation and includes the twenty-sixth annual report of the sewer system, the thirty-fourth of the water system and the tenth of the Highway and Park Departments, since they have been under the jurisdiction of the Board of Public Works.
ORGANIZATION
Mr. Arthur Boutwell was re-elected to the Board for the term of three years and Mr. Edward Shattuck was elected for the same period.
The Board met on March 13, 1922, and organized as follows: Chairman, T. E. Rhodes.
Secretary, Philip L. Hardy.
Treasurer, William McIntyre.
Mr. Frank L. Cole was appointed as Superintendent for one year and George Dick as his assistant.
WATER DEPARTMENT
During the past year there were two extensions made to the water main, one on Tewksbury Street, Ballardvale, Mass., and one on Carmel Road, besides additions made in Shawsheen Village, the cost of which was borne by the American Woolen Company.
The 6-inch main on Lowell and Haverhill Streets was replaced by a 10-inch main; the cost of this work was paid for from receipts of the water bonds which were issued in 1922. There is still approximately two thousand (2000) feet of this main to lay. The
3
cost of these various jobs together with the exact amount of pipe laid will be found in the Superintendent's report.
In connection with the new construction on Main Street all the old water service pipes were renewed and the old style hydrants replaced. There were two new hydrants added in West Andover near valuable property of the American Woolen Com- pany.
The detailed account of the expenditures for this department will be found in the Superintendent's report. The greater part of the appropriation and receipts from water rates was used in regular maintenance expense.
During the coming year we expect to install a new pumping unit at the Haggetts Pond station, the cost of which will be carried by money received from the sale of bonds remaining from the forty thousand ($40,000.00) dollars issued last year.
We feel that the Water Department is in very good shape. A very large percentage of our services are metered and we expect this spring to install a measuring device on the main coming from the Haggetts Pond station, by means of which we may be able to check up the efficiency of the pumps, as well as the presence of any large leaks in our mains.
The Board would recommend the sum of ($2500.00) twenty five hundred dollars and receipts for service pipe and the sum of thirty-seven thousand ($37,000.00) dollars for maintenance for the ensuing year.
A detailed account of the estimated expenditures in the maintenance of the Water Department will be found in the Superintendent's report.
THE WATER BONDED DEBT
The bonded debt of the water system on January 1, 1922, was one hundred and seven thousand dollars ($107,000.00). During the year 1922 there was a Forty thousand dollar ($40,000.00) issue of bonds floated to be used in making additions and changes in this department, which added to the existing bonded debt makes the total bonded debt of this system January 1, 1923, one hundred and thirty-one thousand dollars, ($131,000.00).
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Of this indebtedness $30,000.00 is redeemable by the sinking fund which on January 1, 1923, amounted to $27,410.00.
The sum of $750.00 should be appropriated for the sinking fund for the year 1923.
SEWER DEPARTMENT
There has been very little work done in the construction of new sewers during the past year with the exception of sewers laid and paid for by the American Woolen Company. The sewer on Lowell Street which was started late in 1921 and upon which the work was stopped on account of weather conditions, was finished in the spring of 1922.
As we were directed by a vote of the town at the last March meeting, we have had the question of sewage disposal of the Town investigated by expert engineers. The firm of Weston & Sampson of Boston Mass., was employed to do this work and we are giving below an extract from their report.
REPORT OF WESTON & SAMPSON
On July 26, 1922, your Honorable Board instructed us to make a study of methods for disposing of the sewage of the Town of Andover, and to give our opinion regarding the most feasible method for doing this work. We have completed our study, and present the following report: -
Present Conditions
It is unnecessary to state that the present conditions at the sewage disposal works, apart from those resulting from the development of Shawsheen Village, call for relief. The present works treat only the portion of the sewage of the Town discharged through the high-level sewer and produce a low-grade effluent as the accompanying results of analysis of a sample collected on September 23, as well as those made by the Department of Health, indicate. The remaining sewage flows to the pumping station at Shawsheen Village, and instead of being pumped through the force-main to the disposal works as was planned, is discharged directly into the river without treatment.
5
We are informed that the American Woolen Company proposes to establish not only large mills and a mill village, but the offices and residences of its executives. The part of the village already constructed is good evidence of the serious purpose of the company.
It is the duty of the Town to care for the sewage from this village, and the American Woolen Company has offered to con- tribute to the cost of a sewer to the Merrimack River provided the waste from the Shawsheen Mills be taken care of with the sewage from the whole town. Therefore, not only the disposal of the domestic sewage, but of the industrial waste, must be considered.
Estimated Population and Volume of Sewage
In making our estimates of population and quantity of sewage, we have taken into consideration the plans of the American Woolen Company and the probable development of Shawsheen Village. Should the development of this village be as its pro- jectors plan, the Town of Andover, which has grown slowly in the past, may be expected to grow rapidly in the future. Our estimates of population and volumes of sewage are given in the following table and are illustrated by the following diagram:
1
6
TABLE 1-ESTIMATED POPULATION AND VOLUME OF SEWAGE
VOLUMES OF SEWAGE
Year
Population
Gallons per capita per Day
Gallons per Day
.
1922
8,490
83.9
711,000
1923
9,010
84.2
759,000
1924
9,590
84.8
815,000
1925
10,100
85.1
867,000
1926
10,600
85.7
908,000
1927
11,190
86.1
963,000
1928
11,700
86.6
1,012,000
1929
12,130
87.1
1,057,000
1930
12,720
87.7
1,115,000
1931
13,270
88.2
1,170,000
1932
13,800
88.9
1,226,000
1933
14,300
89.4
1,278,000
1934
14,850
89.9
1,334,000
1935
15,350
90.4
1,387,000
1936
15,900
90.9
1,445,000
1937
16,360
91.4
1,495,000
1938
16,950
92.0
1,560,000
1939
17,400
92.4
1,609,000
1940
18,000
92.9
1,671,000
1941
18,450
93.4
1,722,000
1942
19,000
93.9
1,783,000
1943
19,550
94.4
1,845,000
1944
20,100
94.9
1,906,000
1945
20,600
95.4
1,965,000
1946
21,100
96.0
2,025,000
1947
21,600
96.3
2,080,000
1948
22,100
97.0
2,142,000
1949
22,600
97.4
2,200,000
1950
23,100
98.0
2,265,000
Sewage Disposal Schemes
We have made studies of several schemes of sewage disposal which we have named as follows:
Scheme
Brief Description
A Imhoff Tank, Trickling Filters and Appurtenances, located about 600 feet north of the present settling tank; first cost $110,000.00.
7
Scheme
Brief Description
B Same as Scheme A, but located one half mile up the brook from the Shawsheen Village swimming pool, and requiring a force-main from the present pumping station and a sewer from the works to the Shawsheen River. First cost $155,000.00.
C Like Scheme A, but located on the triangular area north of the Shawsheen River in both Andover and Lawrence. First cost $122,500.00.
D Imhoff Tank to treat the total sewage, the treated sewage to be discharged on present sand beds, supplemented by a trickling filter and appurtenances. First cost $80,000,00. E Discharged into Merrimack River through an outfall sewer from the present pumping station at Shawsheen Village, as suggested by John Franklin, C. E., supple- mented after five years by treatment before discharge into the river in Imhoff tanks located as in Scheme C. First cost $150,000.00; additional cost of tanks and beds, $50,000.00.
F Imhoff Tank with sludge beds located as in Scheme C, and discharging into Shawsheen River with sewer from tank to the Merrimack, to be built when volume equals 1 Mdg. First cost $50,000.00. Additional cost $135,000.00.
G Same as Scheme E, without provision for tank treat- ment. First cost $150,000.00.
Industrial Waste
We are informed by Mr. John Franklin, Engineer of Shaw- sheen Village, that the proposed Shawsheen Mills will discharge a maximum of 2,000,000 gallons of industrial waste daily. As most of this volume would be discharged within the ordinary working day of ten hours, a sewer capacity averaging 4,800,000 gallons in 24 hours would be required. However, as the discharge of waste may be at the rate of 4,000 gallons per minute or 5,760,- 000 gallons per day, a sewer capacity equivalent to this higher volume should be provided. A sewer for carrying the combined industrial waste and domestic sewage should have a capacity of from 8,500,000 to 9,000,000 gallons in twenty-four hours. This
8
is equivalent to a diameter of 24 inches. For the domestic sewage alone, a 16-inch sewer would suffice. The 16-inch sewer would cost $150,000.00 and the 24-inch sewer $230,000.00. Therefore the additional cost of sewer construction to care for industrial waste would be $80,000.00.
It would be possible to use Imhoff Tanks and trickling filters and dispose of the industrial waste with the domestic sewage either on the present site or nearby, - Schemes A, B, C and D, - but because industrial waste would be more difficult to purify than domestic sewage, the cost of construction per million gallons of capacity, daily, would be increased 25% and the cost of operation by at least as much. This is because larger tank space and filter bed area and more labor are required for the more concentrated industrial waste.
Choice of Scheme
It is obvious that if the volume of sewage could be predicted with accuracy, the method of sewage disposal could be chosen readily. Consequently much depends upon the growth of Shawsheen Village, and good judgment must be used in this regard.
Without Shawsheen Village, Andover might be expected to grow but slowly for the next few years, afterwards more rapidly with the extension of the zone of suburban residence to the north of Boston. On the other hand, if we accept the predictions of some of the representatives of the American Woolen Company, the population may increase by 10,000 in less than ten years. Our estimates of population and of concomitant volumes of sewage represent our best judgment, based on existing evidence.
From the standpoint of cost, it would be cheapest for the Town to dispose of its sewage by passing it through settling tanks directly into the Shawsheen (Scheme F), until the volume of sewage should reach one million gallons a day, and afterwards to discharge it through an outfall sewer into the Merrimack River. This plan should be followed if it were believed that Shawsheen Village might not develop enough to warrant the expense of going to the Merrimack. But the development of Shawsheen Village would have to fall far short of the expecta- tions of its promotors before it would be less economical to
9
construct an outfall sewer at once and give up the existing dis- posal works.
In order to carry out Scheme F, it would be necessary to take from the American Woolen Company land on the north side of the river which they have planned for other uses. Therefore it could not be carried out without the Company's approval. Furthermore, the alternate schemes, D, C, and E, which involve the disposal of the sewage on the present site or near it, also might interfere with the plans for Shawsheen Village because of the inevitable local nuisance of the works or the need for the land itself for development.
Therefore in view of all the facts, your engineers recommend the disposal of the sewage by discharge though an outfall sewer into the Merrimack River, Scheme G. For domestic sewage alone, including that from Shawsheen Village, a sewer 16 inches in diameter would be required. This size might be increased to care for manufacturing waste. Should purification by subsidence in tanks be required in the future, this could be effected, Scheme E, at an additional cost of about $50,000.00.
Pollution of the River at Shawsheen Village
On January 6, as requested by your Honorable Board, we re- ported on the sanitary condition of the Shawsheen River. This report was the result of an intensive study of the river from Ballardvale to Shawsheen Village and included an investigation of the industrial plants at Ballardvale and below.
The results of our investigation show the Shawsheen River to be moderately polluted with sewage and with industrial wastes. No nuisance exists at the present time, but the appearance of the stream and its suitability for fine manufacturing would be bettered if a portion of the waste from each of the three lower plants could be diverted into the proposed trunk sewer, that from the Smith and Dove Manufacturing Company's mill and from the Tyer Rubber Company's factory through the Main Street sewer into the town system, and that from the Marland Mills through a private sewer connected with the Shawsheen Mill and thence pumped into the outfall sewer.
Conditions at Ballardvale are reasonably satisfactory at the present time. The time may come, however, when it shall be
10
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advisable to dispose of the textile waste from the Ballardvale Mills by the usual tanks and beds, and the dye-factory waste from the Beaver Manufacturing Company by treatment with lime, followed by subsidence.
Because the conditions of Shawsheen River demand no special consideration at this time on the part of the Town, and because the mill owners probably possess proscriptive rights to dis- charge their wastes into the stream, the Town might well leave the question of the reception of a portion of the wastes from the Marland Mills into the outfall sewer with the waste from the Shawsheen Mills, to the two corporations immediately concerned.
The building of the outfall sewer would improve materially the character of the Shawsheen River below the existing disposal works.
Recommendations
As a result of their study, your engineers recommend that the Town of Andover construct an outfall sewer from Shawsheen Village to the Merrimack River, the sewer to be laid in the most economical location. It is further recommended that the size of this sewer from the Village to the river be increased to 24 inches to accommodate the industrial wastes from the Shawsheen Mills, provided the American Woolen Company assume its fair share of the cost of construction and operation. It is further recommended that the Town cooperate with the American Woolen Company by receiving into the outfall sewer under proper legal safeguards, a part of the waste from the Marland Mills along with the wastes from the Shawsheen Mills and arrange to care for a part of the wastes from the Tyer Rubber Company and the Smith and Dove Manufacturing Company by the town sewers, provided satisfactory agreements with the interested riparian owners can be made.
Respectfully submitted, WESTON & SAMPSON Consulting Engineers
We feel that this work should be carried out during the ensuing year and there is an article in the warrant asking for a bond issue of $150,000.00. This amount and the amount of $65,000.00
11
promised to us by the American Woolen Company, if the sewer is carried to the Merrimack River, it is estimated, will cover the cost of this work.
At the last town meeting $5000.00 was appropriated to defray the expense of the special engineers employed to investigate this problem. Of this amount we have paid $1572.34 and we would recommend the appropriation of the unexpended balance to cover the remainder of their expense.
THE SEWER BONDED DEBT
The bonded debt of the sewer system January 1, 1922, was $113,000.00. During the year $7000.00 was paid from the Town Treasury on this indebtedness, leaving a total indebtedness of the system on January 1, 1923, $106,000.00.
Of this amount $30,000.00 is redeemable by the sinking fund which on January 1, 1923, amounted to $23,005.01.
The sum of $1000.00 should be appropriated for the sinking fund for the year 1923.
HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT
Under the maintenance appropriation the usual work was done during the year 1922 as follows: Gutters, catch-basins were cleaned out, roads patched, repaired and the Tarvia roads blanketed where necessary. There were several drains installed and also some culvert work. There were a good many wash-outs during the year which caused a very considerable expense.
Under construction the only new work done was the rebuilding of Phillips Street, a detailed cost of which will be found in the Superintendent's report. Owing to the unusual expense in the maintenance department we found it necessary to transfer the sum of $7586.64 from the Construction Department which ac- counts for the fact that we were not able to do more construction.
Under the bond issue of last year Main Street was reconstructed from the square to the top of the hill and the report on this work is as follows:
RECONSTRUCTION OF MAIN STREET
At the annual meeting of March 13, 1922, the Town voted the sum of $100,000.00 for the reconstruction of Main Street, be- tween Chapel Avenue and Campion's corner, the work to be done under the direction of the Board of Public Works.
12
The State Board of Public Works, through the late J. N. Cole, offered to assist us in drawing up plans and specifications and calling for bids. We accepted their offer.
On April 11, 1922, the State Board of Public Works called for bids to be opened on April 25, 1922.
On April 25, 1922, all the members of the local Board of Public Works were present at the opening of the bids.
The bids called for unit prices on all items in the specifications of two schemes. Scheme (1) required a granite block pavement on a concrete base throughout the entire distance to the junc- tion of School and Main Streets; above that to Chapel Avenue, macadam. Scheme (2) required a reinforced concrete pavement between Morton and Chestnut Streets, the rest of the way, granite block pavement on a concrete base. The Board took the awarding of bids under advisement.
At a meeting of the Board on April 28, 1922, the matter of awarding bids was considered and it was voted to construct Main Street, according to the plans and specifications of Scheme (1). The contract was awarded to M. McDonough Company Swampscott, Mass., that company being the lowest bidder.
Work was started by the contractor on May 31, 1922, and was completed about November 1, 1922. The time limit for the completion of the job was August 15, 1922, but on account of unavoidable causes the time limit was extended. The cost of reconstruction of Main Street under Scheme (1) is as follows:
Paid on contract
$106508.32
Paid contractor for extra work
4634.83
Advertising for bids
44.85
Wooden stakes for engineers
31.28
C. B. and M. H. frames and covers
357.50
Pay roll of engineers
2394.00
Trimming curbs
78.34
Certification and preparation of bonds
215.00
Incidentals
197.77
Total
$114461.89
Credits
304.74
Total cost of job
$114157.15
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The Board feels that the demand for better roads is increasing year by year and the traffic going over these roads is also increas- ing. Owing to these indisputable facts it seems that the appro- priations for the use of the highway department should be in- creased instead of decreased. According to this policy we recommend the appropriation of $80,000.00 for the Highway Department for the ensuing year; $40,000.00 of this is for new construction and $40,000.00 for maintenance. The increase of $10,000.00 for maintenance over last year's appropriation is accounted for by the very excessive cost of snow removal which we have encountered the last winter which is estimated at from $10,000.00 to $12,000.00.
PARK DEPARTMENT
The sum of $1200.00 is recommended for the maintenance of the Park Department for the ensuing year.
ROGERS BROOK
At the last annual Town Meeting on March 13, 1922, the Board of Public Works was required to bring in a report and recom- mendation at the next annual meeting, of the conditions of Rogers Brook.
The capacity of this brook between the park and Bartlet Street is insufficient to take the flow of water in extreme stormy weather and thaws. We would recommend that the culvert on Chestnut Street be replaced with one of greater capacity. The brook between Chestnut Street and Bartlet Street made much wider and deeper.
We are informed by counsel that, as the Town is an abutter and user of this brook, the Town could cooperate with the other abutters in bearing the expense of this work. But the Town would not be justified in bearing all the expense.
THOMAS E. RHODES PHILIP L. HARDY ARTHUR T. BOUTWELL WILLIAM D. MCINTYRE EDWARD SHATTUCK
14
REDEMPTION OF BONDS
To redeem Water Loan
No. 3 due 1923
$10000.00
No. 4 “ 1925 15000.00
No. 5 " 1928 5000.00
WATER SINKING FUND
CR.
Balance Jan. 1, 1922
$35333.23
Appropriation March, 1922
750.00
Interest on Deposits
1326.77
$37410.00
Redemption of No. 2, 1922
10000.00
$27410.00
Dr WATER LOAN DEPOSITS
Andover National Bank
$16339.25
Andover Savings Bank
11070.75
27410.00
To redeem Sewer Bonds, due 1928
30000.00
CR. SEWER SINKING FUND
Balance Jan. 1, 1922
$21042.05
Appropriation March, 1922
1000.00
Interest on Deposits
962.96
23005.01
Balance Jan. 1, 1923
23005.01
Dr. SEWER LOAN DEPOSITS
Andover National Bank Book No. 2 23005.01
NOTE: In addition to the above bonds we have $101,000 Serial Water Bonds, and $76,000 Serial Sewer Bonds.
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SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT
To the Board of Public Works:
GENTLEMEN: -
I herewith submit the thirty-fourth annual report of the Water Department, the twenty-sixth of the Sewer Department and the tenth of the Highway and Park Departments, together with a brief summary of work performed in each department for the year ending December 31st, 1922.
WATER DEPARTMENT
We have added during the year 1922 to our main pipe lines, 1272 feet of 6-inch pipe on Tewksbury Street, B. Vale, at a cost of $2009.54 or about $1.58 per foot. On Carmel Street 409 feet of 6-inch pipe. There were several yards of ledge on this job and a ditch full of water most of the time. This work cost $968.10 or $2.37 per foot; 809 feet of 6-inch pipe was laid for Phillips Academy. On Lowell Street we have added 6367 feet of 10-inch pipe from the West Church to Shawsheen Village. On Haverhill Street 1736 feet of 10-inch pipe was laid but this work was stopped on account of frost. There still remains about 1980 feet to lay in the spring. Pipe has been laid on eight different streets for the American Woolen Company. They furnished the pipe, did all the digging and back filling but the town laid the same, set gates, the necessary hydrants and supplies, charging for all work done. The following table will show the streets on which pipe has been laid together with number of hydrants and valves set during the year.
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