USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Braintree > Town annual report of Braintree, Massachusetts for the year 1891 > Part 7
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Deeming the services of an attorney necessary in passing upon deeds, releases of suits, etc., the Board secured the services of Andreas Blume, Esq., of Boston.
On May 21, a full and complete settlement was effected with John Cavanagh & Son upon the payment of $17,000.00, and the firm's suit against the town, in the Superior Court, Suffolk County, was withdrawn.
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TAKING THE PROPERTY OF THE WATER COMPANY.
After the settlement of the Cavanagh suit, the committee next gave its attention to the matter of acquiring as speedily as possible, the works of the Braintree Water Supply Company under the terms of the award of the commissioners. The committee felt that immediate action was desirable because of the accumulating of interest on so large a sum of money at six per cent, and also on account of the company not laying service pipes after the date of the decision, thereby causing an inconvenience to parties desiring water service.
COUNTY OF NORFOLK TO SHARE EXPENSE OF COMMISSION.
The committee being of the opinion that the county should pay a part of the expense of the commission which made the award, a request to that effect was made to the Court, and the town was allowed $1,732.50 to be paid by the county of Norfolk.
CONVEYANCE FROM BRAINTREE WATER SUPPLY COMPANY TO THE TOWN.
A consultation was held between the committee and the officers of the Braintree Water Supply Company, and it was decided that on June 1, the town would take possession of the works. As the Water Company had collected rates to July 1, it was agreed that the company should pay to the commissioners one sixth of the receipts of six months, and as the town would collect the meter rates from April 1 to July 1, the commissioners allowed the Water Company two months' meter rates upon the basis of the meter receipts of the previous three months.
The deeds which the Water Company proposed to give to the town were exhibited and were placed before Andreas Blume, Esq., attorney for the Water Board. All changes suggested by Mr. Blume were agreed to by the officers of the Braintree Water Supply Company. With these changes Mr. Blume and the committee were unaminous in the opinion that the deeds offered fully secured to the town all the rights, corporate property and franchise of the Braintree Water Supply Company.
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ISSUANCE OF BONDS UNDER ACT OF 1886.
Under vote of the town passed March 28, the Board issued one hundred water bonds of the denomination of one thousand dollars each, payable in thirty years. Unfortunately being obliged to sell the bonds without delay, they were put upon the market when money rated high, and the Board was unable to secure the premium which they should command.
The Commission disposed of the whole issue to Messrs. R. L. Day & Co., of Boston, for one hundred thousand and seventy dol- lars ($100,070.00).
On June 1, the town consummated the act whereby it obtained what it had so long sought, the ownership of its system of water supply. A conference was held at which there were present, representing the town of Braintree, Hon. James T. Stevens, Dr. T. H. Dearing and John V. Scollard, comprising the Board of Water Commissioners ; Hon. Francis A. Hobart and Thomas A. Watson, Esq., members of Special Committee, and Peter D. Hol- brook, Town Treasurer. The Braintree Water Supply Company was represented by Elisha Thayer, Wm. Wheeler, John Chapman and Charles F. Parks. The terms of the commissioners' award were carried out, as also the arrangement agreed upon as to rates.
The Water Company upon application of the commissioners, allowed the town the amount of bill of damages on account of a break in the main on Washington Street near house of Franklin E. Arnold. All the bonds issued by the Water Company were exhibited to the commissioners and burned in their presence.
As the Act petitioned for by authority of a vote, passed March 28, was not as yet enacted, the Board was not in a position to pay the entire amount of the award from the funds received under the Act of 1886, and from the balance left over from the original fund.
Being desirous that the town fulfil its entire obligation to the Water Company, on June 1, the Water Board secured a loan of $7,200 through the courtesy of Messrs. Stevens, Hobart and Watson, members of the committee.
The deeds given to the town were recorded in Norfolk Registry
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TAKING THE PROPERTY OF THE WATER COMPANY.
After the settlement of the Cavanagh suit, the committee next gave its attention to the matter of acquiring as speedily as possible, the works of the Braintree Water Supply Company under the terms of the award of the commissioners. The committee felt that immediate action was desirable because of the accumulating of interest on so large a sum of money at six per cent, and also on account of the company not laying service pipes after the date of the decision, thereby causing an inconvenience to parties desiring water service.
COUNTY OF NORFOLK TO SHARE EXPENSE OF COMMISSION.
The committee being of the opinion that the county should pay a part of the expense of the commission which made the award, a request to that effect was made to the Court, and the town was allowed $1,732.50 to be paid by the county of Norfolk.
CONVEYANCE FROM BRAINTREE WATER SUPPLY COMPANY TO THE TOWN.
A consultation was held between the committee and the officers of the Braintree Water Supply Company, and it was decided that on June 1, the town would take possession of the works. As the Water Company had collected rates to July 1, it was agreed that the company should pay to the commissioners one sixth of the receipts of six months, and as the town would collect the meter rates from April 1 to July 1, the commissioners allowed the Water Company two months' meter rates upon the basis of the meter receipts of the previous three months.
The deeds which the Water Company proposed to give to the town were exhibited and were placed before Andreas Blume, Esq., :attorney for the Water Board. All changes suggested by Mr. Blume were agreed to by the officers of the Braintree Water Supply ·Company. With these changes Mr. Blume and the committee "were unaminous in the opinion that the deeds offered fully secured to the town all the rights, corporate property and franchise of the Braintree Water Supply Company.
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ISSUANCE OF BONDS UNDER ACT OF 1886.
Under vote of the town passed March 28, the Board issued one hundred water bonds of the denomination of one thousand dollars each, payable in thirty years. Unfortunately being obliged to sell the bonds without delay, they were put upon the market when money rated high, and the Board was unable to secure the premium which they should command.
The Commission disposed of the whole issue to Messrs. R. L. Day & Co., of Boston, for one hundred thousand and seventy dol- lars ($100,070.00).
On June 1, the town consummated the act whereby it obtained what it had so long sought, the ownership of its system of water supply. A conference was held at which there were present, representing the town of Braintree, Hon. James T. Stevens, Dr. T. H. Dearing and John V. Scollard, comprising the Board of Water Commissioners ; Hon. Francis A. Hobart and Thomas A. Watson, Esq., members of Special Committee, and Peter D. Hol- brook, Town Treasurer. The Braintree Water Supply Company was represented by Elisha Thayer, Wm. Wheeler, John Chapman and Charles F. Parks. The terms of the commissioners' award were carried out, as also the arrangement agreed upon as to rates.
The Water Company upon application of the commissioners, allowed the town the amount of bill of damages on account of a break in the main on Washington Street near house of Franklin E. Arnold. All the bonds issued by the Water Company were exhibited to the commissioners and burned in their presence.
As the Act petitioned for by authority of a vote, passed March 28, was not as yet enacted, the Board was not in a position to pay the entire amount of the award from the funds received under the Act of 1886, and from the balance left over from the original fund.
Being desirous that the town fulfil its entire obligation to the Water Company, on June 1, the Water Board secured a loan of $7,200 through the courtesy of Messrs. Stevens, Hobart and Watson, members of the committee.
The deeds given to the town were recorded in Norfolk Registry
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of Deeds. The town now assumed full control of the works con- structed under an Act of 1886, and the existence of the Braintree Water Supply Company became a matter of history.
The committee on litigation, after the settlement with Messrs. Cavanagh and the Water Company endeavored to ascertain facts in relation to a suit instituted by heirs of Nancy White for alleged damages to mill privileges. The committee with the authorities of Randolph and Holbrook endeavored to settle this case on an equit- able basis. From the evidence obtainable, it would seem inexped- ient for the town to take any action in the matter at present other than a defence of the suit.
The only cases remaining unsettled are those of proprietors of mills on the Monatiquot River. The management of these suits is entirely in the hands of the Board of Selectmen.
The committee are confident that the best interests of the town were served by a settlement of the Cavanagh suit as effected, and we voice the sentiment of the town in expressing satisfaction at the termination of the tedious suit between the Water Supply Company and the town.
The undersigned respectfully submit the foregoing as a result of their labor.
JAMES T. STEVENS. T. H. DEARING. JNO. V. SCOLLARD. F. A. HOBART. THOMAS A. WATSON.
The commissioners retained the services of Melvin C. French as superintendent, and of John W. Mulcahy as engineer at the pump- ing station.
RATES, RULES AND REGULATIONS.
In order to profit by the experience of others the Board secured copies of rules and rates from a dozen towns and cities having the reputation of well managed water systems. After mature deliber- ation we prepared a set of rules which we think will operate to the benefit of the town.
As to rates, we found that the charges made by the Water Com- pany were for the most part the same as in neighboring towns.
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We saw fit, however, to make a few changes. In the rates of the company for metered water for manufacturing purposes we found three different rates, according to the amount used. We were of the opinion that it was not wise for the town to levy a higher water tax upon manufacturers than towns in our immediate vicinity, and consequently we reduced the price from an average of about 21 cents per thousand to a uniform price of 15 cents per thousand gallons.
The Water Company also made a charge for automatic sprinkler service. Believing that it would be for the interest of the town to encourage this service in factories, we decided to make no charge whatever. We reduced the charge for garden hose from $6 to $4 per annum. We believe the appearance of our town would be materially enhanced if householders availed themselves more generally of this service.
Also by the general use of hose upon our dusty streets, the town would gain in attractiveness to passers through, as well as improv- ing the highways, by preventing them from breaking up during the dry season.
EXTENSION OF MAINS.
A very general demand existed in the town at the time of the ac- quiring of the works, for an extension of the plant. Very impor- tant sections of the town were not reached by the pipe laid by the Water Company. While it would be impracticable, for obvious reasons, to lay pipe to supply parties in sparsely populated dis- tricts wherever located, the board believed that the pipe line would have to be largely increased in order to meet at all the require- ments of the inhabitants of the town. We also felt that the fire service demanded that the line be extended to streets which con- tained fully as large an amount of property as was situated upon streets covered by the old pipe line.
This demand for extension became so strong, that the following vote was passed by the town : -
Voted, That the Board of Water Commissioners be authorized to make extensions of the water system at such points and in such sections of the town as they may deem necessary, and pay the ex- pense thereof, from any funds available for the purpose, provided
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that no pipes shall be laid and no expense incurred unless said commissioners shall be satisfied that the income will pay not less than four per cent annually upon the cost of construction of said extensions.
In obedience to the feeling in the town upon this matter, so that the spirit of the town's vote may be carried out, and that everybody desiring water service may be treated impartially, the board caused an advertisement to be inserted in the local paper, asking all par- ties not at present reached by the pipe line, and desiring water service, to send to the Board before a certain date, the name of the street which they desired piped, and also the names of householders desiring service, and the number of contemplated fixtures.
In response to this advertisement the Board received several applications which were acted upon according to the judgment of the Commission, and in obedience to the vote of the town.
The Board will here say that it was a delicate matter, and one that caused the commissioners much concern, to decide upon these petitions. It will require little explanation to make it apparent that the revenue being the same in two streets, the situation of one would favor its chances of being piped. We refer to streets in which it was essential to lay pipe so that circuits could be made, getting rid of dead ends, and lessening the chances of the supply being cut off by reason of a break in the main.
THE ELLIOT STREET SECTION.
We received a petition from the residents of the Elliot Street section of the town for an extension to supply that territory. After careful study, although knowing that on account of rock the work would be very expensive, the Board thought best to supply this section, for the following reason, in addition to the guaranteed revenue. This territory lies contiguous to the town of Weymouth, and on the refusal of Braintree to extend the pipe line, the people would ask the permission of our Board to be supplied from the Weymouth main, Weymouth being willing to supply these streets, if Braintree would request them so to do. It would seem an injustice to refuse to supply this territory from our own system, and then to object to their getting water from the neighboring town.
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We believed that either policy would work injury to the town, and for this reason the Board piped that section, and we are confident that this action will do much to maintain the town intact in the future.
CONSULTING ENGINEER.
The Board, before making any outlay upon the extension con- template, feeling the need of a competent engineer, secured the service of Mr. William Wheeler of Boston, whose previous con- nection with the works placed him in a position to be an exception- ally valuable adviser to this Board.
METHOD OF MAKING THE EXTENSION.
We, having just come into possession of the system, and having no tools or conveniences for carrying out as extensive a job as the laying of seven miles of mains, decided to let the work out by con- tract. The Board was decided in the opinion that the agents of the town should purchase the pipe, hydrants, etc., used in the work, allowing contractors to bid on furnishing labor and calking material only. In this manner the commissioners were enabled to get the best of stock, which we believe it is the policy of the town to use.
MATERIAL, ETC.
We had about sixty-nine tons of 6" pipe left over from the Cav- anagh job. There were also left over from this contract sufficient 6" - valves to supply the entire line of extension and 25 hydrants. These hydrants were of a pattern very little used at present, and much inferior to the hydrants on the line, and to those used in neighboring towns. However, as the town suffered so much loss on account of the unused stock left from the old job, and as we would have to sell the hydrants at the price of old iron, the Board decided to set them. They will probaby have to be replaced in a few years.
The Board received bids from several dealers, to supply cast iron pipe, and a contract was finally made with R. D. Wood & Co., of Philadelphia, Pa., on favorable terms.
We received bids from sixteen contractors for laying the mains. The contract was awarded to Mr. Joseph Bruno, of Boston. He
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came to us well recommended, and gave a bond satisfactory to the commissioners, for the faithful performance of his work. Under the contract the price of laying 6" pipe was nineteen cents per foot, 18 cents for 4" pipe, and $3.35 per cubic yard for rock exca - vation.
ROCK WORK.
In our estimate of cost of extension the ledge work was some- what of a doubtful quantity. On this account we largely exceeded the estimate of our engineer in piping Quincy Avenue and the Elliot Street section. We have given our reasons for the impera- tiveness of supplying the latter section, and as Quincy Avenue contains a large amount of taxable property, the advisability of providing a water supply is manifest.
BONDS UNDER AN ACT OF 1891.
By petition of the Selectmen and Water Commissioners under instruction from the town, the Legislature of 1891 passed the fol- lowing Act : -
(Chap. 345.)
AN ACT RELATING TO THE WATER SUPPLY OF THE TOWN OF BRAINTREE.
Be it enacted, etc, as follows :
SECTION 1. The town of Braintree is hereby authorized and empowered to issue from time to time bonds, notes or scrip to an amount not exceeding in the aggregate fifty thousand dollars ; said bonds, notes and scrip to be issued in accordance with the provi- sions of Sects. 11 and 12 of Chap. 269 of the Acts of the year 1886, and for the purpose of enabling said town to complete the purchase of the water works of the Braintree Water Supply Com- pany as therein provided for, to settle any liabilities resulting therefrom or connected therewith, and for making such additions to said works as may be deemed expedient to be made, and to be in addition to the several amounts of bonds, notes, or scrip author- ized to be issued by said town by said Chap. 269, and by Chap. 217 of the Acts of the year 1885.
SECT. 2. The said town of Braintree is hereby authorized and empowered to use, appropriate and apply any money received by it from the proceeds of the sale of bonds, notes or scrip heretofore issued by it under the provisions of said Chap. 217, to the pay- ment of any liability incurred under said last named Act, and any costs or expenses connected with or growing out of such liability,
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as well as to the payment of any liability, costs and expenses in- curred under the provisions of said Chap. 269, and for such ex- tension of its water works as it may find necessary or expedient. Any appropriations of said money heretofore made by said town not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby ratified and confirmed.
SECT. 3. The said town of Braintree is hereby authorized and empowered to take conveyances of certain lands, rights and ease- ments on, upon and over certain other lands lying and being on the borders of and near to Little Pond, so called, in said Braintree, and to hold and enjoy the same to its own use and to the use of its assigns ; also conveyances or transfers of any and all right in and to the waters of said Little Pond by whomsoever held, as provided by the terms of the award of the commissioners appointed under the provisions of said Chap. 269. And the said town is further authorized to take, have and hold, and use the waters of said Little Pond for the extinguishment of fires and for domestic or other purposes.
SECT. 4. The town shall pay all damages sustained by any per- son or corporation in property, by the taking of any land, right of way, water, water source, water right or easement, or by any other thing done by said town under the authority of this Act. Any person or corporation, sustaining damages as aforesaid under this Act, who fails to agree with said town as to the amount of damages sustained, may have the damages assessed and determined in the manner provided by law when land is taken for the laying out of highways, on application at any time within the period of three years from the taking of such land or other property, or the doing of other injury under the authority of this Act: but no such ap- plication shall be made after the expiration of said three years. No application for assessment of damages shall be made for the taking of any water, water right, or for any injury thereto, until the water is actually withdrawn or diverted by said town under the authority of this Act.
SECT. 5. All the duties, rights, obligations and liabilities conferred on the Water Commissioners of said town of Braintree under the provisions of the aforesaid Chaps. 217 and 269 shall vest in and attach to and be performed by one body ; and from and after the passage of this Act one of said commissioners shall be elected an- nually, as provided in Sect. 15 of said Chap. 269.
SECT. 6. This Act shall take effect upon its passage.
(Approved May 20, 1891.)
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TEMPORARY LOANS.
On account of the stringency of the money market during the early summer, the Board thought it a wise policy to borrow upon notes, rather than place the bonds authorized by above legislation, at an unfavorable time. We succeeded, however, in placing the bonds during the fall. As the intention of the town evidently was, that the mill damages incurred under the Act of 1885 should be paid out of the fund authorized by Act of 1891, we issued twenty bonds of the denomination of one thousand dollars each, which are held by the Board to await the final settlement of these suits.
POND STREET 12" MAIN.
The commissioners connected with the system a portion of the 12" main laid by the Cavanaghs from Great Pond. Although the pipe is large to be supplied from a 6" main, still, as it was unused, the Board thought it economy to supply the residents on the street in this method. We secured several takers on this line, and, contrary to our expectation, there seems to be no trouble from stagnant water in the large pipe.
PIPES AND BRANCHES REMAINING FROM THE GREAT POND JOB.
We have made exertions during the past year to dispose of this stock, and have succeeded in placing part of it, as will be seen from the Treasurer's report. We are confident that the balance can be sold during the coming season. As we close the year, we find ourselves in a position to sell the boiler at the Great Pond pumping station.
PUMPING STATIONS.
We have obtained the following table of elevations at different points in the town.
It will be noticed that the high water mark of Great Pond is 110.8 feet above sea level, while the level of Little Pond is 98.3, a difference of 12.5 feet. The high water mark of Great Pond is 2.8 feet above the level at the square at South Braintree.
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APPROXIMATE ELEVATIONS ABOVE MEAN HIGH TIDE (BOSTON BASE). AT SUNDRY POINTS IN BRAINTREE, MASS., AND VICINITY.
Adams Street, centre stone bridge . 43.3
Commercial Street, centre Old Colony Railroad tracks 38.1
Elm Street, summit opposite cemetery .
73.4
Elm Street and Middle Street intersection .
64.2
Elm Street, summit opposite Geo. O. Wales
86.2
Great Pond, high water mark
110.8
Little Pond, high water mark
98.3
North Braintree Station, centre Old Colony Railroad tracks
69.2
North Braintree Station, north-west corner platform, east side of track
68.5
Pumping Station, top south-east corner underpinning
102.5
Quincy Avenue, centre street at Weymouth line
5.8
Shaw Street, centre Old Colony Railroad tracks . 10.9
So. Braintree Square, cover to pump well
108.0
Bench
Standpipe, Braintree, lower edge, bottom plate
163.4
Standpipe, Braintree, top of tank .
263.4
Standpipe, Quincy, lower edge of bottom plate
176.9
Standpipe, Quincy, top of tank
236.9
Top brickwork of manhole, south gallery, Pumping Station
102.1
Washington and Central Avenue, intersection
133.9
Washington and Elm Street junction
77.1
Washington and Elm Street, south-east corner stone watering trough . 81.8
Washington Street, east side on curbing at lane north of Union Street . .
109.7
Washington Street, east side on curbing, south side Union Street .
115.9
Washington Street and Franklin Street intersection
103.6
Washington Street and Hollis Avenue intersection ·
85.6
Washington Street and River Street intersection .
79.5
Washington Street and Summer Street intersection
107.3
West Street and Washington Street, north-east corner stone curbing in triangle
110.3
---- Bench
The shortest distance between the margin of Great Pond and Little Pond is about 6,600 feet. The distance from Great Pond to the pumping station at Little Pond is about 8,940 feet. To reach deep water in Great Pond the conduit would have to run out into the pond an additional distance of 500 to 700 feet. To reach the unfinished pumping station at Great Pond would require an addi- tional distance of about 1,400 feet.
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